Welcome to the City of Gainesville! We hope that the information on this page will help make the transition to living in Gainesville for the next few years easier. In this section you will find a general overview of some of the laws of your new city as well as some of the necessary resources and unexpected fun that Gainesville has to offer!
Basic Local Information
Voters Registration
Registering to vote in the city that you live is important because it gives you a voice in your local community. To register in Alachua County contact the Supervisor of Elections at 352-374-5252 or online at The Supervisor of Elections' Website
Department of Motor Vehicles
The Driver’s License Division can assist with Driver’s Licenses, driving tests and ID cards. There are two locations in town which operate Monday – Friday 8AM – 5PM. A new driver’s license is required for everyone before they reach the age of 22. For more information on how to schedule an appointment and the various requirements to show proof of identification and address, please visit Alachua DMV Online or call either of the two offices at 352-955-2111 OR 352-334-1760
Public Transit
Cars are not always needed in Gainesville as we have Regional Transit System (RTS), a reliable public bus service that runs frequently throughout the day around town and to campus as well as select lines at night to the popular going out areas. RTS provides FREE bus rides to all UF Students, faculty, staff and spouses with a Gator1 Card. For schedules and a GPS locator App, visit www.go-rts.com. Santa Fe Students and staff: this service is not free to you as of May 2011, but will possibly change in the near future. Please contact Santa Fe College if you have questions concerning this.
Gainesville Regional Utilities
GRU serves the Gainesville Urban Area with electric, water, gas and wastewater and telecommunications services. For more information on GRU, how to turn on your services or how to conserve energy, please visit their website at www.GRU.com or call 352-334-3434
Solid Waste
- Yard waste: this includes all leaves, branches, grass clippings and small tree limbs but does NOT include boards or lumber. Please out yard trash in designated bags and leave curbside on your designated day by 7am
- Normal solid waste: common trash pickup happens weekly at various days based on area of town. Please have all garbage in bags and cans curbside by 7am on your designated day to ensure pickup.
o Large appliances, paint, toxic chemicals, etc can NOT be put by the trash for normal pick up. Schedule a free pick up of these items online at the GRU Scheduler. Furniture does not apply and can be left curbside with normal garbage.
- Recycling is encouraged in Gainesville! If you live in an apartment or condo, contact your landlord to find out where your recycling station/area is located. For more information call 352-334-2330 or visit www.gainesvillerecycles.com
Animal Control
All animal control is done through Alachua County Animal Services which can be reached at 352-955-2333. Please note that many apartment complexes and rental areas have pet restrictions. This is typically left to the landlord’s discretion.
Local Government
Please be aware that many divisions of local government, especially those located in City Hall operate under a Monday – Thursday 7am – 6pm schedule and are NOT available on Fridays. If you are interested in anything that the City of Gainesville has to offer, you can always visit us online at www.cityofgainesville.org or watch us on shared local Channel 12, where you can catch City and County Commission meetings as well as much more.
Find us online!
The City Of Gainesville has a Facebook and a Twitter to keep you updated on the most recent events! Friend/Follow us to stay up to date on events and local impacts. Others divisions such as Traffic and Emergency also have twitter accounts and can get you to the minute updates on what’s going on around Gainesville. 
Gainesville Police Department and other important laws to note for Gainesville and Alachua County 
Gainesville is policed by three different agencies based on where you are, Gainesville Police Department, Alachua Sherriff's Office and University Police Department (on campus and surrounding areas). Gainesville Fire Rescue services the greater Gainesville area's fire and EMT needs.
City Vehicle Parking
Vehicles are permitted to park ONLY in designated areas. Parking in the yard or any other non-designated parking area is prohibited in the area surrounding the University. Additionally, areas of decaled parking can be found around UF and downtown. Violation of this may result in a parking violation
- Where do I pay my parking tickets? Is this different from a traffic ticket?
o Parking tickets need to be paid at the Parking Violations Office located inside Gainesville Police Department or can be paid online at their site.
