USDMichigan Stadium seats over 107,000 and the parking around it splits into two worlds: a small set of Athletics-run lots with published prices, and a much larger pool of permit-only lots reserved for season ticket holders and donors. If you are coming for one game, only a handful of options are genuinely open to you, and the season permit that looks like the obvious upgrade actually costs more than paying per game. Here are the real numbers and the two-hour rule that surprises visitors.
How much does it cost to park at Michigan Stadium?
These are the published Michigan Athletics game day rates. All are cashless.
| Lot | Game day fee | Location | Entry from | Opens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Lot | $40 | Varsity Tennis Center | State St. | 7 a.m. day / noon night |
| Triangle Lot (proximity) | $60 | Southeast of Crisler Center | Stadium Blvd. | 7 a.m. day / noon night |
| U-M Golf Course | $65 | U-M Golf Course | Stadium Blvd., State St. or Main St. | 7 a.m. day / noon night |
| Green Lot (accessible) | $65 | U-M Golf Course | Stadium Blvd. | 7 a.m. day / noon night |
| Brown Lot — RV | $200 | Varsity Tennis Center | State St. | 7 a.m. day / noon night |
The Green Lot and Triangle Lot rates apply with a state-issued disability placard. The rest of the lots ringing the stadium — Blue, Grey, Maize, Champions North — are permit-only and tied to season tickets and donor giving, so they are not available on a single-game basis.
Original research: the season permit costs more than paying per game
Method: we priced Michigan's published season permit against its own published per-game lot rates across an eight-game home slate. The result is counter-intuitive and, as far as we can find, unpublished anywhere else.
Michigan's season football parking permit is $60 per regular home game, $480 for the 2026 regular season, and it is only available to football season ticket holders. Payment was due May 5, 2026, with any remaining open permits released for purchase on June 1, 2026.
Run that against the public rates and the arithmetic is uncomfortable:
| Option | Per game | Eight home games | Versus season permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Lot, paid per game | $40 | $320 | $160 cheaper |
| Season permit | $60 | $480 | — |
| Triangle Lot, paid per game | $60 | $480 | Identical |
| U-M Golf Course, paid per game | $65 | $520 | $40 more |
The permit buys a guaranteed, designated space rather than a lower price. If certainty on big games matters to you it is worth the $160 over the Brown Lot; if it does not, paying at the Brown Lot each week is the cheaper route. Note the permit is valid only in its designated lot and cannot be used anywhere else on campus.
The two-hour rule after the game
This is the one that catches visitors out. All vehicles and RVs must exit the lots within two hours of the game ending, or they are towed. There is no overnight option in the Athletics lots, and the Maize Lot explicitly does not allow overnight RV stays.
If your plan was to leave the car and go into Ann Arbor for dinner, that plan does not survive contact with the tow policy. Move the car first.
When the lots open
Michigan publishes slightly different opening times in different places, which is worth knowing before you set an alarm. The general parking page states lots open between 6 a.m. and noon on game day depending on the lot. The parking inventory table lists Athletics lots at 7 a.m. for day games and noon for night games. The season permit policy says 8 a.m. for noon kickoffs and noon for 3:30 p.m. and evening kickoffs.
Check the inventory page for your specific lot rather than relying on a general rule. If you are tailgating and the difference between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. matters, that is the page to trust.
Forgot your ID? You lose your permit spot
Season permit holders who arrive without a driver's licence or photo ID are directed to a game day sales lot instead, if one has space, and daily parking fees apply. You will have paid for the permit and then paid again at the gate.
RVs and oversized vehicles
RV parking is at the Brown Lot at $200 per game. The Maize Lot on State Street also takes RVs on game day, with no overnight stays permitted. The two-hour post-game exit rule applies to RVs exactly as it does to cars.
The Big House: why the lots are the way they are
Michigan Stadium opened on October 1, 1927 against Ohio Wesleyan, built for $950,000 to a design by Bernard L. Green and modelled on the Yale Bowl. Its original capacity was 72,000. Today the official figure is 107,601, making it the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere. The record crowd is 115,109, against Notre Dame on September 7, 2013.
Athletic director Fielding Yost installed footings capable of supporting more than 100,000 seats from the outset, which is why the stadium grew upward and outward on the same footprint through eight expansions rather than relocating. The consequence for parking is direct: a stadium built for 72,000 in 1927 is now emptying 107,601 people into a street grid that was never widened to match, which is what the two-hour exit rule is really managing.
Not driving: transit, rideshare and the alternatives
Ann Arbor is served by TheRide, the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, which operates game-day service toward the stadium, and the University of Michigan runs its own campus bus network. Check TheRide for the current football schedule before travelling, since game-day routing differs from the normal timetable.
Uber and Lyft operate throughout Ann Arbor and surge sharply after the final whistle, when 107,000 people want a car at the same moment. Against a $40 Brown Lot pass, a round trip from central Ann Arbor is usually competitive for one or two people and clearly worse for four.
The strongest argument for not driving here is not cost, it is the two-hour tow rule. If your plan involves staying in Ann Arbor after the game, arriving without a car removes the single largest risk on this page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is parking at Michigan Stadium?
Published Michigan Athletics game day rates are $40 at the Brown Lot, $60 at the Triangle Lot and $65 at the U-M Golf Course. RV parking at the Brown Lot is $200. All lots are cashless.
What is the cheapest parking at the Big House?
Of the published Athletics lots, the Brown Lot at the Varsity Tennis Center at $40, entered from State Street.
How long can I stay after the game?
Two hours. All vehicles and RVs must exit the lots within two hours after the game or they will be towed.
How much is a season parking permit?
$60 per regular home game, $480 for the 2026 regular season. It is only available to Michigan football season ticket holders, and payment was due May 5, 2026.
What time do the lots open?
Between 6 a.m. and noon depending on the lot and kickoff time. The Athletics inventory lists 7 a.m. for day games and noon for night games; the season permit policy lists 8 a.m. for noon kickoffs. Check your specific lot.
Is there accessible parking?
Yes. The Green Lot at the U-M Golf Course is $65 and the Triangle Lot southeast of Crisler Center is $60, both with a state-issued disability placard.
Can I park an RV overnight?
No. RVs park at the Brown Lot for $200 on game day, and no overnight parking is permitted in any Athletics lot.
Official sources
- U-M Football Parking Inventory, 2026 season — lot fees, locations, entry points and opening times
- Michigan Athletics: Parking information for football game days — opening window and the two-hour exit rule
- U-M Logistics, Transportation & Parking: Football parking policy — season permit pricing and deadlines
Prices verified against the sources above on August 31, 2026. Michigan updates lot pricing by season; confirm before travelling.