Successful Parking

Successful parking is defined as finding a space where your permit allows you to park in less than five minutes after arriving at a legal lot. This FAQ is designed to help customers use parking resources effectively and avoid common pitfalls and fines.

FAQs

Why can't I park anywhere I want?
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Parking at the University of Vermont is regulated to provide adequate space to a variety of parkers. Faculty, staff, students, visitors, contractors, conference attendees, sports fans, and Lane Series patrons (to name a few) all require successful parking to enjoy their time at the university.

While UVM has plenty of parking, the locations are not always seen as convenient by our parkers. Vermonters, natives and new arrivals alike, expect to have quick and easy parking in front of their destination. This is no longer true. Parking in an increasing number of cities and towns takes longer to find, and is rarely in front of a destination.

As an "environmental university" UVM seeks incentives and programs to encourage alternate transportation. When members of the university community must drive, UVM assigns parking areas based on need, availability, and transportation services. Because parking services are funded through permit fees, the university must make every effort to assure a parking place is available in areas where permits are sold. We must also assure that federal, state, and local regulations are followed.

To keep spaces available and to assure compliance with regulations, the University of Vermont issues tickets to those who park in areas other than those assigned. Tickets can involve a warning with no fine, fines from $10 to $80, or higher fines with a tow. While no one likes tickets, even those of us writing them, they are necessary to maintain order on campus.

Can I let someone else park my vehicle?
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You are responsible for any motor vehicle you have registered or otherwise assigned to you at the university, regardless of who parks it. If you let someone else park your motor vehicle, you are obliged to make them aware of your parking restrictions. In this way, you help us keep all vehicles parked legally.

You are also responsible for any parking fine issued anywhere. The ticket is issued to the vehicle, not the operator.

Can I put a friend's vehicle on my permit?
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No. A parking permit is only valid for vehicles registered to yourself. You may not, under any circumstance, add someone else's vehicle to your permit. 

Willfully falsifying information in any transaction including, but not limited to, registering or attempting to register vehicles not in accordance with our regulations will constitute a violation. Vehicles found in violation of this regulation will be subject to ticketing and towing without notice, referral to UVM Police Services, subject to the university judicial process, and revocation of campus parking privileges.

What if I can't find a space in the lot closest to my building?
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Look at a current parking map and understand your options. Then you can quickly move to an area where you are allowed to park, saving time, frustration, and maybe even a fine.

People often receive tickets out of frustration. Someone arrives on campus too late to look for a legal space, drives around the lot nearest to their destination and "abandons" the vehicle in an illegal space, sometimes without knowing options. Don't let that happen to you. We have an interactive campus map that will let you view available lots for each permit type, as well as visitors.

If I am in a hurry and have to stop for a moment, can I put on my emergency blinkers and pull over, or temporarily occupy a handicapped space?
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No. State and federal law requires us to keep all roadways open and accessible spaces available for people with authorized permission. The law states that 2% of our spaces must be designated for use by those displaying accessible placards. This violation is subject to a $200 fine and removal of the vehicle by towing.

Does my permit allow me to park in any lot of the same color at any time?
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All permits are not necessarily valid at all times. Please note any time restrictions for your permit color category on each sign.

How do I know if a space is legal?
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The university does not wish to pollute campus with signs in every area where parking is not allowed. In fact, this would be impossible. 

Every valid parking lot or space has a sign at the entrance displaying the required permit type. 

So, if a space is not marked or the color and time on the sign don't match your permit, you are not allowed to park in that area.

Will I get a warning before I get any tickets?
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We issue warnings to let you know you violated a regulation. Nobody likes fines, including us! 

You get one warning a year, not one per violation. 

Please take a moment to be sure you understand how our regulations work to be sure the warning does not escalate into a fine on the next violation.

What are Habitual Offenses?
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Habitual Offenses are a designation that is often the last step in a series of escalations which end with a vehicle being towed.

Customer accounts on file with Transportation and Parking Services that have a warning and three or more parking tickets, regardless of payment status, shall be considered to have Habitual Offender status. At the discretion of the department, further parking tickets issued will be subject to impact fees added to the base amount of the violation or removal of the vehicle by towing.