Business Services Policies

BS05 Visitor, Contractor and Service Parking Rules, Regulations, and Information (University Park)

Policy Status: 

Active

Policy Steward: 

Associate Vice President for Auxiliary & Business Services

Contents:

PURPOSE:

To set forth the current policy regarding parking for visitors in University parking areas.

POLICY:

Visitors, including contractors and service providers, wishing to use parking facilities operated by the University Parking Office on the University Park campus, or any property owned or leased by The Pennsylvania State University, must obtain a permit or pay for time at a designated visitor parking area during posted lot reserved hours.

VISITOR PARKING:

Students and employees of any Penn State location or campus are not considered visitors at any time.

All parking lots on campus are reserved. Each lot entrance is signed, listing specific hours of reservation and restrictions.

Parking Classifications

  • Overnight: Overnight guests must obtain a permit from the Parking Office to park on campus between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., Monday-Friday. Guests of the Nittany Lion Inn may park in the Nittany Deck with an "Overnight Guest" pass issued by the Inn.
  • Weekdays: Visitors may use metered and pay station parking, or obtain a visitor parking permit from a Parking Information Kiosk, the Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center or the Parking Office. Hourly parking is available in the East, HUB, and Nittany Parking Decks. Overnight parking is by permit only.
  • Weekends: Most lots are open to visitors on weekends. Check individual lot restrictions posted on lot entrance signs. Parking is not permitted in 24/7 reserved lots.
  • Recreational Vehicles: RV parking is NOT permitted on campus. Special parking facilities are available near Beaver Stadium during home football weekends. For more information, please contact the Athletic Ticket Office at (814) 863-1000 or 1-800-NITTANY.

Single-Space Meters and Multi-Space Pay Stations

Meters and pay stations are available for short-term parking provided time is purchased by the customer. Meters accept U.S. quarters only, while pay stations accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), LionCash+, and U.S. quarters, dimes, nickels and $1 coins. Use of flashers at meter and pay station spaces is not permitted at any time. Hours of operation are posted on the back of the single space meter head or on each multi-space meter machine. All meters must be paid during the posted hours of reservation on the lot entrance sign.

Short Term Parking with Flasher Spaces

All short term parking spaces on campus require the use of emergency flashers. Please read all signs carefully to see what the maximum time allowed is for that particular space.

Flashers are never valid at single/multi-space meters or along curbs or on sidewalks. They also do not authorize parking while a vehicle is hindering/damaging university operations or property, obstructing roadways or designated handicap spaces, wheelchair ramp laydown (hashed out) areas, or reserved spaces. Violators will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.

Visitor Permits

Single-day permits may be purchased at the Parking Information Kiosks, the Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center or the Parking Office.

Permits exceeding one day in duration are available only at the Parking Office.

Conference registrants will be accorded parking privileges in special conference parking areas. Arrangements for conference parking will be made in advance with the Parking Office.

CONTRACTOR, SERVICE PROVIDER AND DELIVERY PARKING:

Service, or contractor permits may be available for parking privileges in reserved parking areas depending upon: (a) the need to park in areas other than designated visitor areas, and (b) the availability of parking spaces in reserved areas. A "Service" or a "Construction" permit may be purchased at the Parking Office, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck.

REGULATIONS:

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 or not classes are in session.

General Information

Vehicles parked on campus are at the owner’s risk. The University assumes no liability for vehicles parked on Penn State property.

Service/delivery permits are required to park in service/delivery spaces. These spaces are designated by signs and/or yellow painted lines. Only service/delivery companies may purchase these permits.

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.

Any vehicle not parked in a designated legal space is subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner's expense.

Any vehicle parked along curbs or on sidewalks, hindering/damaging University operations or property, or obstructing roadways, designated handicap spaces, wheelchair ramp laydown (hashed out) areas, and reserved spaces is subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner's expense.

Parking is not permitted in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) spaces without a state-issued handicap placard and a PSU 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.

Reserved spaces are reserved 24 hours a day, 7 days a week unless otherwise noted on the sign. This includes holidays and times when the University is not in full operation.

Parking in East, Eisenhower, and Nittany Decks is head in only. Vehicles backed into spaces are subject to ticketing and or towing at the owner’s expense.  Most end spaces and compact spaces are signed “Vehicle Must Be Within All Lines.” Violators will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.

Rules and regulations are subject to change.

Disabled Vehicles

If a vehicle is disabled, the permit holder must notify University Police (863-1111) immediately, with their name, the vehicle's license plate number, and location.

