Frequently Asked Questions

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FAQ's are always being developed, please contact us at parking@olemiss.edu or call at 662-915-7235 if you have any questions.

New for 2022-2023 Academic Year

License Plate as a Permit

Question – What is License Plate Recognition (LPR)?

Answer – Simply put, your license plate is your parking permit.
With License Plate Recognition, parking enforcement vehicles have readers installed on the front corners of the roof that scan the license plates of parked vehicles facing the drive lane. Once a plate is scanned and read by the software, the information is sent to the secured parking database for validation. This happens instantaneously, allowing the enforcement officers to cover the entire campus multiple times per day.

Question – What permit types will be using license plates as permit?

Answer – Faculty/Staff, Commuter Blue/Red, and Pavilion Garage Reserved permit holders will no longer be mailed or issued a physical decal or hangtag permit. The license plate will function as the vehicle identifier and will be associated with the permit type that is purchased by the vehicle owner. 

Question – Do I still need to purchase a permit for my vehicle since my license plate is my permit?

Answer – Yes. You will still need to purchase a permit by going to the My Parking Account link via our website (olemiss.edu/parking) and registering your vehicle. The license plate is the parking permit, and anyone who parks on campus must have a valid permit. Permit sales will begin in July and permits are valid till August 15th of the following year.
The purchaser is responsible for the accuracy of the license plate and vehicle information in the parking portal at the time a permit is purchased. Citations could be issued to the vehicle owner if inaccurate license plate information is self-reported in the parking portal or parking enforcement staff are unable to scan a license plate when the vehicle is parked.

Question – Can I still back into my parking space or pull through a parking space so the front of my vehicle is facing the drive aisle?

Answer – Yes, but you must have a license plate visible to the parking lot aisle or roadway. If your home state requires a front and back plate, this will not be a problem. If you are a rear plate only state (Mississippi), you will need to purchase a unique Ole Miss vanity plate or similar sticker option from the Parking and Transportation office to attach to the front of your vehicle. 
Vehicles that do not have a license plate visible to the parking lot aisle or roadway could be subject to a citation. Vanity Plates will be available around the start of permit sales in mid-July.

Question – Will I be able to register multiple vehicles/license plates to a permit?

Answer – Student permits only allow for one vehicle to be associated with the permit. 
Faculty/Staff permits are allowed to have more than one vehicle associated with a permit. However, only one of those vehicles is permitted on campus at any given time. 

Question – What about residential parking permit holders?

Answer – Residential students will continue to receive a physical decal for their vehicle when they purchase a permit and register a vehicle for parking on campus. Vehicles will still be required to have a license plate visible to the parking lot/garage aisle or roadway. 

New Commuter Parking Zones

Question – What is the difference between Commuter Blue and Commuter Red?

Answer – Commuter Blue zones are in the core of campus, while Commuter Red is on the perimeter of campus.

Question – What happened to Park n Ride and Open parking zones?

Answer – We have expanded those previous zones to create the Commuter Red permit zone. Commuter Red parking permits will be allowed to park in perimeter parking lots on campus. Commuter Red will include the previous zones of Park n Ride, Open, and South Oxford Center. In addition, Commuter Red will include the Jeanette Phillips lot on the west side of the Track and Field facility. South Oxford Center parkers will no longer be restricted from parking on the main campus (Commuter Red).

Question – Who can park in Commuter Blue?

Answer – Any Commuter Blue, Facutly/Staff or Visitor permits. Commuter Red and Residetnial permits are not allowed in the Commuter Blue zones between 7:30am and 5:00pm weekdays.

Question – Who can park in Commuter Red?

Answer – Any valid University permitted vehicle can park in Commuter Red, including Residential and Reserved permit holders.

Other FAQ

General Parking

Question – Who can park on campus?

Answer – Any UM Staff, Student or Visitor may park on campus so long as they have acquired a current UM parking permit. The exceptions to this is for Visitors or others parking in pay-by-the-hour Metered spaces located at various locations and zones around campus.  Unpermitted vehicles must pay for time parked using in-lot or space metered equipment or by using appropriate pay-by-phone apps for designated areas.

Question – When do I need to be in my parking zone?

Answer – All zones are enforced Monday-Friday from 7:30-5:00. Citations issued after 5:00PM will be for improper parking such as parking in a fire lane or handicap parking stall without the correct credentials.

Question – How can I get a vehicle boot removed outside of DPT's normal office hours?

Answer – If you need assistance with a boot removal after normal office hours, you must contact the University Police Department at (662) 915-7234. Note: If DPT or UPD removes a boot after regular DPT enforcement hours (7:30am-4:30pm), a $200 removal fee will be assessed.

Question – If I need vehicle assistance immediately due to an emergency outside of DPT's normal office hours, whom should I contact?

