ANU Campus Parking Fees and Student Discount Applications

29 March 2026 10 min read

Parking on the Australian National University (ANU) campus is managed centrally by the university’s Transport and Safety department. As of 2025, the Acton campus has more than 4,200 parking spaces spread across 13 designated car parks and a number of on-street parking areas. According to the official ANU Campus Transport and Parking Plan 2024, parking fees are set differently for three groups — students, staff and visitors — and students can apply for specific types of concession permits to reduce commuting costs. This topic drew particular attention in 2025, because in late 2024 ANU announced that it would raise daytime rates at some car parks by roughly 8%-12% from March 2025, while also introducing a new overnight parking discount scheme for full-time students. For the 18-30 age group of students who commute by private car, understanding the current fee schedule, the concession application process and alternative transport options is a key part of keeping the academic-year budget under control.

Parking Distribution and Zone System

ANU’s Acton campus divides its car parks into three categories — the Blue Zone, the Green Zone and the Red Zone — each with different access rights and rates. The Blue Zone is mainly located in the core teaching area of campus (e.g. near Chifley Library and the Peter Baume Building) and is reserved for staff and authorised vehicles holding Blue Zone permits; student vehicles are not permitted. The Green Zone is spread around the campus periphery (e.g. south of the Kambri Precinct and along University Avenue), is open to all vehicles with a valid permit, and is the area students use most often. The Red Zone refers to certain short-stay visitor car parks (such as the Baldessin Precinct visitor area), which are charged by the hour.

According to data on the ANU Transport Services official website, as of January 2025 the Green Zone had around 2,800 spaces, accounting for 66.7% of the total. The Green Zone Annual Permit is the main choice for students, priced at AUD 520 per year (about RMB 2,440) for the 2025 academic year, up AUD 45 from 2024. In addition, the campus has 48 disabled parking spaces, located at the entrances of major buildings, which require an Australian Disability Parking Permit to use.

Student Fee Schedule and Permit Types

ANU offers students three main parking permit options: the Annual Permit, the Semester Permit and the Daily Ticket. The Annual Permit is for students on campus all year and costs AUD 520 (2025 rate); it can be purchased online through the ANU Parking Portal. The Semester Permit covers one teaching semester (about 18 weeks) at AUD 320, suitable for students who only need to drive for a single semester. Daily tickets are bought via PayStay terminals on campus or the mobile app, at AUD 8.50/day in the Green Zone and AUD 15.00/day in the Red Zone.

The overnight parking discount is a new concession introduced in 2025: any vehicle holding a valid student permit can use designated Green Zone car parks free of charge after 4:00 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. The policy was launched after negotiation between the ANU Students’ Association (ANUSA) and the university, and is designed to cut commuting costs for students attending evening classes. According to a November 2024 announcement from the ANU Transport department, the overnight discount requires no separate application — the system automatically recognises activated student permits.

Concession Application Conditions and Process

To apply for student parking concessions, applicants must meet the following basic conditions: they must be enrolled full-time at ANU (studying at least 18 units per semester) and hold a valid Australian driver’s licence or an International Driving Permit. Concession applications are mainly submitted through the ANU online parking system (Parking Portal). The process involves logging in with your ANU ID, uploading a scan of your student card, selecting the permit type and completing payment.

For students experiencing financial hardship, ANU offers the Hardship Parking Scheme. Eligible students can apply for a 50% reduction on the annual permit fee, paying AUD 260 instead. Applications must include a written statement and supporting documents (such as Centrelink income statements or medical bills), and are assessed by the Student Support Office, with a processing time of about 10 working days. The scheme can be applied for once per academic year, and places are limited — in 2024, 120 applications were approved, accounting for 34% of all applications received.

Temporary Visitor and Short-Stay Parking Options

Students or visitors without a permit can pay for temporary parking through the PayStay mobile app. PayStay covers all Green Zone and Red Zone car parks on campus and supports both hourly and daily billing. Temporary parking in the Green Zone costs AUD 2.50/hour with a daily cap of AUD 8.50; in the Red Zone it is AUD 4.00/hour with a daily cap of AUD 15.00. Users need to start the timer on arrival and end the session before leaving — overstaying results in a fine.

