Rutgers University visitor parking depends on which of the university’s campuses you’re visiting and where you need to go. Confirm your destination, check its parking rules and choose a lot before setting out; Rutgers is about a 10-minute drive from a motor lodge in Edison.
- Campus area: New Brunswick and Piscataway, across five campuses.
- Permit: Generally required for visitors unless a location-specific exception applies.
- Standard visitor permit: $5.00 plus tax for the first 8 hours, then $5.00 plus tax for each additional 8 hours, unless stated otherwise.
- Key exception: Busch Campus Lot 48 is free, but visitor parking is not allowed there on home football game days.
Identify the campus and destination building
Start with the campus and building you need, because Rutgers–New Brunswick spans five campuses across New Brunswick and Piscataway: Busch, College Avenue, Cook/Douglass, Livingston and Rutgers Health. A Rutgers University map can help you orient yourself, but the destination building should guide your parking choice.
Write down the campus and building name before looking for a lot. The visitor options are campus-specific, and a convenient-looking lot on another campus may not suit your destination. For a broader overview of the campuses and local transportation, see this Rutgers visitor guide.
Check Rutgers visitor parking rules
Rutgers generally requires visitors to have a visitor permit to park on campus, except where a location-specific rule says otherwise. The university defines visitors as individuals or groups traveling to campus for an activity or special event.
General visitor parking hours are 6:00 am–12:00 am unless a location has different rules. Rutgers says parking regulations apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Violations may lead to ticketing or towing or immobilization, so check the rule for your chosen lot rather than assuming a permit covers every space.
Before you go, check the official site of Rutgers University for the location’s parking details, since permit rules and prices can vary by lot.
Find an appropriate lot or garage
Choose a visitor lot or deck near your destination, then confirm its conditions before you drive there. Visitor parking options across New Brunswick and Piscataway include Cook Campus Lot 99D, College Avenue Campus College Avenue Deck, Douglass Campus Lot 82, Busch Campus Lot 54, Rutgers Health Piscataway Campus Lots A and B, and Livingston Campus Yellow/915 and Green/916 Lots.
Busch Campus Lot 48, across from the Visitors Center, offers free visitor parking with no permit required. That exception does not apply on home football game days.
The Livingston Deck, also called the RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center Parking Deck, costs $3 per hour; a daily permit can be bought online in advance or by scanning a QR code at the deck.
Rutgers’ New Brunswick campus bus system connects the five campuses, which may be useful if your plans involve more than one. If your visit includes a campus tour, review this campus tour planning guide as you map out your stops.
Understand permits, payment and restrictions
Visitors can create a guest account through the Rutgers Parking Portal to purchase visitor permits; faculty, staff and students may not create visitor accounts. Visitor permits cost $5.00 plus tax for the first 8 hours, with another $5.00 plus tax for every additional 8 hours, unless stated otherwise.
Enter your vehicle’s license plate correctly when registering. Rutgers says vehicles parked within its jurisdictional areas must have a valid permit, and an incorrect plate entry can lead to citations or towing or immobilization.
If you park on a city street, at a city deck or at a city meter instead, those spaces are not Rutgers property and city restrictions apply.
Allow for event-day changes
Home football game days change visitor parking availability at specific Rutgers lots. Visitor parking is not permitted on those days at Busch Lots 48 and 54 or Livingston Yellow/915 and Green/916 Lots, so don’t rely on the usual rules when a game is taking place.
For a visit to SHI Stadium, use the SHI Stadium visit guide to plan around game parking.
Rutgers treats parking for events with 10 or more attendees as special-event parking for registered attendees. A meeting or gathering with fewer than 10 attendees can direct people to register for visitor parking.
Rutgers-affiliated hosts must submit a special-event parking request at least 5 days before the event; completed requests are reviewed, and approved requests are processed within 5 business days of receipt. Attendees must register before parking in the assigned location, providing an email address, vehicle license plate and state registration.
FAQs
Do visitors always need a Rutgers parking permit?
Visitors generally need a permit to park on campus unless a location-specific exception applies. Busch Lot 48 is an exception, except on home football game days.
Can I park on a city street near Rutgers?
City streets, city decks and city meters are not Rutgers property, so city restrictions and regulations apply there.
How do I plan a Rutgers visit that includes a game?
Check the game-day rules for your campus and lot before driving in; some visitor lots are unavailable on home football game days. The guide to visiting SHI Stadium covers game-related planning.
What information is needed for special-event parking?
Event parking registration requires an email address, vehicle license plate and state registration. Attendees must register before parking in the assigned location.