Vehicle Registration
Student semester parking permits must be obtained by registering online. Follow the links and instructions to complete the registration process.
After completing the registration process, allow three to five business days for processing. The permit will be available for pick up at the University Parking Office in the Poplar Building. Proof of ownership (permanent or temporary registration), driver’s license, Penn State ID+Card, and signature must be presented at time of registration. Students may pay for the permit online with a credit or debit card or by cash, check, or money order upon pick up of the permit. The registration process is not complete until the permit is picked up and displayed on the vehicle. The cost of permits is listed on the parking website. Insurance must be maintained on the vehicle while registered at the University. Any vehicle parked on campus is parked at the owner’s risk. The University assumes no liability for vehicles parked on Penn State property.
The parking hang tag must be displayed and hanging from the rearview mirror at all times while parking in any Penn State Altoona student lot. Failure to do so, will result in a parking violation.
Permits will be issued for motorcycle or other motorized vehicle parked on campus. Permits should be vertically affixed to the front right fork just above the axle. Parking should be restricted to a regulation parking space in a student lot or in a designated “motorcycles only” space.
The campus offers bicycle registration free of charge. Bicycles must not be chained to trees, signs, or any other structures. Racks are provided at several locations on campus to secure bicycles.
Parking spaces that are reserved for people with disabilities are for vehicles legally displaying state-issued plates or placards. Students with disabilities who need special parking considerations and who do not have a state-issued plate or placard should contact the University Parking Office.
If a permit is mislaid, lost, or stolen, it is the student’s responsibility to immediately notify University Parking Office to nullify the old number and obtain a new permit. There will be a $25 fee to replace any hang tag.
All numbers and letters on a parking permit must be legible. Should a parking permit become damaged or unreadable, the student must go to the University Parking Office to obtain a new permit. The old permit must be completely removed and replaced with the new one.
When a registered vehicle is exchanged or sold, the permit must be removed from the vehicle and returned to the University Parking Office. All subsequent violations issued to this vehicle will be charged against the original registrant if it retains the parking permit.
Permit holders are responsible for reporting all address, license plate, and vehicle registration changes to University Parking Office immediately. Should a permit holder have a need to drive a vehicle other than the one registered with University Parking Office, a temporary parking permit must be obtained for a limited period—not to exceed one week—or an additional permit will be issued if the vehicle will be used for an extended period.
Obedience to Regulations
Parking and traffic regulations are in effect at all times. However, during registration periods at the beginning of semesters, unregistered vehicles are allowed in student parking lots. This registration period is normally the first five days of classes.
It is the responsibility of all students to know the parking and traffic regulations. Students must park in the student parking areas at all times.
All vehicles must be parked between two lines designating a legal parking space, and not to extend into adjoining spaces or the roadway. Parking is prohibited in any area that is not specifically designated by markings or signs as a student parking space, or where access is limited by sign, barricade, or gate.
Any vehicle not parked in a designated legal space is subject to ticketing, immobilization, or towing.
Speed on all campus roads is limited to 15 miles per hour, unless conditions dictate a slower speed. All Pennsylvania traffic laws apply to campus.
If a vehicle is disabled, the permit holder must notify the University Parking Office IMMEDIATELY with their name, the vehicle’s license plate number, and the vehicle’s location. A grace period of up to twelve hours may be allowed. No extensions will be made. This grace period does not automatically exempt your vehicle from being ticketed. However, it may be used as a basis for appeal. Notes left on a vehicle stating that the vehicle is mechanically disabled are given no consideration by enforcement personnel. Vehicles not properly reported to University Parking Office may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.
Residence Hall Parking
Parking for residence hall students is as follows. Red Permits: residents of Oak Hall must park in the Larch Lot. Yellow Permits: residents of Cedar, Maple, and Spruce Halls must park in Rider Lot. If Larch or Rider Lots are full, residence hall students may park in the Ivy or Juniata Gap Lots until a space becomes available in their designated lot, but not to exceed a 24-hour period.
Student parking behind residence halls is for temporary unloading and loading of persons or items, and is restricted to 15 minutes, with flashers, in the designated spaces. Additional temporary parking may be indicated by signs during evening hours.
Guests of students, during the work week, must obtain a temporary hanging permit from the University Parking Office and park in the student parking area designated. This registration is not necessary during weekends, but parking must be in the appropriate student lot.
