Faculty/Staff Parking Regulations
A. VEHICLE REGISTRATION
1. GENERAL
Every faculty/staff employee (regardless of shift or office location) wishing to use parking facilities at University Park campus, including Innovation Park and the Technology Support Building, must register their vehicle with Transportation Services and, while parked on campus, properly display an authorized parking permit. Faculty and staff employees of any Penn State location or campus are not considered visitors. On weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., non-University Park Penn State faculty/staff permits (except Hershey and all Commonwealth Campus sticker permits) are only valid in Orange open staff lots, and the Commuter lots (Jordan East, Stadium West, Porter North), and are NOT valid at the East, HUB or Nittany parking decks at any time. All permits remain the property of Penn State and must be returned upon request. Permits are specific to the employee and the vehicles (license plates) to which they are registered. Permits may not be transferred, sold, or duplicated.
2. ELIGIBILITY
Any faculty/staff employee of the University or of an affiliated program working on campus is eligible for campus parking privileges unless privileges have been revoked.
3. REGISTRATION
Vehicle registration, assignment to a parking area, and issuance of a parking permit is made by the hiring college or department. Some employees, including part-time, short-term, and affiliate staff, may need to obtain a permit directly from the Transportation Services Office.
4. FEES
a. Parking permit fees may be paid either through payroll deduction or by advance payment. Fees must be paid while in possession of the permit, regardless of use. Sabbatical, medical leave, or absence from the campus does not excuse the permit holder from payment.
b. Payment is required unless the permit is returned to the Parking Chairperson or the Transportation Services Office. Failure to remit payment will result in permit revocation. Vehicles associated with revoked permits will be towed at the owner's expense.
c. Permits must be returned upon leave without pay, termination, retirement, or by request of Transportation Services to end responsibility of fees.
d. Lost/Stolen permits. If a permit is lost or stolen, report the incident to your designated parking chair or the Transportation Services Office immediately. A non-refundable processing fee of $25 will be assessed. This is not a replacement fee. The fee must be paid regardless of whether a new permit is issued.
5. SHORT TERM PERMITS
a. Daily and weekly permits are available through the Transportation Services Office for employees who use vehicles on an occasional basis.
b. Hourly parking is also available at the East, HUB, Nittany, and West parking decks and at other select parking areas via pay stations or ParkMobile.
c. Permits exceeding one week in duration are available only at the Transportation Services Office.
6. ADDRESS AND LICENSE PLATE CHANGES
a. Permit holders are responsible for reporting address and license plate changes to Transportation Services. These changes may be made online by visiting the Manage Vehicle Information page.
b. Failure to report these changes may result in vehicles being towed from campus, issuance of a more expensive ticket, and unpaid tickets being sent to the registered vehicle owner.
B. ALL PARKING LOTS ON CAMPUS ARE RESERVED
1. Parking is authorized only in lots identified by color and lot designation of the assigned parking permit. All parking regulations remain in effect, regardless of whether classes are in session. Vehicles parked in violation will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.
2. Only vehicles with a service or delivery permit are authorized to park in service and delivery spaces. These spaces are designated by signs and/or yellow painted lines and are reserved 24/7. Only authorized service/delivery companies may purchase these permits.
3. If the assigned Brown, Green, Red, Silver, or Yellow lot is full or unavailable for any reason, vehicles must be parked in Orange open staff or Commuter lots. Transportation Services reserves the right to change lot usage to accommodate special circumstances.
4. Each lot entrance is signed, listing specific hours of reservation and restrictions.
5. After 4 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays, all faculty/staff lots are open to all faculty/staff permits, except for Lot Green H, which is not available on weekdays until after 6 p.m.
6. Faculty/staff employees are not permitted to park in reserved resident student lots at any time, for any reason.
7. Vehicles parked on campus are at the owner’s risk. The University assumes no liability for vehicles parked on Penn State property.
C. PARKING LOT CLASSIFICATIONS
1. RESERVED - BROWN, GREEN, RED, SILVER, YELLOW
a. These lots are restricted to specific faculty/staff permits between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday - Friday unless otherwise noted.
b. All restricted faculty/staff lots become open staff lots at 4 p.m. Monday - Friday and on weekends, except Lot Green H, which becomes available on weekdays at 6 p.m. Valid permits must always be displayed.