- Well then where do I pay any traffic tickets?
o Traffic citations can be paid at the Clerk of Courts office located at 220 S Main Street (map). This is not city hall, but rather two blocks south of the University and Main St. intersection
- How do I get a parking permit to these restricted areas?
o The City operates a restricted parking program in the University Context area, NE downtown and in the SW courthouse area. On-street parking in these zones is designated for residents, businesses and visitors of these areas. A City Of Gainesville permit is REQUIRED for parking in program zones Monday – Friday 8AM to 4PM. The cost for a permit is $17.50 per decal/hangtag. This program does NOT apply to on-campus and does not guarantee a parking space at any time.
If you do not have a permit/decal/hangtag and park in these areas you are likely to be towed.
- What happens if my car has been towed?
o If you have been towed, it has likely been by one of the area’s independently operated towing companies. Signs will likely be posted informing of which company has jurisdiction to the specific area. Please call that company and they will be able to assist you as to the location of your vehicle.
- What if my vehicle was towed by Gainesville Police Department?
o To get a vehicle out of impound, the registered owner of the vehicle must pick it up from the police station at 721 NW 6th St (Map)
Drugs and Alcohol
Gainesville has a strict NO OPEN CONTAINER law in place. This means that you cannot have any open alcoholic beverage in a public area such as beer, wine, a mixed drink in any cup, an alcoholic beverage with a broken seal, etc on any public right of way such as a street, sidewalk, or parking lot. This is in accordance with Gainesville City Ordinance 4-4B and is a misdemeanor which can result in your detention and arrest.
Alachua County also strictly enforces a 2AM close time for all local bars Monday – Saturday and no alcohol is available for sale on Sundays except for 1PM – 10PM. Please keep this in mind as bars will turn on lights and kick out patrons at or slightly before 2AM. Please drink responsibly and NEVER drink and drive. Gainesville has many transportation services from late bus routes to taxis and bicycle carts to provide a safe route home.
Noise Limits / Party Patrol
The Gainesville Police Department’s Party Patrol focuses on noise and other neighborhood violations. Violations include any noise that can be heard from 200 feet away and can include car stereos, home noise, voices, music, etc. Noise permits are available to public property and public spaces, but are not available for private property.
Violation can result in a civil citation or a notice of violation. To report a violation call 352-955-1818
City of Gainesville local services and entertainment!
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.jpg)
Click on any of the above pictures to link to different divisions of recreation and find something fun to do this weekend!
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Arts and Culture
Gainesville is home to several acclaimed preforming artist groups, ranging from thespians to musicians to dancers. For more information about upcoming concerts, shows and our art galleries, please visit www.gvlculturalaffairs.org
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Aquatics
Gainesville gets very hot in the summer and the Division of Aquatics encourages all to participate in swimming programs, special events and activities at our three local pools
Spurgeon Cherry (Westside) Pool – has a water slide!
Dwight H. Hunter (Northeast) Pool
Andrew R. Mickle Sr. Pool
Admission and hours are posted online!! For pool reservations please call (352)393-8732
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Recreation Centers
Eastside Community Center
Westside Recreation Center
Thelma Bolton Senior Activity Center
Northeast Community Center
TB McPherson Recreation Center
Union Academy / Rosa B. Williams Recreation Center
Porters Community Center
Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center
For a complete listing of hours and activities, please visit the city's community center page.
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Gainesville Skate Parks
Gainesville's Northwest side is home to three skate parks, Albert 'Ray' Massey (Westside) Park, Possum Creek and the Northwest Complex. To find out more about the parks, hours, rules and exact location, visit the City's online information page!
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Special events and Historical Buildings
Gainesville is home to many beautiful locations for special events and weddings. These locations as well as others such as the Southeast Bed and Breakfast District, Matheson Museum Complex and The Thomas Center (ranked by The Knot as one of the most popular wedding spots 2006-2010!), etc provide beautiful local backdrops for any special occasion. For more information on city rentals and reservations click or call (352)334-2189
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Citizens' Academy: Gainesville 101
Want to know more about how Gainesville works? Enroll Online for Citizens' Academy: Gainesville 101 & learn more about the operations that occur everyday to help make Gainesville great. This course is compeletely free and meets on Wednedays for 6 weeks in the spring and fall. For more information you can also email gainesvillepio@cityofgainesville.org and get up to date infomation!
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