Rules & Regulations
Displaying Your Parking Permit
Please see the Display page for more information.
Directions for AVI Users
- Approach the gates slowly. Although your AVI device will quickly authorize your vehicle for access, the gates are mechanical and require a few seconds to open.
- Do not tailgate vehicles in front of you, as this may obstruct the radio frequency signal between your device and the antenna. Allow a safe and reasonable distance - a car length - between yourself and others.
- Remember: The AVI device must be used to both enter AND exit the parking area. With the AVI system, each entrance must be matched with an exit.
- Don't Forget! The system will not function reliably unless the AVI device is properly mounted and used.
If you experience any problems using your device, please contact the AVI Helpline at (734) 763-5555.
How To Use Your Mcard For Structure Access
If you have either a "Handicap Student" or "After Hours Student" permit, you will be able to have access to the gated Blue parking structures by using your Mcard. Other student permits cannot be used.
To use your Mcard in a Blue parking structure:
- Place the card at the top of the reader and swipe the card entirely through the reader (top to bottom) in a downward motion. The card should be face up when swiping (photo or picture facing the driver), with the magnetic stripe to the left and inside the reader. Hint: Applying slight pressure on the stripe side of the card when swiping ensures good contact with the reader head. This is especially helpful if your card is bowed.
- You must use your card both to enter and exit. Each entrance must have a corresponding exit.
If for any reason your card does not activate the gates, phone the AVI Helpline at (734) 763-5555 for assistance. The most typical reason a card may not work is failure to swipe in or out. Remember, each entrance must have a corresponding exit and vice-versa. If entry and exit do not "synch," your card may have to be reset to work correctly.
| Central Campus | |
|---|---|
| Church Street Parking Structure | North entrance/exit at Church Street |
| Fletcher Street Parking Structure | Entrance/exit at Palmer Drive |
| Hill Street Parking Structure | Only one entrance/exit at Hill Street |
| Palmer Drive Parking Structure | East entrance/exit closest to Washtenaw |
| Thayer Street Parking Structure | North entrance-right lane; only one exit |
| Thompson Street Parking Structure | Entrance (right lane) and exit on Thompson Street |
| Medical Campus | |
| Ann Street Parking Structure | East and west entrance/exit lanes on Ann Street |
| Catherine Street Parking Structure | Must enter and exit structure from the Ann Structure, Level 6 |
| Glen Street Parking Structure | Entrance/exit at Catherine Street |
| Simpson Circle Parking Structure | South entrance/exit at East Medical Center Drive |
| North Entrance Parking Structure | West entrance/exit (Blue) at West Medical Center Drive |
General Information
Parking Year
The parking year begins July 1st and ends June 30th. All annual parking options issued are for this period.
Purchases
Only permits obtained from the Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) office are valid. Individuals are limited to the purchase of one parking option only. There are no exceptions. The permit is for your use only and is not to be sold or given to others. The only exception to this policy is for carpools consisting of eligible faculty and staff who share one parking permit.
Please note: Reproduction of any parking option is prohibited. Individuals will be held accountable for inappropriate use in accordance with established policies.
Color-Coded Parking
All faculty and staff parking locations are color-coded: gold, blue, yellow or orange. Parking permits in corresponding colors authorize access. Visitor parking is color-coded red, and color-coded permits are not honored in these lots.
Color-coded parking permits are not valid and will not be honored at the Coliseum lot (SC9) or in any lots located south of Hill Street on home football game Saturdays, nor will they be honored at any lots located on Kipke Drive during home basketball games.
Park in Designated Spaces
Parking is allowed in designated spaces only - striped on paved surfaces or at bumper blocks on gravel surfaces.
A parking permit does not guarantee you a parking space in a particular lot or structure. If the lot or structure you want to park in is full, you are responsible for finding a valid parking space in another parking area of either the same color tier or a lower color tier.
Smoking in Structures
Smoking is prohibited in all University facilities, including parking structures.