2. OPEN - ORANGE
These lots are authorized all day for use by any faculty/staff permit, except Commuter permits, which are valid after 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and on weekends.
3. COMMUTER - JORDAN EAST, STADIUM WEST, PORTER NORTH
a. Between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, the faculty/staff Commuter permit is only valid in the Commuter lots. All other faculty/staff permits are also valid in the Commuter lots during these hours.
b. No parking is permitted in the Commuter lots between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., seven days a week.
c. Access to central campus is available via no-fare campus transit service. See CATA Loop and Link and Campus Shuttle schedules for times and stops.
4. EVENTS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
All lots are subject to additional hours of restriction based on special campus events or University needs as determined by Transportation Services. Two primary special needs include (but are not limited to):
a. Home Football Games. Jordan East, Stadium West, Porter North, Porter South, Yellow V, Orange B, Orange O Meats Lab, Orange O Pavilion, Orange H (north of Hastings Road), Orange A (West of OPP, Katz, Arboretum), and all sections of Orange L and Yellow H are restricted from all parking from midnight Friday until the resumption of normal traffic patterns after the game. Any vehicle that remains in the lot after midnight will be towed.
b. Bryce Jordan Center/Pegula Ice Arena Events. Orange L East, Orange L South, and Yellow V are restricted from all parking beginning approximately three hours prior to the start of Bryce Jordan Center events. Silver J, Yellow H Shields, Yellow H South, and Yellow H Wagner are restricted from all parking approximately four hours prior to Pegula Ice Arena events. Faculty/staff and student permits are honored at no additional charge in general parking areas used for most Bryce Jordan Center and Pegula Ice Arena events.
D. REGULATIONS
1. PERMIT DISPLAY. PARKING PERMITS MUST BE PROPERLY DISPLAYED WHILE PARKED:
a. Automobiles: hang permit from interior rearview mirror, facing forward. Permit number and expiration date must be clearly visible from outside the vehicle. If windshield tint strip prevents clear display, permit hangers are available from the Transportation Services Office.
b. Motorcycles: permit display is not required for motorcycles for daily parking, but the motorcycle must be registered as an authorized vehicle with a valid permit. A valid permit must be displayed with motorcycles for event parking.
c. Exceptions must be approved by Transportation Services in advance. Placing a note on a vehicle in lieu of properly displaying a valid faculty/staff parking permit will be given no consideration by enforcement personnel. Vehicle covers are strictly prohibited unless the permit and license plate can be clearly seen without removing the cover.
2. PARKING SPACES
a. All parts of the vehicle must be inside the designated parking space, generally indicated by two white lines. Note: Some spaces also include a back line. Parking in grassed areas is not permitted unless at the direction of special event parking staff.
b. Motorcycles registered with a valid permit may park in designated motorcycle spaces or regular vehicle spaces in the lot designated by lot color and letter on the permit. Permit holders are responsible for any lost or stolen permits displayed on motorcycles. No motorcycle parking is permitted at any time at the East, HUB, and Nittany parking decks.
c. Any vehicle not parked in a designated legal space is subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner's expense.
d. Any vehicle parked along curbs or on sidewalks, hindering/damaging university operations or property, or obstructing roadways, designated disability parking spaces, wheelchair ramp laydown (hashed out) areas, bus pull-offs, fire safety lanes, and reserved spaces is subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner's expense.
e. Parking is not permitted in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) spaces without a state-issued disability parking placard or license plate and a Penn State parking permit for the designated lot (additional fees may be assessed). The ramp laydown (hashed out) area adjacent to the space is considered part of the space and will be enforced accordingly.
f. All reserved spaces, such as ADA, service/delivery, manager spaces, etc., are reserved 24 hours a day, seven days a week unless otherwise noted on the sign. This includes holidays and times when the university is not in full operation.
g. Head-in parking is required at the East, Eisenhower, Nittany, and West parking decks and all surface lots with 90-degree angled spaces. In all other parking areas, vehicle license plates must face the drive aisle when parked. Special Penn State front license plates may be purchased at the Transportation Services Office to allow for vehicles to back into spaces in areas without 90-degree angled spaces. Any vehicles backed into 90-degree angled spaces and vehicles without a valid state-issued or Transportation Services-issued front license plate backed into spaces in all other areas are subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner’s expense. Most end spaces and compact spaces are also signed “Vehicles must be within all lines.”
