General Information

• Parking Committee Assignments
• 24-Hour and Commuter Parking
• Semester Parking
• Summer Parking
• Daily & Special Event Parking
• Parking Alternatives

Parking Committee Assignments

The Parking Committee generally meets on the second Monday of every month; applicants assigned parking spaces are notified within three business days of the meeting.  Once a space is offered, the applicant has one week in which to accept before being required to reapply.  Applicants not assigned spaces are placed on a wait list until space is available. Please note that only complete applications are forwarded to the Parking Committee for review. 

Approved parkers without proof of a home address withing the parking eligibility parameters and/or a vehicle registered to the parker, spouse or same sex domestic partner as recognized by Human Resources may not begin parking until this is provided. 

University parking is extremely limited.  Alternative parking in commercial garages in the Morningside campus area is available.  For a list of garages, click here.

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24-Hour and Commuter Parking

Who is eligible for 24-hr Parking?

Morningside Garages
Residents north of West 96th Street and south of West 145th Street, from Central Park West (or its equivalent) to Riverside Drive or in leased University housing outside this area who are:

• Active full-time Columbia faculty members
• Officers grade 14 and above
• Affiliates registered with the Office of Disability Services
• Barnard faculty only if living in University housing.

Arbor Garage
All residents of the Arbor, including post-doctoral officers of research and graduate students, are eligible for parking in the Arbor Garage.

Who is eligible for Commuter Parking? Commuter parking applicants must reside outside the borough of Manhattan and be:

• Active full-time Columbia faculty members
• Officers grade 14 and above
• Affiliates registered with the Office of Disability Services are eligible
• Adjunct Columbia faculty members only on the days they teach
• Students enrolled in evening and Saturday classes, who may park from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 pm. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays on class days only.  A current class schedule must be provided. 

Who is not eligible for University parking?

• Students (except for Arbor residents and those with evening and Saturday clasess)  
• Post-doctoral fellows (except for Arbor residents)
• Senior staff associates and staff associates
• Officers below grade 14 (except summer parking)
• Support staff (except summer parking)
• Parkers who live outside the parameters listed above
• Affiliates of institutions other than Columbia University except as noted above

Complete the online application below and fax a copy of your vehicle registration(s) to 212-854-2891.

Whose car can I park in my parking spot?

Vehicles must be registered to the applicant, his/her spouse or his/her same sex domestic partner as recognized by Human Resources.  Proof of such relationship must be provided with the application.  All information provided for this purpose will be maintained confidentially by the Parking Department solely for confirming compliance with the University's parking policy and will be released only if required by law.

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Semester Parking

Semester parking for adjunct professors is available each semester on the days they teach and on one additional day for departmental responsibilities.  Any other days must be authorized in writing by the department head.  Parking is in the IAB garage located at 418 West 118th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive.  Parking is available in the ETG garage only for adjuncts who teach after 4:30 pm.  Semester parking is not available to Manhattan residents. 

Click on the appropriate semester application below to apply online.  Applications are not complete without the following information that must be mailed to Columbia University, Residential Finance and Parking, 400 West 119th Street, New York, NY 10027 or faxed to 212-854-2891.

• Vehicle Registration(s)
• Class schedule
• Check payable to Columbia University for the appropriate fee
• Departmental authorization for additional days, if applicable
• Departmental authorization form and Form W-9, if applicable

If your parking fee is charged to your department, you must include the signed Departmental Authorization Form and a Form W-9 as noted above.  Parking paid by a department is considered additional compensation and will be included in your calender year Form W-4 or Form 1099 if you are not on the University payroll.

Parking sticker(s) will be mailed to you once all completed documentation is received. 

Summer Parking

During June, July and August, there is a temporary increase in available parking for which the following Columbia University affiliates may apply:

• Full-time faculty
• Officers grade 10 and above
• Support staff
• Students enrolled in evening and Saturday classes (parking on class days only)

Vehicle registration(s) must be faxed to 212-854-2891 for an application to be complete.  Students must provide their class schedule.  A full payment by check made payable to Columbia University must be submitted before parking.  Faculty and officers may be eligible for payroll deduction.

Summer commuter parkers must reside outside Manhattan.  Summer 24-hour parkers must reside north of West 96th Street and south of West 145th Street or live in University housing if outside those boundaries.  Some additional eligibility requirements may apply.  

Commuter parking is in the IAB garage located at West 118th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive.  Students enrolled in evening and Saturday classes may park from 4:30 p.m. to 11:00 pm. on weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays on class days only.  A current class schedule must be provided.  24-hour parking is available in the 560 Riverside Drive garage located at Riverside Drive between West 125th Street and Tieman Place. 

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Daily and Special Event Parking

Daily Parking 

Daily commuter and 24-hour parking at $15 per day is extremely limited during the academic year particularly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Requests must be made at least 2 days in advance.  Payment is by University departmental account or by check made payable to Columbia University.  No cash or credit card payments are accepted.  Once a request is approved, no refunds can be issued.  

• Departments may request daily parking for University visitors that must be charged to a departmental account. 
• University affiliates may request parking for a day subject to availability.
• Prospective students, their parents and other visitors on University business may apply for daily parking during the months of June, July and August. 

Requests will receive an email acknowledgment of receipt.  Approvals or denials will be emailed within 1 day of the parking date requested.

Departmental Daily Parking Request Form

Special Event and Seminar Parking

Special event and University Seminar parking is available only by departmental request for weekday evenings, Fridays, and weekends in the ETG and IAB garages.  Approval of the request is subject to availability.  The department will be charged for the use of the facilities.   

Departmental Special Event and Seminar Parking Request Form Evening, Fridays and Weekends 

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Parking Alternatives

The following list of commercial garages in the Morningside Heights campus area is provided to assist you in your search for private garages within the Morningside Heights campus vicinity. Please note that this list should not be interpreted as a recommendation of these establishments. Garages are listed from south to north.

A number of web sites allow for easy location of private garages along with a comparison of rates. Best Parking and Primo Spot are resources mentioned frequently, although there are others and mention of these websites should in no way be considered an endorsement.

*Monthly commuter parking is available at these two facilities only. 

Parking on New York City Streets

Metered and non-metered parking is available on New York City streets as directed by signs posted by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT).  You can check NYC DOT's Web site for regulations regarding alternate side of the street parking.

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