Storage Parking
Storage parking is not allowed in any University lot or structure, except for University-owned vehicles. All personal vehicles must be removed within 48 hours.
Emergency Access to Gated Structures
Those requiring access to gated structures during enforcement hours for tow trucks or emergency vehicles should contact the AVI Helpline at (734) 763-5555 or the Department of Public Safety at (734) 763-1131 for assistance.
Motorcycle and Moped Parking
Motorcycle and moped parking is located in some Blue, Yellow and Orange lots. These areas are indicated on the parking map and on signs at individual lots. Permits are not required. Motorcycles and mopeds may not park in gate-controlled areas, in regular vehicle parking spaces during enforcement hours or in bicycle racks (unless otherwise indicated).
Parking Enforcement
Please see the Enforcement page for more information.
Parking Fraud and Abuse
Parking fraud and use of parking options in disregard of the defined rules and regulations will result in severe penalties.
Any person found to be using, or to have participated in or facilitated fraudulent use of, any parking option in disregard of the rules and regulations governing its use, as stated in this guide, will be prohibited from obtaining a parking option for a period of up to, but not exceeding, two years from the date the offense is verified. This penalty will be imposed in addition to any criminal charges or disciplinary actions from any other University department, school or college.
Fees associated with the fraudulent use of an option will be charged, when applicable, and must be paid in full before parking privileges will be restored (after the penalty period).
Parking Signage
University lots and structures are identified by signs located at the entrances. The signs indicate the parking color, permits required and enforcement hours:
About Your Permit
Parking Options Exchanges
Faculty and staff parking options may be exchanged at any time throughout the permit year. The first exchange during a permit year will be done free of charge. Thereafter, each additional exchange will carry a $10 fee that must be paid in full at the time of the transaction.
Parking Option Replacements
Responsibility to secure parking options from loss or theft, both when in use and away from campus, rests solely with the purchaser. To replace a lost or stolen option, you must complete a Parking Option Affidavit. Misrepresentation of the information provided on this legal document by the customer may result in the loss of parking privileges, disciplinary action and criminal prosecution, if appropriate.
If a parking option that was previously reported lost or stolen is found, it must be immediately returned to PTS at 508 Thompson Street.
Defective Permits & AVI Devices
Defective or damaged permits and AVI devices will be replaced for free, provided you return them to the PTS office.
Lost Hang Tag or Static Cling Permits
First Occurrence: A payment equal to 20% of the permit's prevailing cost will be charged. Please note the 20% payment is calculated using both the Employee and University Contribution. If a "lost" permit is found and returned to Parking Services within 30 days of being replaced, the replacement fee will be refunded. Fees for replaced permits may be paid by cash, check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard or Discover).
Subsequent Occurrences: Full payment of the prevailing permit cost, both the Employee and University portions, will be charged.
Stolen Hang Tag or Static Cling Permits
First Occurrence: No fee will be assessed if the loss is reported to either the UM Department of Public Safety or a local law enforcement agency. You must provide complaint number in order to obtain a free replacement.
Subsequent Occurrences: Full payment of the prevailing permit cost, both the Employee and University portions, will be charged. Fees for replaced permits may be paid by cash, check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard or Discover).
If you elected to pay for the original permit by payroll deduction, the deduction will continue until full payment for that permit is received.
Lost or Stolen AVI Devices
A refundable $20 deposit is collected for AVI devices when they are issued. If lost or stolen, AVI devices will be deprogrammed, making them unusable to access parking areas. The original deposit will be forfeited, and payment of another $20 deposit will be required for a new device. If the "lost" device is found and returned to PTS, the security deposit will be refunded.
Parking Option Returns
Parking options may be returned to Parking and Transportation Services (508 Thompson Street) at any time. Refunds, if due, are limited to amounts prepaid excluding the month the option is returned. Refunds will not be posted retroactively to the official date of a termination or leave.
Should the option be underpaid, a final payment may be due to Parking and Transportation Services. This can occur when payroll deductions end before the parking option is returned.
