Parking changes coming in December 2020

Transportation Services is transforming our parking operations with new technology that offers increased flexibility and reliability. These changes will simultaneously provide better options to purchase parking permits, while also utilizing the University’s parking infrastructure more efficiently. Customers will be able to buy and manage most parking products online. Most products will no longer require a paper permit and will instead be tied to a license plate. Several existing products are also being modified.

Most current customers do not need to take any action until it is time to renew their permits. Customers who currently use Individual Commuter Tickets (ICTs) will need to act sooner, as will department and event coordinators.

Thank you for your patience as we update our parking system. Here are the key dates to know:

Thursday, Dec. 3: Last day to purchase new ICTs or return old ones for a refund.
Thursday, Dec. 10 - Monday, Dec. 14: Parking system transition. You will not be able to conduct transactions with the Transportation Services office during this period. Campus gatehouses and parking lots will be open.
Tuesday, Dec. 15: New parking system launches. You will be able to log in to the new customer portal starting on this day.

For more information about the new customer portal, check out the user guide. If you are interested in learning more about the project as a whole, please visit the parking modernization page. There are also recordings of the information sessions that were held to discuss the changes and new portal.

For more information about how specific products are changing, please see the links below. If you have questions about your specific product after reading these details, please contact Transportation Services by filling out this form.

What’s changing and how will it affect me?

Please select one or more of the links below for more details, or view all the changes at once.

I am a…

Student

and I’m interested in…

I am a…

Faculty or Staff member

and I’m interested in…

Parking infrequently

Parking frequently

Other products

Carpool permits
Night permits
Swing permits
Motorcycle permits
Multi-lot permits replaces U designators
Bike parking

I am a…

Visitor

and I’m interested in…

I am a…

Department or Event Coordinator

and I’m interested in…

Department products

Department products

Event parking

Multi-lot permits

Employees who need to park in multiple locations on campus may purchase a Multi-lot permit.

Multi-lot permits are based on availability and must be approved by the Transportation Services office and the appropriate department.
The cost difference between a regular permit (typically an SOV) and a Multi-lot permit may be paid for by a University department.
Permits are linked to your license plate, with no need to display a paper permit. You may have up to five vehicles linked to your permit, but you may only park one vehicle on campus at a time.
Multi-lot permit holders may park in any of the following lots, subject to availability at time of parking:
- Central Plaza Garage (C01-C06)
- E02, E03, E08, E18, E19, E21
- N01, N05, N18, N20, N21, N24, N25, N27, N28
- S01, S05, S08
- W10, W12, W35, W46
Not sure where a lot is? Check out the Lots & Garages map.

You do not need to replace your U-designator permit until it is time for your annual or quarterly renewal or if you make changes to your permit after mid-December. You will then switch to the Multi-lot permit, which will be linked to your license plate. At that time, you will no longer need to display a paper permit.

What’s changing

The new Multi-lot permit replaces the previous practice of purchasing both a main parking permit (typically an SOV) and a Universal (U) designator. It will have the same functionality as a U designator.
Permits will be linked to vehicle license plates. You will be able to manage this online.
Please continue to use your existing paper permit for now. You do not have to replace your U-designator until it is time for your annual or quarterly renewal.

General changes

If you have questions about your specific product after reading these details, please contact Transportation Services by filling out this form.

Online sales and the new customer portal

Faculty, staff, students and retirees will be able to order most parking products online, from annual permits paid with payroll deduction to one-day permits paid with a credit card. For most people, this will mean they will no longer have to stop at a gatehouse or come into the Transportation Services office once the new system is up and running.

Users will log into the new online customer portal using their UW NetID or a guest account. Instructions for using the new system will be available closer to its launch date in mid-December.

Parking refunds will only be issued in person at the Transportation Services office. Carpool, Pay Per Use (PPUP), Vanpool, Bike lockers, Temp U-PASS, Arranged Parking and certain department products will still need to be purchased through the Transportation Services office either in person or by using a separate web form.Office operations have been impacted by COVID-19 and visits are by appointment only. Review our current operating hours and protocols for office visits.

Virtual permits

Paper permits are going away for most parking products. Instead, you will link your license plate to your permit either on the online customer portal, at a gatehouse or in person if you buy your permit at the Transportation Services office. You may have more than one vehicle linked to your permit, but you may only park one vehicle on campus at a time with that permit.

If you currently hold a paper permit, such as an annual or quarterly SOV, please continue to use it. You will switch to the virtual permit the next time you renew your products or if you make changes to your permit after December 10.

Virtual permits will be enforced using license plate recognition. The use of license plate recognition at the UW is governed by a detailed privacy policy.

Disability parking

A state or UW-issued disability placard or plate must be displayed to use disability parking stalls in campus lots. A valid UW parking permit is also required.

Visitors with a state-issued placard or plate may either stop at a gatehouse to buy a parking permit or go directly to a disability stall in a self-serve lot and pay at a parking machine or with the PaybyPhone app. Visitors without a state-issue placard or plate may not use disability stalls.

Faculty, staff and students must also display a state or UW-issued disability placard or plate when parking in disability stalls. Instructions for applying for a UW-issued placard have not changed and are available on the accessible parking page.

For information about obtaining a state-issued disability placard or plate, please see the Washington State Department of Licensing website.

Out-of-area

Faculty and staff will be able to request out of area permits through the new online customer portal as well as at a gatehouse. These permits will be virtual and linked to your license plate. Not all permits qualify for out of area privileges.

Out-of-area permits may be obtained on the day of use, are issued for a single day of parking and are subject to daily space availability limits at the time of purchase. To request a permit online, log into the customer portal with your UW NetID.