Drive to campus
Fees and parking information for Hamilton and Tauranga campuses.
Hamilton
Parking is available on site at the Hamilton campus. Use the free PayMyPark app to pay parking fees, or pay online at the PayMyPark website. There are a range of options to choose from including daily, weekly and trimester parking.
Be sure to select The University of Waikato as the app defaults to Hamilton City Council.
Car parks for students: Gate 1, Gate 2b, Gate 3A, Gate 3B, Gate 10.
Do not park in a numbered/named park because these are reserved for permit holders at all times (clamping fees apply).
Parking charges
Parking charges apply from 8:30am—4:30pm, Monday to Friday excluding public holidays. Parking is free outside of these hours. Motorbike parking is free at all times in designated motorbike parks.
Paid parking applies to all cars parked on campus including students living in the Halls. Each hall has limited reserved parking that you can apply for in January 2024. Alternatively, you can purchase a Trimester Pass via the PayMyPark app.
The University of Waikato parking charges listed below, do not include PayMyPark service and transaction fees. You can pay fewer service and transaction fees by loading your PayMyPark account with more credit less frequently, or by purchasing weekly or trimester parking. To see PayMyPark's fees visit their FAQ page.
| Current General Parking Rates | |
| One day (24 hours from time of purchase) | $2 |
| One week (seven consecutive days) | $6 |
| A and B Trimester Concessions* | |
| One trimester – purchased via PayMyPark (expires at the end of the trimester) | $60 |
*Weekly and Trimester concessions do not guarantee car park spots.
| Future General Parking Rates (effective from 1 February 2025) | |
| One day (24 hours from time of purchase) | $3 |
| One week (seven consecutive days) | $9 |
| A and B Trimester Concessions* | |
| One trimester – purchased via PayMyPark (expires at the end of the trimester) | $90 |
*Weekly and Trimester concessions do not guarantee car park spots.
Tauranga
There are no on-campus parks available at our Tauranga Campus. Paid-parking is available on-street, off-street and in parking buildings.
For more information on where to park in the city, visit the Tauranga City Council's website.
Students are reminded not to park in private parking spaces or retail car parks to prevent their vehicles from being ticketed, towed or clamped. Durham Lane is a public lane way. Students should not park in the area as indicated by the clearway sign to prevent their vehicle from being ticketed or towed.
The visitor parks outside the 24-hour labs are strictly for visitors to the campus during business hours. They may be also be reserved for visitors attending after-hours events.
Tauranga mobility parking
There are two mobility parks at the CBD campus, located outside the Durham Lane entrance. These are available for students, staff and visitors who are on campus and hold a mobility parking permit. Visitors using these carparks should advise staff at the information desk in the Hub, on Level 1.
You can apply for a permit through CCS Disability Action.
There are also mobility parking spaces close to campus, both on-street and in the parking building directly opposite the campus on Durham Street. For more information about mobility parking in the CBD and to download a map of mobility parking spaces, visit the Tauranga City Council website.
Parking services
The Parking Service ensures that University of Waikato parking areas, roads, footpaths and other locations are used in accordance with safe parking practice, as well as providing a number of specific services as listed below.
Safe Walk
UniSafe is available to walk you to and from your vehicle if you feel vulnerable. This service extends to the University boundaries and does not include walking or driving people to home addresses or private car parking facilities outside the campus. Call +64 7 838 4444 to arrange and allow 10-15 minutes notice for this service.
Parking enforcement
This includes taking action of either wheel-clamping or towing where vehicles are parked incorrectly. The fee for wheel-clamp removal is $50 (GST inclusive) if parked in License to Hunt (LTH) or General Parking areas, or $100 (GST inclusive) if parked in a Reserved Numbered park. The fee is payable at the Security counter at the Student Union Building (SUB) 0.
Hamilton mobility parking
There are a number of mobility parking spaces on the Hamilton campus, which are freely available for use at any time. Visitors do not need to book these parks. Please ensure your valid mobility card is clearly visible on your dashboard.
You can apply for a mobility permit through CCS Disability Action.
Carpool to campus
Carpooling saves you money by splitting the cost of driving and parking among several commuters. It’s also a good way to meet new people, and better for the environment.
Let's Carpool, the award-winning national carpooling scheme, makes it easy to find other commuters in your area. This is a public site that will put you in touch with other drivers/passengers who use a similar route.
Find out more or register at Lets Carpool.