Land vacancy during the processes of urban shrinkage and expansion is a major global urbanization challenge. However, research on the persistence of urban vacant land (UVL) is limited. This study analyzes the persistence characteristics of UVL at the parcel scale in Chongqing, China, and explores its spatiotemporal evolution patterns and driving mechanisms, using persistence cycle identification model, spatiotemporal cube, random forest, and high spatiotemporal resolution remote sensing imagery (2014–2024).The key findings are as follows: (1) There are 1,393 vacant parcels in Chongqing during 2014–2024, with an average duration of 6.67 years. Their total area is 5,127.73 hectares, accounting for 7.37% of Chongqing’s built-up area. (2) The spatiotemporal evolution of UVL aligns with urban spatial expansion, that supporting the wave - like circular succession hypothesis of UVL. (3) Urban construction, socio-economics, natural environment, and parcel characteristics differentially impact the persistence cycles of EVL and SVL. Interactions between natural environmental and parcel characteristic factors notably enhance their explanatory powers on vacancy duration. The “time-space-society” framework and persistence cycle identification model introduced here are hopefully to advance the formation and evolution process research of UVL, and offering robust theoretical and methodological support for its subsequent optimization and spatial governance.