3. DISABLED VEHICLES
a. If a vehicle becomes disabled on a weekday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., the permit holder must notify Transportation Services (814-865-1436) immediately with their name, the vehicle's license plate number, and location. If a vehicle becomes disabled on a weekday between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. or any time on a Saturday or Sunday, the permit holder must immediately notify University Police (814-863-1111) with the above-listed information. A grace period of up to 12 hours may be allowed. No extension. If 12 hours is not sufficient time to remove the vehicle, the owner is required to contact a towing company to have the vehicle removed at their expense.
b. This grace period does not automatically exempt your vehicle from being ticketed; however, it may be used as a basis for appeal.
c. Notes left on a vehicle stating that the vehicle is mechanically disabled are given no consideration by enforcement personnel. Vehicles not properly reported to Transportation Services or University Police may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner's expense.
4. SEMESTER/UNIVERSITY HOLIDAYS, ARRIVAL, AND DEPARTURE PERIODS
a. During the first week of each semester, finals week, and University holiday breaks, student or parent vehicles are authorized temporary (15 minutes) parking in student lots to facilitate moving in or out of residence halls. Temporary parking in faculty/staff parking areas is available only if directed by event staff or University Police. Flashers must be used, or the vehicle attended. Vehicles must be moved to an appropriate parking area immediately after loading/unloading has been completed. All parking regulations remain in effect, regardless of whether classes are in session.
b. Faculty/staff employees may be asked to use alternate parking areas during the move-in and move-out periods.
5. MIDNIGHT CLEAR/WINTER PARKING
No parking is allowed in any faculty/staff surface lot on nights of announced "Midnight Clear" activity. This policy also extends to University vehicles. The snow restriction hours are 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. in most lots. Check lot entry signs for specifics.
Employees wishing to leave a vehicle on campus overnight during snow removal must use the covered parking levels of East, Eisenhower, HUB, Nittany, or West parking decks. Parking on the top level of these facilities is not allowed. Parking is also permitted in designated overnight spaces at Orange H, Orange A Katz, and Orange U. Vehicles must be returned to assigned lots by 7:30 a.m. the next business day. Midnight Clear activity is announced on the Transportation Services website, social media pages, and email listserv, as well as the Penn State News website.
6. DISABLED PERSONS (TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT)
Transportation Services offers a campus-wide, ADA-compliant mass transit system. In most cases, transit services will provide closer access to destinations than available parking spaces. Schedules are available at the Transportation Services Office and at the CATA and Transportation Services websites.
Individuals who require access to marked disability parking spaces must apply for a state-issued disability parking placard. Applications for Pennsylvania ADA placards and information for obtaining the placard are available from the Transportation Services Office. Penn State is not authorized to issue disability parking placards. All disability parking placards, permanent or temporary, must be obtained through the state. Faculty and staff in need of disability parking on campus should contact Transportation Services prior to parking to discuss University requirements. Faculty/staff employees must display both their ADA placard and PSU parking permit for the designated lot. An additional fee may be charged for access to core parking areas. More information is available at Penn State's Affirmative Action website.
E. PAY STATIONS/PARKMOBILE
1. Pay stations and ParkMobile are available for short-term parking provided time has been purchased from the pay station or ParkMobile.
2. Pay stations accept coins, credit cards (VISA, Mastercard, Discover, American Express), or LionCash+. ParkMobile requires credit card payment
3. Use of flashers is not permitted at pay stations or ParkMobile spaces at any time, for any reason.
4. Hours of operation are posted on each pay station and in the ParkMobile app. All pay stations and ParkMobile must be paid during the posted hours of reservation on the lot entrance sign. A valid permit does not negate the need for payment in pay-by-space parking spaces during reserved hours.
F. FLASHER RULES FOR FACULTY/STAFF VEHICLES
1. Faculty/staff employees with a valid faculty/staff parking permit are permitted to park in any legal, non-reserved faculty/staff parking space for up to 15 minutes, provided flashers are operating. This is not permitted at the East, HUB, Nittany, and West parking decks or Green H. 30-minute spaces are available on the ground level of the East Deck for short-term parking but require payment. Signage is posted indicating the requirement of flashers in short-term spaces.
