Your parking questions, answered

Start by looking at the campus map. Find the building/s you’ll be in, then turn on the Parking view to see lots and garages that are nearby. Click or tap on the options to confirm which ones allow your permit type and aim to park in one of those. If you’re trying to park in a garage, check the space counter sign at the entrance to make sure there are available spaces before you drive in. Having a couple of different options in mind is a good idea, especially during busy times.

The Glen Garage and Union Garage typically fill from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. If you’re planning to park in that time frame, head to the Towsontown Garage or, if you’re faculty/staff, lot 10 behind the Administration Building. There are usually spaces available in both locations, and they’re convenient to most academic buildings. And there's always parking in the stadium lots 4, 5, 6 and 7. It's a seven-minute walk from lot 4 to the Union, or you can hop on the campus shuttles that run there every half hour.

First and foremost, make sure you have a valid permit if you’re parking on campus. If you switch cars for the day, add the car to your account in the eParking portal or email us to avoid a fine. Always check that you’re parking in the right zone for your permit type. Parking signs indicate what zone you’re in, and they’re color-coded for identification. If you have a core permit, you should park in the green areas; faculty/staff permits should park in the red areas; resident permits should park in the purple areas and overflow permits should park in the gray areas. Call us at 410-704-PARK if you have questions—we’re happy to help.

Finally, don’t park in fire lanes or no-parking areas, even with your hazard lights on. That’s a state-mandated $100 fine. And never park in the yellow reserved spaces—those are enforced 24/7.

We understand that mistakes happen. That’s why most of our fines start low, with the amount increasing if you continue to get tickets. If you think your ticket was given in error, submit an appeal through the e-Parking portal. Otherwise, make sure to pay it within 30 days to avoid late fees and to prevent it from being transferred to your student billing account, which can prohibit you from registering for classes or receiving your transcripts or diploma. Unpaid fines can also be sent to collections or the Motor Vehicle Administration, which can hurt your credit score and impact your vehicle registration.

Funding from permits enables us to provide on-campus parking, since it isn't paid for with state funds, tuition dollars or student fees. Permit revenue goes directly to maintain garages and parking lots, pay the bonds on previous garage construction, purchase parking signage and fund equipment and enforcement to ensure spots go to paid permit holders. We do our best to maintain equity by keeping student permit costs low and setting faculty/staff permit costs based on each individual’s salary. Our goal is to balance maintaining quality facilities with keeping costs reasonable for the campus community.

Reach out to us directly by emailing upark AT_TOWSON, calling us at 410-704-PARK or using the chat feature on the Parking & Transportation Services website. We welcome feedback and use it to inform future parking decisions.