A grace period of up to 12 hours may be allowed. No extensions will be granted.  A lost/broken vehicle key is considered disabled and falls under this policy.  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.

This grace period does not automatically exempt your vehicle from being ticketed; however, it may be used as an appeal aid.

Notes left on a vehicle stating that the vehicle is mechanically disabled are given no consideration by enforcement personnel. Vehicles not properly reported to University Police may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner's expense.

Semester/University Holidays, Arrival, and Departures

During the first week of each semester, finals week, and University holiday breaks, student or parent vehicles are authorized temporary (15 minutes) parking in faculty/staff lots to facilitate moving in or out of residence halls. Vehicles must be moved to an appropriate parking area immediately upon completion of the act of loading or unloading. All parking regulations remain in effect, regardless of whether or not classes are in session.

Midnight Clear/Winter Parking

No parking is allowed in any faculty/staff surface lot on nights of announced "Midnight Clear" activity. The snow restriction hours are 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. in most lots. Check lot entry signs for specifics. Visitors wishing to leave a vehicle on campus overnight during snow removal must obtain the appropriate visitor permit and use the covered parking levels of East, Eisenhower, or Nittany parking decks. Parking on the top level of these facilities is not allowed. Midnight Clear activity is announced over local radio, television stations, the L-PSUPARK listserv, and the department’s website and social media pages.

Individuals With Disabilities (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 Parking Office and from our website: www.parking.psu.edu.  

Individuals who require access to marked handicap accessible parking spaces must apply for a state-issued handicap parking placard. Applications for Pennsylvania ADA placards and information for obtaining the placard are available from the Parking Office, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck. Penn State is not authorized to issue handicap parking placards. All handicap parking placards, permanent or temporary, must be obtained through the state. Visitors must display both their ADA placard and a valid PSU visitor parking permit for the designated lot. ADA parking is also available on an hourly basis at the East, HUB, and Nittany parking decks but requires a valid ADA placard and payment of the standard hourly parking rate.

PARKING TICKETS:

Tickets issued to vehicles not properly registered with the Parking Office are held 30 days for payment. After 30 days, tickets become citations and are sent to the District Justice where additional court fees will be assessed.

All tickets written for fraudulent/altered/unauthorized use of a permit carry severe penalties that include, but are not limited to, a large fine 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.

Payment

Tickets may be paid by major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) on the Parking Office website.  Payment may also be submitted by check or money order payable to: The Pennsylvania State University. Cash is accepted in person only. Do not send cash through the mail.

All payments are processed through the Parking Office, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck, University Park, PA 16802-2116.

The Parking Office is not responsible for payments or correspondence lost in the mail.

Appeals Policy

Parking violations may be appealed by submitting a written appeal to the Parking Office, either in person or by mail.  Visitors and anyone not registered for a current Penn State parking permit cannot appeal online.  Frivolous appeals will not be accepted.

Appeals must be received within twenty (20) calendar days from the date of the violation in order to be accepted and processed to the Appeals Committee.

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 matter is considered paid in full.

The Parking Office submits appeals to the appropriate Appeals Committee for independent review. The appellant is notified of the committee's decision.

Note: The ticket history (if any) is attached to all appeals for the committee's consideration.

Appeals Committee decisions are final.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

For questions, additional detail, or to request changes to this policy, please contact the Office of the Associate Vice President, Auxiliary & Business Services.

Effective Date: February 13, 2015

Date Approved: February 8, 2015

Date Published: February 13, 2015

Most Recent Changes:

  • February 13, 2015- Major revisions have been made to the entire policy to reflect current operations.

Revision History (and effective dates):

  • October 25, 2013 - Editorial changes. Addition of policy steward information, in the event that there are questions or requests for changes to the policy.
  • June 14, 2006 - Revision History expanded.
  • July 13, 2000 - Major revisions. Policy wording suggested that unpermitted vehicles may not be driven on campus; wording clarified that it is parking that is disallowed. Under the General section, deleted the provision: "From the end of final exams for Spring Semester until student arrival for Fall Semester, all lot reservations end at 5:00 p.m., unless reserved 24 hours. Arrangements for conferee parking will now be made in advance with the Parking Office rather than the Conference Centers References to 'Department of Safety' changed to 'University Police'.
  • March 10, 1998 - Relocated and renumbered From Policy ST17.
  • August 30, 1993 - Office address changes.
  • September 23, 1987 - Multiple changes to policy.