We get it, Parking Permit Registration can be a confusing, but we hope to make the upcoming registration process a bit easier. Here are some helpful tips to ensure you have the best chance of getting your preferred parking spot for the 2023-2024 academic year.
When can I register for my Fall 2023 parking permit?
Round 1 of online registration for parking permits opens April 24, 2023. In order to sign up, you will need to log into your account here.
While you are able to choose only one option if you wish, for the BEST CHANCE of receiving a parking permit, select 5 lot options in order of preference by June 23, 2023.
Rounds 2 and 3 open up after Round 1 assignments have been made, and fewer spots will be available at that time.
In order to make informed choices, before you fill out your registration form, think about where you fall within the Priority System in relation to where you would like to park. Additional registration information can be found here.
Do I need to register for parking if I'm a student?
Yes! All students who want to park on campus during the 2023-2024 academic year MUST REGISTER.
Do I need to register for parking if I'm faculty / staff?
Yes! All faculty / staff who want to park on campus during the 2023-2024 academic year MUST REGISTER. However, not everyone will need to go through the entire registration process.
I want to keep my location: If you wish to keep the parking permit location you currently have, log in to your account to see if you can reclaim your permit to park in the same location again in 2023-2024. YOU MUST REGISTER for the spot to be given that priority.
I want a new location: If you wish to opt out of your current location and apply for new permit locations, continue reading at “Understanding the Parking Priority System” below.
I like my spot but I want to try for better: If you are okay with the spot you have now, but would like to try for an even better location for you, opt out of your current location and submit five new choices. Factor in the spot you are okay with when selecting your location rankings (for example, maybe make that your second choice).
What’s my best chance of getting the Parking Permit location I want?
Make wise decisions based on your standing within the priority system of the lots you are hoping to get into, and make sure you choose all 5 selections to ensure that you have the best chance of getting a parking spot.
Here are a few common examples:
1.) If you will be a first year living in campus housing, you are considered an Undergraduate Resident. This group receives higher priority in Housing lots than almost any other group. In order to ensure the best chance for a parking location you desire, choose Housing locations near where you are living. Do not choose Admin / Faculty lots where you are last on the list in terms of priority.
2.) If you will be a upper-level student living off-campus, you have a higher priority in the cheaper Staff / Graduate Assistant lots on the edges of campus. While it is entirely possible that you could receive a permit in a location that is not in this category, you will want to choose one of these lots to most ensure that you have a place to park on campus. If you only choose lots that you are at the bottom of the priority list for, it is less likely that you will receive a parking spot.
3.) If you are a Faculty / Staff member that only chooses Housing lots, chances are very slim that you will receive a permit for those spaces, as you are last on the list in terms of priority and every other user category must fill the lot to capacity in order for you to receive your preferred lot. This type of choice leads to not receiving a parking permit at all. You should focus on Staff lots, where you have the highest priority.
When will I find out my assigned parking permit location?
Round 1 assignments will be issued in July 2023. An announcement will be sent out via email. To ensure you receive a parking permit and a designated space to park on campus, we recommend that you accept the first assignment, even if that assignment is not your first choice. Rounds 2 and 3 will open after these assignments have been announced.
What happens if I didn't get my top choice?
If your first assignment is not your top choice, you will automatically be placed on the waitlist for your top two choices. If you do not choose to accept the first assignment, you will remain on the waitlist with no parking spot in the meantime.
The system will shuffle through the changes in parking permits each Friday. When people switch locations or cancel permits, it can create a domino effect throughout the system. If a spot becomes available in one of the locations on your waitlist, you will receive an email asking if you wish to change your parking location and to notify you if there will be a change in price for the new location. This may happen before school starts, but it extends throughout the year.
We recommend accepting that first location to ensure that you have a place to park on the first day of school. If you later decide you don’t want this location, and you have not received one of the locations on your waitlist, you will be able to get a full refund for that parking location through TBA.
You may notice that your waiting list position will rise and fall while you are on the list. This is because the waiting list is updated in real time based on your user status. If you begin at spot 15 but are now spot 45, this is because people have registered for that location with a higher position and/or time served on campus.
What happens if I do not receive a parking permit?
If you do not receive a parking permit in Round 1, you will automatically be placed on the waiting list for your top two choices.
The system will shuffle through the changes in parking permits each Friday. When people switch locations or cancel permits, it can create a domino effect throughout the system. If a spot becomes available in one of the locations on your waitlist, you will receive an email asking if you wish to change your parking location and to notify you if there will be a change in price for the new location. This may happen before school starts, but it extends throughout the year.
You may notice that your waiting list position will rise and fall while you are on the list. This is because the waiting list is updated in real time based on your user status. If you begin at spot 15 but are now spot 45, this is because people have registered for that location with a higher position and/or time served on campus.