Answer – For immediate assistance related to any afterhours emergency, contact the University Police Department (UPD) at (662) 915-7234.

Permits and Decals

Question – Do bicycles have to have a permit?

Answer - Yes, by policy all bikes must be registered. This helps to identify them should they become lost, stolen, or confiscated, as well as promotes the proper allocation of resources such as bike racks. Bicycle registration is free and good for up to four years.

Question – Do all vehicles require a permit?

Answer – All vehicles that park on campus must have a permit, except when parked in an eligible pay-by-time parking area in which they have paid for time to park.

Question – What do I do if my vehicle is in the shop and I have rental car?

Answer – If you have a virtual permit such as regular Faculty/Staff or Commuter Red/Blue, just come by our office and provide the information for the temporary vehicle.  We will link the vehicle to your existing permit with an expiration date.   No temporary permit required!
If you have a physical hangtag or decal (residential zones) we require a temporary permit type that may include an extra fee.

Question – I sold my car or I wrecked my car and don’t have the permit that was on it!

Answer -  If you have a virtual permit such as regular Faculty/Staff or Commuter Red/Blue, just come by our office to provide information for a temporary vehicle or to remove the old vehicle from your permit/account.
If you have a physical hangtag or decal (residential zones) a replacement fee may be charged for a new decal or hangtag.

Question – My license plate changed, how do I update it?

Answer - All permit holders are responsible for keeping their vehicle information up-to-date. Click on the LICENSE PLATE UPDATE button (upper right of the DPT home page) to update your license plate information.

Question – I got a new vehicle, what do I do about my permit?

Answer - All permit holders are responsible for keeping their vehicle information up-to-date.  Decal type permits are not transferable and require replacement for a small fee. For decals, if available, please bring the scrapped off old decal and your new vehicle information to DPT's main office to obtain a new decal. For virtual permits and hang-tag type permits, use your My Parking Account tools and add your new vehicle under the Vehicles link at the top of the page. When completed, please email the parking@olemiss.edu address with a message that you need your new car linked to your existing permit. Please provide your license plate info in the email. 

Transportation and Buses

Question – How much is the fare for the O.U.T. buses?

Answer - The bus fare in most cases is FREE for all University Staff and Students. Simply present your current UM ID card to the driver as you board the bus. Fares for the general public are $1.00 for Adults. For more info, visit the Oxford-University Transit website - outransit.com. 

Question – What time do the buses run?

Answer – The main city routes typically run from about 7:00AM to 9:00PM Monday-Friday. Exact time may vary by route, please see the Oxford-University Transit website - outransit.com for more info. University shuttles and connector routes typically run from 7:00AM-7:00PM Monday-Friday during the Spring and Fall Semesters.

Garage and Meters

Question – If I purchase a Pavilion Garage permit can I park in any Faculty/Staff or Commuter Blue Space?

Answer – No, during the hours between 7:30am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday, you would be restricted to your reserved space in the Pavilion Garage unless parking in a Commuter RED zone such as the Jackson Avenue Center or the South Oxford Center.

Question – I already have a permit, do I have to pay to park in Metered Spaces?

Answer – Yes, metered spaces are on demand pay-by-the-hour parking available to any UM Staff, Student or Visitor. All cars parked in a metered space are required to pay the meter fees regardless of the presence of a UM parking permit.

Citations and Fines

Question – How do I appeal a citation?

Answer – One may appeal if the citation is within a 7-day window of the date issued. This may be done on-line through your My Parking Account. If you wish to do this in person appeal online and indicate this. The student appeals committee meets at set times Monday-Friday. For more info: CITATIONS

Question – I parked in a parking space with a number on it. Why did I get a citation?

Answer – Athletics has put numbers on some of the parking stalls in close proximity to the football and baseball stadiums. These numbers represent a location where Athletics has sold a specific stall or location to a game-day/event parking permit holder. Some of the locations are not valid parking spaces during the normal day-to-day operations. Valid locations will always have white lines indicating the parking stall.

Football Game Day Parking

Question – Where do I park on Game Day?

Answer – Parking on campus during home football games is controlled by the Athletics Department. All non-residential parking stalls are sold through the Athletics Foundation and campus is closed to general parking. General parking is available at various locations throughout Oxford with shuttle services to the campus. For more Information – www.olemisssports.com

Question – Where can RV's park on a Game Day weekend?

Answer – Recreational Vehicles (RV's) are not permitted on campus except during certain athletics events including all home football games. Athletics has designated parking for RVs in specific areas of the campus core and permits are available through the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation. For more Information – www.olemisssports.com. Only during home football games, additional RV parking is available may be available through the Department of Campus Recreation, information may be found at this Campus Recreation website.