Faculty and staff who have terminated employment with the University or no longer need their parking option remain responsible for full payment (both employee portion and university contribution) of the option until it is returned to PTS.
About Your Payroll Deduction
PTS offers two types of payroll deductions depending on the type of permit purchased: annual (Hang Tag/Static Cling permits) and continuous (AVI devices). All payroll deductions are taken before taxes are withdrawn (known as a pretax deduction), further reducing your actual parking expenses. The range of savings will vary depending on your individual tax rate. If in any month your payroll deduction fails to process, the amount of your payroll deduction will be recalculated to ensure collection of the annual fee within the remaining payroll deductions.
Annual parking options include Blue Hang Tags, Yellow Hang Tags, Yellow Static Cling permits, Orange Hang Tags and Orange Static Cling permits. These permits are only valid for one permit year. The payroll deduction authorization allows a deduction to be taken once a month from your paycheck for the number of deductions you selected for the permit year. If you leave the University and your payroll deductions stop, you remain financially responsible for the annual permit fee until the permit is returned to Parking and Transportation Services.
Continuous parking options include Gold, Blue and Yellow AVI devices. AVI devices are perpetual parking permits that do not expire. The continuous payroll deduction authorization allows a deduction to be taken once a month from your paycheck for as long as you possess the device. If you leave the University and/or your payroll deductions stop, you remain financially responsible for the permit fee until the permit is returned to Parking and Transportation Services. Please note this means that you can accumulate fees for additional permit years if the permit is not returned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why are my payroll deductions different from my co-worker's?
A. The payroll deduction amount is determined by taking the annual permit fee and dividing it by the number of payroll deductions left in the annual schedule at the time of your permit purchase. Because the permit fees are prorated on the 1st and 15th of every month, and the number of payroll deductions decreases once each month, it is possible for parkers who purchased the permit in the same month to have a slightly different payroll deduction.
Q. I have a child attending the University of Michigan. Can she/he use my permit occasionally?
A. No, the permit is for your work-related use. The University has a strict eligibility criteria to help manage the parking system. As such, students are not eligible for faculty/staff parking options.
Q. One of my parents works here. May I use their permit occasionally?
A. No, the permit is for your parent's work-related use. The University has a strict eligibility criteria to help manage the parking system. As such, students are not eligible for faculty/staff parking options. Please note that this policy also extends to U-M Retiree permits.
Q. If I go on leave from the University and will not be parking, can I keep my permit and just stop my payroll deductions?
A. No, you must return your parking permit to the PTS office at 508 Thompson Street to stop the payroll deduction for your parking permit. Tell the PTS Customer Services representative if your leave is going to be short, and he/she can hold your device and re-issue it to you when you return to work.
Q. If I no longer need my permit, can I sell it to someone else?
A. No, the permit may not be resold or given to others. If you don’t need your permit anymore, return it to the PTS office at 508 Thompson Street. Remember: it is to your advantage to return the permit as soon as possible, since you remain financially responsible for the fee until the permit is returned to PTS, even if you leave the University.
Q. Do I have to return my parking permit in person?
A. If you can't return your parking permit to PTS yourself, you have two options: 1) Have someone else return it to our office for you, with a note from you authorizing them to handle your transaction, or 2) mail the permit by registered mail with a return receipt to: Parking and Transportation Services, 508 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2414.
Q. When is the best time to return my permit?
A. To avoid being charged for the new month, you must return your parking permit by the end of the current month. If you return your permit in mid-month, you can obtain a temporary parking permit that will be valid through the end of the month.
Q. How are permit refunds calculated?
A. All refunds are based on a monthly proration. PTS will subtract the value of the permit from the total amount paid by you for your permit. The remaining amount is the refund. In some cases, money may still be owed on the permit. Per your signed Payroll Deduction Authorization, you have agreed to pay any remaining balance promptly.
Q. Are students paying higher parking fees than faculty and staff?
A. No, the rates for student permits are equal to those paid by faculty and staff.