Parking is allowed on most residential streets and some collector arterial streets within the City of Knoxville.
See Chapter 17 of the Knoxville City Code for parking and traffic regulations. Unless a parked vehicle violates one of the regulations in the City Code or is parked in a signed or yellow-curb No Parking Zone, it is legally parked on a city street.
PARKING METERS
Parking Meters are in effect Monday through Saturday throughout downtown, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Gay Street between Summit Hill Drive and Hill Avenue, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. everywhere else.
Short-term meters charge $1.50 an hour, with a two-hour limit. Long-term meters (on the Gay Street Viaduct and along Depot Avenue and South Central Street) charge 30 cents an hour, with a 10-hour limit. Meters are enforced by the Public Building Authority.
In addition to its downtown enforcement, PBA enforces meters in the Cumberland Avenue District, between White Avenue and Lake Avenue from 17th Street west to the railroad tracks from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
DOWNTOWN STOP-N-GO
Starting Oct. 23, 2023, 10 new Downtown Stop-n-Go parking spaces will be in effect on Wall Avenue, which fronts the north end of Market Square downtown. These spaces, designated strategically throughout downtown to support businesses and their patrons, allow people to turn on their vehicle’s flashers and park for free for 15 minutes.
Learn More
On Aug. 2, 2021, the City converted 11 downtown on-street metered parking spaces at six locations from 2-hour to free 15-minute parking.
The “Downtown Stop-n-Go” designated areas are located at South Gay Street and Wall Avenue; South Gay and Union Avenue; the 700 block of South Gay; South Central Street and Willow Avenue; Union and Market Street; Clinch Avenue west of Market Street; and West Church Avenue and Walnut Street.
Motorists using the 15-minute spaces should activate their vehicle flashers when parking there. Public Building Authority parking enforcement officers will write citations if motorists violate the 15-minute maximum time that a vehicle may occupy one of the designated spaces or if the flashers are not activated.
Learn More
PARKING PERMITS
Often there is a need within the downtown area to reserve or remove parking spaces for activities that may not abide by the posted parking regulations. Examples of these activities include, but are not limited to moving, delivery & removal of goods, construction activities, performance of specialized business tasks, locating of temporary storage units, locating of construction equipment, general construction, special event activities, etc. Without this type of permit the requestor would be seen as a violator and could be subject to ticketing or subsequently being towed.
Learn More About Parking Permits
PARK DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE WEBSITE
A database of parking locations and relevant information about on-street parking, residential parking, information for bicyclists, and more.
www.DowntownKnoxville.org/Parking
KNOXVILLE CIVIC AUDITORIUM & COLISEUM
Parking is available at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum facilities (
500 Howard Baker, Jr., Ave.) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for only $15 a month or $5 per day
(starting July 2016). You can ride KAT's Blue Trolley Line from the Coliseum to the City-County Building (runs every 7-8 min.) or get off at the stop closest to your destination.
KATBus.com
Knoxville Civic Auditorium/Coliseum Parking Info
MARKET SQUARE, STATE STREET & LOCUST STREET GARAGES
Parking is FREE at the City's Market Square (
406 Walnut St.), State Street Garage (
520 State St.) and Locust Street Garage (
540 Locust St.) after 6 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the weekend - except for specific special events. Normal weekday rates are $1 an hour. Check out the free Parkopedia app to see parking space availability at City-owned garages.
How to use the free Parkopedia app
SEVIER AVE. CORRIDOR PARKING
Where Do I Park? The restaurants, shops and breweries along Sevier Avenue are increasingly popular. Did you know there are about 175 parking spaces in the immediate area – and another 380 spaces within about a 1/3-mile walking distance?
Click here for a map in PDF format
MONTHLY PARKING
To purchase monthly parking or to get info about monthly parking spaces within City-owned garages (
not City County Building) and other downtown garages, contact PBA at 865-215-2434.
PBA Monthly Parking Info
COMMERCIAL PARKING PROVIDERS
SP+ Parking, 865-525-8438
Premier Parking of Tennessee, 865-441-2553 / 865-633-0350
Republic Parking System, 423-265-3218