In addition, ANU provides short-stay spaces (15 minutes free) in the Kambri Precinct underground car park for quick drop-offs and pick-ups. This area is fitted with an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system, and overstaying automatically generates an infringement notice. According to the ANU Transport and Safety department’s 2024 annual report, around 3,200 parking infringement notices were issued in 2024, 58% of which involved overstaying or failure to display a permit.

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Fines and Penalty Handling

ANU parking infringement fines are set by the university under the ACT Road Transport Act. Common violations include: failing to display a valid permit (fine AUD 80), overstaying (fine AUD 60), occupying a disabled space (fine AUD 200), and parking in a no-stopping zone (fine AUD 100). Fines are delivered by email or paper notice, with a 28-day payment period; late payment incurs an AUD 20 late fee.

Students who dispute a fine can submit a written appeal through the ANU Parking Appeal System within 14 days. Appeals must be based on facts, such as a permit not displayed due to a technical fault or an emergency medical situation. According to ANU Transport department data from 2023, about 22% of appeals were successfully overturned or reduced. Repeat violations can result in the vehicle being wheel-clamped or towed; the tow fee is AUD 150, payable by the owner.

Alternative Transport Options

ANU encourages students to use alternative transport to reduce campus congestion. The ANU Campus Bus provides a free loop service connecting the Acton campus with major areas such as Belconnen and the City, running Monday to Friday 7:00-19:00 every 15 minutes. ANU also promotes the MyWay+ public transport card in partnership with the ACT Government, with discounted fares for students (AUD 2.50 per trip, capped at AUD 5.00/day).

Cycling is also a common choice — the campus has more than 600 bicycle racks and 10 self-service repair stations. ANU also offers shared e-scooter rentals operated by Neuron Mobility, at an AUD 1.00 unlock fee plus AUD 0.38/minute. According to ANU’s 2024 transport survey, about 43% of students commute by public transport, 25% walk or cycle, and only 18% rely on private cars.

Future Plans and Policy Adjustments

In its 2024-2029 Campus Transport Strategic Plan, ANU has proposed reducing private-car parking spaces on campus by 15% by 2029, while increasing electric vehicle charging stations to 60 (currently 22). The March 2025 rate adjustment is the first step of this plan and is expected to affect around 1,200 vehicle owners holding student permits. The university also announced that from 2026 it will trial a dynamic pricing system that adjusts daily ticket rates based on real-time car park occupancy; rates could rise by 20% during peak hours (9:00-11:00).

Student groups have reacted differently. In a December 2024 statement, ANUSA noted that dynamic pricing could place an unfair burden on low-income students and asked the university to provide more hardship places. ANU Transport responded that it will establish an annual review mechanism to ensure student permit fee increases do not exceed 1.5 times the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

FAQ

Q1: How much does an ANU student parking permit cost per year?

The standard annual permit for the 2025 academic year costs AUD 520 (about RMB 2,440), and the semester permit costs AUD 320. Once a hardship application is approved, the fee can be reduced to AUD 260. Prices rose AUD 45 from 2024, an increase of about 9.5%.

Q2: Can students park for free?

Vehicles holding a valid student permit can use designated Green Zone car parks free of charge after 4:00 pm Monday to Friday and all day on weekends. In addition, the Kambri Precinct offers 15 minutes of free short-stay parking. Vehicles without a permit cannot park on campus for free.

Q3: How do I apply for ANU parking hardship assistance?

Log in to the ANU Parking Portal, select the “Hardship Parking Scheme” option, and upload supporting materials such as income statements or medical documents. Assessment is carried out by the Student Support Office and takes about 10 working days. In 2024, 120 applications were approved; places are limited, so submit early.

References

Australian National University Transport and Safety. 2024. ANU Campus Transport and Parking Plan 2024.
Australian National University Student Support Office. 2024. Hardship Parking Scheme Annual Report 2024.
ACT Government. 2023. ACT Road Transport Act 2023.
Australian National University. 2024. 2024-2029 Campus Transport Strategic Plan.
Unilink Education. 2025. ANU Student Parking Data Compilation 2025.