These are the rules for Gainesville, Georgia. If a search result mentions Florida rates, it is about the other Gainesville.
Decision tool · parking
Where should I park?
Tell us where you are going, how tall your vehicle is and how long you will stay. We match you to a free deck that fits, or to ParkGVL street parking, using the City's published heights and rules.
Public decks and their height limits
| Deck | Address | Height clearance | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Street Parking Deck | 301 Main Street SW, Gainesville, GA 30501 | 8'6" | Free |
| Gainesville North Parking Deck | 100 Brenau Avenue NE, Gainesville, GA 30501 | 8'2" | Free |
| Hall County Parking Facility | 225 Green Street SE, Gainesville, GA 30501 | 7' | Free |
Source: City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL); Explore Gainesville: Downtown Parking, checked 2026-10-16
On-street parking: ParkGVL (Park GVL)
- Applies to marked street spaces on and around the historic square, not to the parking decks.
- You must check in: scan the zone's QR code with your phone camera, then enter your plate number, state and planned length of stay. Zones are named on signs (examples: 'Spring3' on Spring Street, 'Main2' outside the Main Street deck).
- The first 2 hours are free with check-in, and no payment method is needed for 2 hours or less. One free session per day.
- After 2 hours the rate is $4 per hour until 11 PM.
- Street parking is free from 11 PM to 7 AM.
- Add your cell number to get a text before your session expires and extend it remotely.
- Vehicles that don't check in may be ticketed. Gainesville Police enforce ParkGVL, and City Downtown Security Ambassadors also watch downtown parking areas.
- ParkGVL zones do not include marked loading zones or accessible parking spaces.
- Loading zones (timed 15- and 20-minute spots, plus untimed yellow-curb zones) are monitored by SafetySticks, and misuse tickets are mailed.
- Private paid lots downtown are run independently (pay-by-text or app) and are not City lots. Read their signs.
- Pay City-issued parking citations through Gainesville Municipal Court.
Source: City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL); Explore Gainesville: Downtown Parking, checked 2026-10-16
Deck heights, space counts and ParkGVL rules are the City of Gainesville's, from its May 4, 2026 ParkGVL release and the Explore Gainesville parking page, checked 2026-10-16. Walking figures are straight-line estimates from OpenStreetMap coordinates, not measured routes; the Hall County deck's pin is street-level.
Parked? Build the rest of the day around where you left the car.
How ParkGVL check-in works
- Find the zone sign by your space and scan its QR code with your phone camera. No app download is needed.
- Enter your plate number, state and how long you plan to stay.
- Stays of two hours or less are free once a day, with no payment method needed.
- Longer stays cost $4 an hour until 11 PM. Add your cell number to get a text before time runs out and extend it from your phone.
- Street parking around the square has been run through ParkGVL since its hard launch on May 4, 2026. You scan the zone's QR code and check in to get two free hours, once per day, with no payment method needed. After that it costs $4 an hour until 11 p.m., and parking is free from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL)
- Three public decks within walking distance of the square are free 24/7. The Main Street Parking Deck at 301 Main St. SW has 451 spaces, and the Gainesville North Parking Deck at 100 Brenau Ave. NE has 410. The Hall County Parking Facility at 225 Green St. SE has 271 spaces, with the public entrance on Spring Street only. City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL)
Accessible parking
- The Main Street Parking Deck and the Gainesville North Parking Deck each have nine accessible spaces. The Hall County Parking Facility also has accessible spots (number not published). Source
- For First Friday and Blue Sky concerts, the City points to accessible parking in the Main Street Parking Deck (301 Main St.); for First Fridays it also lists the North Parking Deck (100 Brenau Ave NE). Source
- Accessible street spaces are outside the ParkGVL check-in system. Source
- Shuttles from off-site lots for Lake Lanier Olympic Park events are not wheelchair accessible. Use the Tower-side lot as a drop-off area. Source
Event days
- Trick or Treat on the Square (Oct. 30, 2026): Parking around the square closes at noon and roads close at 1 PM. All three decks are free. Source
- Jingle Mingle & Lighting of the Chicken: Jingle Mingle (Nov. 21, 2026, tentative): parking on Main/Bradford on the square, Brenau Ave, Green Street and parts of Spring Street closes at 5 AM. Parking across the whole event area closes at noon, Main/Bradford roads close at 1 PM, and all roads close at 2 PM. Use the free decks. Source
- Christmas on Green Street (Dec. 6, 2026, tentative): Street closures begin at noon, and roads reopen around 7 PM or once cleared. Source
- Holly Jolly Trolley (2025 guidance): Park in the Main Street or Gainesville North deck and board at 106 Spring St. in front of Kilwins. The Ivey Terrace Park stop is pick-up and drop-off only, with no parking. Source
- Art Walk (2026 guidance): The City suggested parking in the Main Street Parking Deck, next to stop #1 at Hunt Tower. Source
- Lake Lanier Olympic Park events (Chicken Festival, Food Truck Fridays): On-site parking is limited. Event pages list free off-site parking with shuttles at New Horizons Lanier Park, 675 White Sulphur Rd.; the Chicken Festival lists shuttle hours of 10:45 AM–4:45 PM. Only service animals may ride the shuttles. Source
Questions
Is parking free in downtown Gainesville?
Mostly, yes. All three public parking decks near the square are free 24/7. Street spaces on and around the square use ParkGVL: you get two free hours if you check in by scanning the zone's QR code, then pay $4 an hour until 11 p.m. Street parking is free from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Source: City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL)
How does ParkGVL work?
Scan the QR code on the nearest ParkGVL sign with your phone camera, enter your plate number, state and how long you'll stay. It's a web app, so there's nothing to download. Two hours are free once per day with no payment method. Stay longer and you pay $4 an hour until 11 p.m. Add your cell number to get an expiry alert and extend remotely.
Source: City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL)
What happens if I park on the street and don't check in to ParkGVL?
You risk a ticket. Since the hard launch on May 4, 2026, drivers in ParkGVL zones must check in, even for the free two hours. Gainesville Police enforce it. The City said first-offense citations would be more forgiving while people adjust. City-issued tickets are paid through Gainesville Municipal Court.
Source: City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026; Explore Gainesville: Downtown Parking
Where are the free parking decks in downtown Gainesville?
There are three, all free and open 24/7. The Main Street Parking Deck is at 301 Main St. SW (451 spaces), and the Gainesville North Parking Deck is at 100 Brenau Ave. NE (410 spaces). The Hall County Parking Facility at 225 Green St. SE has 271 spaces; enter from Spring Street. The City says all are within walking distance of the square.
Source: City of Gainesville news release, May 4, 2026 (ParkGVL)
Which downtown deck fits a tall vehicle?
Check the posted maximum heights before you pull in. The Main Street Parking Deck has the most room at 8'6", the North Parking Deck allows 8'2", and the Hall County Parking Facility is the lowest at 7'. Larger vans and trucks with roof racks should head for the Main Street deck at 301 Main Street SW.
Is there accessible parking near the square?
Yes. The Main Street and Gainesville North decks each have nine accessible spaces, and the Hall County Parking Facility also has accessible spots. For concerts on the square, the City points to the Main Street deck at 301 Main St. Accessible street spaces are not part of the ParkGVL check-in system.
Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Gainesville downtown events
