Parking Tips for Students

I. Parking Meter Wisdom

  1. Read the display on the meter before inserting money. If display message indicates that the meter is not functioning properly, then do not insert money and do not park in that space. A notice on each meter states that vehicles parked at an out-of-order or malfunctioning meter will be cited.
  2. Meters are for very short-term, quick turn-around use—for example, returning library materials, a quick shopping trip, delivering an assignment--literally running in & running back out again! A class period is too long--the motorist probably cannot keep the meter paid. Motorists are advised to use a temporary permit or a term permit when they park on campus during their class period. Temporary permits include Daily Dispenser (DD, paper, printed by vending dispenser) permits, Student Daily (N, gold-colored, scratch-off hang tag) permits, Temporary (TM, yellow card stock hang tag, purchased at Parking Services office) permits and Visitor (V, blue-colored, scratch-off hang tag) permit permits.
  3. Vehicles parked at overtime meters can be cited every two hours. This can get expensive quickly. If a vehicle is cited for overtime meter, it makes no difference if the meter expired 30 seconds ago or 3 hours ago, except that during 3 hours a second citation was probably issued. There is no means of verifying that a vehicle was only there two minutes while the motorist ran into the building to deliver something. Expired is expired; an expired meter will display “-0.00”. To avoid being cited for overtime meter while parked at a metered space, one must keep the meter paid.
  4. Each UNC parking meter has a black-on-yellow label indicating the time limit or capacity of that meter. If the label indicates “30 Minute Time Limit”, then inserting more money than the 30-minute rate is a waste of money. The extra money will not buy more minutes and will not be refunded.

II. Permit Dispenser Insight

  1. Anyone who depends on the daily permit dispensers should always leave home early & allow extra time for using a permit dispenser and, possibly, a second permit dispenser if the first one is found to be out-of-order.
  2. There is no guarantee that there will be an available, regular space in the motorist's preferred parking lot. The motorist may have to park in a more distant lot and walk back.
  3. The dispensers are not equipped to accept credit card payment and they can neither give back change nor any of the money that was already inserted.

Where Can I Park?

Where Can I Park

UNC Snow Line:

  • (970) 351- 4100

Resources

Any questions?

  • Call the Parking Services office at (970) 351-1971.