2. Faculty/staff employees without valid faculty/staff parking permits are not permitted to park with or without flashers at any time, for any reason. Permits are required 24/7.
3. Flashers must be used to drop off children at Bennett and Hort Woods childcare facilities (with valid childcare facility permit).
4. Faculty/Staff Floating Permits - valid only on vehicles displaying current faculty/staff permits. Not valid with Commuter (CR) permits. Floaters are not valid in all parking areas. Valid lots are listed on the back of the floater permit. Floating permits are issued to departments for occasional use by employees performing business functions. They are not for use by individuals on a consistent, daily basis. Permits may be revoked for unauthorized use.
5. Flashers are never valid at pay stations/meters, along curbs, or on sidewalks. They also do not authorize parking while a vehicle is hindering/damaging university operations or property or while obstructing roadways, designated disability spaces, wheelchair ramp laydown (hashed out areas), bus pull-offs, fire safety lanes, or reserved spaces. Violators will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.
G. PARKING TICKETS
1. PAYMENT
a. Tickets issued to vehicles registered with a valid parking permit through Transportation Services are the responsibility of the permit holder, regardless of who drives the vehicle. These tickets are held for 30 days for payment. After 30 days, the fine amount associated with the ticket is scheduled for payroll deduction from the permit holder's next pay. Tickets issued to vehicles not registered with a valid parking permit through Transportation Services are the responsibility of the registered vehicle owner, regardless of who drives the vehicle. These tickets issued are held 30 days for payment. After 30 days, tickets that are associated with the registered vehicle owner are sent to a collections agency, where additional fees will be assessed.
b. Tickets can be paid online with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express). Payment may also be made by mail or in person with a check or money order payable to: The Pennsylvania State University. Cash payments are not accepted.
c. If payment is not received within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the violation, the penalty will be increased by $3.00, and payroll deducted for current permit holders. Please note that the ticket date is counted as day one.
d. All payments are processed through Transportation Services, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck, University Park, PA 16802-2116.
e. Reminder notices related to tickets are sent by email to permit holders. Transportation Services is not responsible for payments or correspondence lost in the mail or unread.
2. APPEAL
a. Parking violations may be appealed online. Frivolous appeals will not be accepted. Not all tickets may be appealed.
b. Appeals must be received within 20 calendar days of the date of the violation to be accepted and processed to the Appeals Committee. Please note that the ticket date is counted as day one.
c. Payment in full must accompany all written appeals. If the appeal is decided in favor of the appellant, the full amount of the ticket will be refunded. If the appeal decision is in favor of the University, the ticket will be considered paid in full, and the matter closed.
d. Transportation Services submits appeals to the appropriate Appeals Committee for independent review. The appellant is notified of the committee's decision by email to their Penn State email address. Note: The ticket history (if any) and any photos associated with the violation are included with appeals for the committee's consideration.
e. Appeals Committee decisions are final.
3. ABUSE OF PARKING PRIVILEGES
a. Written warnings are sent by email to permit holders after four tickets are written against his/her permit in a fiscal year (July 1 through June 30).
b. If eight or more tickets are issued during a fiscal year (July 1 through June 30), the assigned permit will be revoked for 30 days. No parking is permitted on campus at any time, for any reason, if parking privileges are revoked.
c. All tickets written for fraudulent/altered/unauthorized use of a permit carry severe penalties that include but are not limited to a large fine, referral to Human Resources, and revocation of parking privileges. It is also possible that charges of theft of services will be filed by University Police. These matters are not taken lightly and are immediately addressed.
d. Failure to follow the direction of Transportation Services personnel or blatant disregard of parking policies will result in immediate revocation of parking privileges.
e. There are no refunds of money paid for a revoked permit.
f. All revoked permits must be returned to the Transportation Services Office immediately upon notification. Failure to return the permit by the specified deadline will result in an additional 30 days being added to the revocation period.
g. Additional tickets issued while under revocation will result in an additional month added to the revocation period, an additional fine, referral to Human Resources, and/or towing of the vehicle at the owner’s expense.
h. Appeals for revocations will not be accepted, but permit holders may request a meeting to discuss the revocation by contacting the Transportation Services Office.