DOWNTOWN VISITOR PARKING
Parking in the Hill Street Parking Deck and all City of Champaign parking spots
is HEAD-IN ONLY PARKING. Violators will be ticketed
Payment is required Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., except City Holidays
Parking is NOT allowed at on-street metered spaces or in City hourly parking lots, signed as such, from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., for street and lot cleaning activities.
The Hill Street Parking Deck adds more parking spaces in Downtown Champaign.
Located at 123 W. Hill Street (with entrances/exits on Hill and Randolph Streets).
Parking in the Hill Street Parking Deck and all City of Champaign parking spots is HEAD-IN ONLY PARKING. Violators will be ticketed.
- 300 hourly visitor spaces (increases to 500 at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday)
- $0.75 per hour from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday
($9.75 daytime maximum) - No Charge all other times including ALL DAY on Saturdays, Sundays, and City Holidays (see complete list under “Metered Parking” below)
- No Time Limits! Stay as long as you want and pay upon exit
- Credit and debit accepted 24/7 at the Exit gates (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express)
- Convenient pedestrian access to:
- Neil Street (via the M2 breezeway),
- Randolph Street, and
- Hill Street
- Free Covered Bicycle and Motorcycle Parking
- Free use of the Bicycle Repair Station on the first floor of the northwest corner of the deck
- Free use of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (hourly parking rates apply)
- Located on the 3rd level of the deck
- Four Level 2 Chargers
The Prox Card is an alternative to permit parking available to people who visit downtown frequently.
Step 1: Purchase a Prox Card at the Parking Programs Office located at 702 Edgebrook Drive, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Set up a credit card account at the office and manage it online.
Step 2: Entering the deck. When you arrive at the Deck, scan your Prox Card at the gate (on the black box). The gate will automatically raise. There is no need to stop and take a ticket. The Prox Card works at all entrance and exit lanes. Prox Card customers can park on Levels 1 – 3.
Step 3: Exiting the deck: When approaching the gate, stop and scan your Prox Card on the gate (on the black box). Select the green “On File” button on the screen. The time parked in the deck will be automatically calculated and the fee charged directly to the customer’s credit card.
Parking at all City of Champaign parking meter spots is HEAD-IN ONLY PARKING. Violators will be ticketed.
Metered parking is available Downtown in various on- and off-street locations and rates vary by location. Parking costs as little as $0.25 per hour on the perimeter of Downtown and never more than $1.00 per hour, even in the busiest areas.
Payment is required during enforcement hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., except City holidays.
Parking is FREE:
- ALL DAY on Saturdays and Sundays
- On City Holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day (Observed), Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day
- From 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Friday
Parking is NOT allowed at on-street metered spaces from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. for street and lot cleaning activities.
Overnight parking:
Overnight parking is available in the Hill Street Parking Deck and in the University & Market parking lot in space numbers 49-54 and 88-92.
Maximum Stay at Meters:
Use the color coded meter labels to help you determine where to park depending on the length of your stay:
Red = 30 minutes or less to grab lunch or a cup of coffee to go
Blue = 2-hour maximum for lunch or some light shopping
Orange = 3- or 4-hour maximum for a movie or museum visit
Green = 10-hour maximum for a day-long meeting or outing Downtown
Downtown Champaign offers four centrally located visitor parking locations where parking is allowed in different time increments from 30 minutes to all day:
- Walnut & Washington Lot
- Hill Street Parking Deck
- Neil & Washington Lot
- University & Market Lot
(see below for instructions on using the pay stations in this lot) - North First Street Lot
Meters:
- Coins and MobileMeter (pay-by-cell service sign up at www.mobilemeter.us).
MobileMeter:
- Customers can use the MobileMeter app to pay at City of Champaign parking meters
(not available in the Hill Street Parking Deck or at pay stations).- Users can download the app for free at mobilemeter.us.
The app is available on iOS and Android phones. - Users may also use the m.mobilemeter.us website to pay or call 217-207-3033.
- MobileMeter users can pay for any length of time at the meter, up to the maximum amount of time allowed per the regulation sticker on the meter.
- There is a $0.35/transaction fee per use.
