Parkmobile Pay by Phone at Meters
Meter Rate Change: Effective Monday, August 25, 2025, the hourly rate for most parking meters will go from $.80/hr to $1.00/hr. The exceptions will be the Multimodal Transportation Center (MMTC), PAC, Bookstore, and Jennings Drive metered parking areas.
The Department of Public Safety has teamed with Parkmobile (parkmobile.io) to provide a mobile payment solution as a payment option for some of the parking meters on campus.
At select meters and the Multimodal Parking Transportation Center, students, faculty, staff and visitors can now pay for parking with their smart phones using Parkmobile’s mobile applications for iPhone, Android, Windows and Blackberry phones or by calling a toll free number.
Parkmobile Overview
Parkmobile’s mobile payment system is very simple and easy to use. Customers need only to register by downloading the mobile app in their phone’s app store or online at parkmobile.io. Parkmobile offers customers the ability to select either Parkmobile Wallet as their payment method to receive a reduced transaction fee of $.15 per transaction or traditional credit/debit card or PayPal method with a transaction fee of $0.40 per transaction. The current $.80/hour still applies for the amount of time purchased.
If you do not wish to use this option, continue using coins. Pay-by-phone is not mandatory; it is another payment option.
Once registered, use the mobile app, internet or a toll-free number to pay for parking. After setting up their account, customers can immediately start using the system with their registered mobile phone. Mobile app users may also choose to receive alerts and reminders 15 minutes prior to expiration of their parking session.
Please keep in mind you cannot reserve parking. Do not pay for a space before you get there.
For more information, please visit parkmobile.io or @Parkmobile on Twitter.
- Where can you pay for parking using Parkmobile?
You can use any meter displaying the green Pay by App Parking sticker. Currently these are:
- Latham Field 2-hr meters (next to Schindler on the north side and the Communications Arts Center on the south)
- Latham Field 8 hour max, pay-by-plate area (north side of lot)
- Baker Lot 2-hr meters (next to Rod Library and Wright Hall)
- Wisconsin Street 2-hr meters
- Latham Hall 2-hr meters
- Wellness and Recreation Center 2-hr meters. This does not include the stalls marked for clinic use only Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Clinic parking stalls in the WRC Lot after 6 p.m.
- Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center (PAC) lot. Stalls 1-36 can be used by students, faculty and staff if available. All other stalls are for visitors only.
- 30 min parking east side of Gilchrist. If you pay using Parkmobile, you can do so up to 2 1/2 hours. If using coins it is 30 min max.
In addition, the pay-by-app is available in any numbered stall in the Multimodal Parking Transportation Center (MMTC Parking Deck) located on the corner of Campus and 23rd Street across from Bartlett Hall.
This option is not available at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, nor any 30-minute and 1-hour meter areas. If there is no green Parkmobile sticker with zone & space # or poster with a zone #, this option is not available.
Each zone/meter has max time restrictions. The minimum you can pay for is 30 minutes. You can set up your account (see below) to have an expiration reminder sent to you. Depending on how much time you purchased and the lot, you can add more time from your phone up to the max.
Please keep in mind there will be a $.40 fee per transaction in addition to the regular rate (currently $.80/hour). If you set up Parkmobile Wallet, the transaction fee goes to $.15 fee per transaction. This is a fee charged by Parkmobile for the convenience of using the pay-by-phone option. UNI does not get this money. If you do not wish to pay this, continue using coins. Pay-by-phone is not mandatory; it is an option.
The Parkmobile app is available online or via your smartphone or tablet. If you already have a Parkmobile account from a different university or municipality, you may use the same account. Just search for our zone numbers.
- How to set up a Parkmobile account
Set up your Parkmobile account in just a few simple steps:
- Go to parkmobile.io. Create an account or sign in using Apple ID.
- Continue with registration or explore the app & complete sign up at a later time.
- Add your vehicle info, including your license plate & state. You can add up to five LPNs per account.
- To complete your account, choose from one of our many payment options.
*Please note that not all payment methods are accepted in all areas.
- Using your Parkmobile account
Note: Each zone on the UNI campus has max time restrictions.
- Once registered, enter in Zone # located on stickers & signs on the meters or choose from nearby zones shown.
- Choose your parking duration (varies by location).
- Confirm your information, including location, license plate, time & cost.
- A ticker will show up counting down your time remaining, and in some locations, you may extend your session remotely.
- Parkmobile Perks
- Easy to register and use
- Saves you time and money
- Extend your parking session on-the-go (where permitted)
- Link payment CC, Masterpass, Paypal or Visa Checkout (where accepted)
- Save "Favorite" and recently used zones
- See suggested nearby zones
- Set customizable parking expiration reminders
- Add up to five license plate numbers on your account at a time
Who to contact if you questions about your Parkmobile account
You must contact Parkmobile. The Department of Public Safety has no access to your Parkmobile account information, including credit/debit card information and billing. This also includes questions concerning rejected credit/debit card. We cannot add or alter anything on your account.
If you received a citation, but paid the meter using Parkmobile
Go online and appeal the citation. We will then research usage via Parkmobile as part of your appeal. If you have any other questions, contact the Department of Public Safety at 319-273-3179 or 319-273-7093.
This is the same procedure for any person claiming to have paid the meters.
- Frequently asked questions related to UNI
For frequently asked questions related to Parkmobile in general, visit parkmobile.io/how-it-works.
What is considered a transaction?
A “transaction” is each time you begin (start time) and end (time expires) a session in a given lot at a given meter. If you have the option to extend time before your session expires, there is no new transaction fee.
If you let their session expire and start again, you pay the transaction fee again. If you move to another meter, or come back later to the same one, you start a new transaction.
Why is a “transaction” fee charged?
The goal of pay-by-phone is cashless convenience. The transaction fee is the cost of that convenience. You can still use coins if you so choose. UNI does not receive this money. Pay-by-phone is not mandatory. It is an option.
In addition, it you already possess a current UNI permit you may use any lot appropriate for that permit. Such lots may not be convenient for you but they are there.
Can I get a refund if I didn’t use all the time I paid for or paid the wrong meter?
No. Just like the coin meters, there are no refunds for unused time or if you paid the wrong meter. The same is true for any unused money on Parkmobile Wallet.
Why can’t I “reserve” a meter stall by paying for it in advance?
All metered parking is first come first served. If you pay for a stall before you get there and someone else is there, you paid for their parking, not yours. We issue no refunds on meters for any reason.
When will other metered areas have this option?
Other meter areas will have the pay-by-phone option in the near future on a case-by-case basis. Due to the nature of the lot, not all meter areas will have this option.