Parking Permits - Graduate Student Handbook, University of Maryland

Campus parking at the University of Maryland is managed by the Department of Transportation Service (DOTS). Students can purchase permits by the semester or the year through their office in Regents Parking Garage or via their website. For students who aren't interested in a regular parking pass, there are some limited meter, hourly parking, and special passes available (see Bundle Pack).

Graduate students are considered "commuters" (there is no on-campus housing for grads) and thus are eligible for the least-expensive permit available. Graduate Assistants (or anyone receiving a UMD paycheck) can opt to pay for their parking pass in monthly installments using payroll deduction. For other questions about parking, satellite parking, carpool options and more, contact the Department of Transportation Services at 301-314-PARK.

DOTS hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., excluding University holidays. The DOTS office is located in the Regents Drive Garage, Building 202.
» Parking Map of the College Park Campus
» Dispute a Parking Ticket
» Parking Rules and Regulations

Newly-Admitted Graduate Student Parking Registration

A little known fact is that newly-admitted graduate students who will attend Maryland in the Fall are eligible to register for Fall parking during the Spring semester before they arrive on campus. This ensures that new students don't have to wait a full year before taking advantage of the priority parking opportunity. For more details, see "Priority Parking Registration for Graduate Students" below.

IMPORTANT: Newly-admitted graduate students will need to have been entered in the University of Maryland student information system AND will need to set up their Directory ID and password.
» Click here to set up a Directory ID and password

Priority Parking Registration for Graduate Students

Each spring semester, during specified dates, graduate students can register for a parking permit two weeks prior to undergraduate students for the next academic year. This service help graduate students who teach, study, and conduct research on campus find more convenient parking. Registration typically occurs in early to mid-April, but check the Transportation Services website for specific dates.

NOTE: If you miss the priority registration you can still receive a permit, but it might be in a less-desirable location.

Lot 5 (Regents Drive Garage) Parking Lottery

Commuting senior and graduate students can select to be included in a lottery for a parking assignment in lot 5 located in Regents Drive Garage (RDG). Students not selected for lot 5 will retain their confirmed lot assignment. All lot 5 parking assignments for the academic year will be determined by this lottery. Graduate students have priority in the lottery.

Special After-Hours Add-On Permit for GAs**

Graduate assistants with a current parking pass can apply for a free add-on permit allowing them to park in spaces that are normally 24-hour restricted. These include: T, W, Y, AA, A, U4, M, D, EE, E*, HH, and H (see the Parking Map of Campus) between 4 p.m. & 7 a.m. All passes are distributed through the Department of Transportation Services.

Instructions: To obtain an After-Hours Permit, fill out a form from your academic department's "parking officer" or have your advisor write a letter authorizing you to have the extra pass. Take the form or letter, student ID, University pay stub, and your current parking pass to the Transportation Services office in the Regents Parking Garage (Lot 5). There, if approved, they will issue you a new permit that reflects both the regular parking location and the after-hours location (for example: Lot 1/Lot HH).

It is recommended that students park at the 15 minute meters in front of the Regents Parking Garage office so they don't have to leave their car without a permit. For questions or more information, call 4-7179. Parking services is open 8:15 am - 4:00 pm M-F.

**There are other parking lots available after 4 p.m. that don't require the special pass, only a valid parking permit. Even better, some spaces don't even require a valid permit between 4 p.m. & 7 a.m.

Park On-Campus for $2.50 a Day with No Permit

If you don't have a parking permit because you rarely drive to campus, then perhaps the Bundle Pack offered by Transportation Services is right for you. Purchase a pack of 10 scratch-off permits for $25 at their Regents Parking Garage office. It's considerably cheaper than the $8 a day rate for campus parking garages. Call 301-314-7275 for more information.

Case-by-Case Exemptions for Parking During Sporting Events

Students parking in lots 9B, 9C, 11C, and 4B (near the Comcast Center) are required to move their cars to Lot 1 several hours before men's home basketball games. Exemptions for academic reasons can be granted for graduate students in some cases. Acceptable reasons might include taking a class, teaching a class or section, or running an experiment.
Documentation (which can be self-written) should be given to David Allen, Director of Transportation Services, at least 24 hours in advance. Documentation should be brought to his office in Building 202 of Regents Drive Garage, or sent to jdallen@umd.edu.
Questions can also be directed to him via email or by phone at (301) 314-7179.

Medical & Disability Parking Passes

Graduate students with a current parking permit and a medical condition may receive a Medical Parking Pass from the University's Department of Transportation Services. A note from a doctor must be brought to the University Health Center. The Health Center will then provide documentation, which must be brought to the Transportation Office in Regents Drive Garage Building #202. The Transportation Services office will then give a pass to the student lot nearest the graduate student's office or lab on campus. The graduate student must already have a campus parking permit in order to get a medical parking pass.

An alternative to the Medical Parking Pass is a Temporary Disability Parking Permit that can be obtained from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. The disability should be expected to last three weeks and the permit is good for up to six months. This permit allows for parking in any disability parking space in the state of Maryland, on or off campus. The process requires filling out Maryland MVA form number VR-210, "Maryland Parking Placards/License Plates for Individuals with a Disability."(pdf) The form requires a doctor's certification. More information can be found at the Motorists with Disabilities section of the MVA website. See below for information on Virginia and DC requirements.

» Maryland Motorists with Disabilities section of the MVA website
» State of Virginia DMV site for Temporary Disability Parking
» Washington DC DMV site for Disability Parking Passes

Number Lot Parking for Permit Holders during Summer

If you have a valid campus parking permit during the summer, you can park in any numbered lot parking lot (except Lots 15 & 19). This does not apply to lots with letters, only numbers. If you have questions you can always contact the Department of Transportation Services at 301-314-7275 (PARK).

Parking Safety: Campus Security Camera Network

There is a growing network of security cameras that are being installed around campus. To learn more about camera locations and how they are used, go to the link below.
» UMD Police Security Camera Network FAQ