- Users who load a MobileMeter Wallet to pay for their session, and load $10, will receive $1 free.
- Users can download the app for free at mobilemeter.us.
Pay Stations:
Two pay stations are located in the University & Market Lot which accept bills, coins, credit or debit (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express).
To use the pay stations:
- Note your stall number
- Proceed to pay station and follow on-screen prompts
- Keep your receipt and go to your destination
Please see the Pay Station Guide for additional information.
Hill Street Parking Deck:
Credit, debit (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express), and merchant validated tickets. You may also visit the Parking Office to purchase two-hour bar codes.
Pay-on-Phone mobile payment is also available for parkers pulling a ticket. The entry ticket includes a QR code that can be scanned and paid before leaving. There is a $0.35/transaction fee per use.
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT VISITOR PARKING
Payment is required Monday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Parking is NOT allowed at on-street metered spaces or in City hourly parking lots, signed as such, from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., for street and lot cleaning activities.
Metered parking is available on-street within the University District in both the commercial and residential areas.
See the University District Meter Location Map on the Parking Maps page for more details.
- Rates are $0.75 per hour or $1.00 per hour.
- The maximum time limit for metered parking in the commercial area is two hours.
- Ten-hour meters are available in the residential area at a rate of $0.75 per hour and can be identified by the green label affixed to the post.
- Payment is required: Monday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., except City holidays.
Parking is FREE:
- ALL DAY on Sundays
- On City Holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day
- From 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Parking is not allowed at on-street metered spaces from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. for street cleaning activities.
Meters:
Coins are accepted.
MobileMeter:
- Customers can use the MobileMeter app to pay at City of Champaign parking meters
(not available in the Hill Street Parking Deck or at pay stations). - Users can download the app for free at mobilemeter.us the app is available on iOS and Android phones.
- Users may also use the mobilemeter.us website to pay or call 217-207-3033.
- MobileMeter users can pay for any length of time at the meter, up to the maximum amount of time allowed per the regulation sticker on the meter.
- There is a $0.35/transaction fee per use.
- Users who load a MobileMeter Wallet to pay for their session, and load $10, will receive $1 free.
Short-term/Temporary permits allow parking at designated 10-hour meters (for 1-4 day temporary permits), or the Boneyard Parking Area 1-2 (for 5-30 day temporary permits) located in the residential area of the University District. Permits are subject to availability.
Obtaining a Permit:
- Short-term/temporary permits are valid at designated 10-hour meters or designated off-street locations in the residential area of the University District (see map).
- Permit holders are exempt from the “No Parking 3 a.m. to 5 a.m.” restriction.
- Permit is to be used only by the permit holder only and cannot be used or transferred to someone else.
- The permit is valid at assigned location only.
- The following is required: Valid Driver’s License; completed application; copy of the full and current vehicle registration card.
- Permits will be issued as soon as possible during office hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except City holidays.
- The cost of a 1- to 4-day permit is $7.50 per day. The 5- to 30-day permit is a flat rate of $35.
- Permits are subject to availability, are for a maximum of 30 days, and are non-renewable.
- No refunds are given for cancellation of this agreement at any time during the rental period.
- Once your permit is ready, it must be picked up from Public Works during office hours.
- To submit a Short-term/Temporary parking application, complete the online form below.
Permit Rates:
- 1- to 4-day permit is $7.50 per day
(Ten-hour meter in residential permit area)
- 5- to 30-day permit is $35.00
(Permit parking for 5-30 days is only available in the Boneyard Parking Area 1-2, located at the meters between First Street and Second Street and Healey Street and Green Street).
Complete and Submit this Form to Apply for a Short-Term/Temporary Permit:
Short-Term/Temporary Visitor Parking Permit
University District residential area short-term/temporary visitor parking permit form.
"*" indicates required fields
Permits are also sold in the office from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding City holidays, at the Public Works Department (702 Edgebrook Drive, Champaign – just east of Home Depot).
Temporary permits are non-refundable. You must wait 30 days before purchasing another temporary permit. Please contact the office at 217-403-4700 with any questions you have on obtaining a permit.