Commuter Student Parking
Students living at Nittany Pointe, Pennview Suites, or Wehnwood Court are not permitted to park in any campus lot, Monday–Friday, unless they purchase a Commuter Permit or park at one of the designated meter spaces in the Ivy, Hawthorn, or Juniata Gap Lots. Green Permits: Commuter students may park in the following lots: Cypress, Hawthorn, Ivy, Juniata Gap, and Science.
Downtown Student Parking
All current student parking permits are valid in designat¬ed lots. Please refer to Downtown Parking Information section for specific instructions.
Student Metered Parking
Parking meters for student use are in the upper Ivy Parking Lot, the Hawthorn Lot, and the Juniata Gap Lot. They are intended for use by students who have not purchased a Penn State Altoona parking permit, but find it necessary to park on campus for a short period not to exceed the posted time limits. Parking meters are posted with signs explaining the maximum period of time a student is permitted to park in a metered space. Students are responsible for inserting the appropriate amount of money into the parking meter. Parking meters are intended for students who need to park on campus for a short period and are not intended for students attending regularly scheduled classes. Vehicles displaying a valid Penn State Altoona parking hang tag are not permitted to park in the metered section.
Visitor Parking
Family members, guests, or students from a Penn State campus are NOT considered visitors and may NOT park in the visitor sections. During weekdays from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., students and their family members and guests who do not possess a current parking permit must come to the University Parking Office to get a temporary parking permit to park in the designated student lot.
Winter Parking
During snow emergencies, no parking will be permitted in any faculty, staff, or commuter parking lot on nights of an announced “Midnight Clear.” Parking restrictions will occur between the hours of midnight and 7:00 a.m. “Midnight Clear” activity will be announced on the Penn State Altoona website and by email and text message when heavy snow is anticipated or has occurred. Students, faculty, and staff should remove vehicles from the faculty, staff, and commuter parking lots during a “Midnight Clear” in order to allow for efficient removal of snow. Vehicles left in parking lots will be towed at the owner’s expense to allow for the snow removal. On-campus students will be notified by email and by residence hall staff of scheduled times to move vehicles from the residence hall lots to designated areas to allow for the removal of snow.
University Park
When visiting University Park, please visit transportation.psu.edu for parking information or call 814-865-1436.
Parking Violations and Penalties
- Curb/Roadway: $20
- Fraudulent/Unauthorized Permit: $50
- Disabled Person Space: $50 ($100 for subsequent violations)
- Loading Zone: $20
- No Parking Area: $20
- Overtime Parking/No Flashers: $20
- Parked Outside Lines: $20
- Permit Improperly/Not Displayed: $20
- Reserved Space: $20
- Unregistered Vehicle: $50
- Wrong Area: $20
More than one parking violation may be written for the same continuing offense if the vehicle remains parked in violation for four hours or more.
No parking violations will be dismissed by the University Parking Office except in the case of an officer error. Dismissals may be granted only by the Appeals Committee or by a District Justice in the case of a state citation.
Any student or vehicle that receives six or more parking violations in any semester or summer session may have their vehicle immobilized (booted) or towed. The fee to have the immobilizer removed is $25 plus any outstanding monies owed to Penn State for unpaid parking violations. Violators must pay unpaid parking violations and boot fee within forty-eight hours. Failure to do so will result in the vehicle being towed away at the owner’s expense.
All subsequent violations in the same semester may result in the vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense and the revocation of parking privileges.
Appeals are NOT accepted on any outstanding parking violations for a student once a vehicle is immobilized or towed.
Payment and Appeal of Parking Violations
Parking violations may be appealed online within seven business days of the violation date. The appeal will be forwarded to the Appeals Committee for independent review. The appellant is notified of the committee’s decision. Appeals Committee decisions are final.
After seven business days have passed, the appeal process is closed and payment must be received at the Office of the Bursar within thirty calendar days of the issue date of the parking violation. Acceptable means of payment are check or money order payable to Penn State. Please enclose a copy of the violation or your license plate number to ensure proper credit. Payment also can be made with a credit card online.
Refunds
Refunds for parking permits shall be granted on a prorated basis. The amount of the refund is determined by the price paid for the parking permit. The refund price may be obtained by contacting the University Parking Office during normal business hours. The parking permit must be returned to receive a refund.
Downtown Parking Information
Students utilizing the Altoona Parking Authority parking lots located in downtown Altoona must purchase and display a parking permit issued by Penn State Altoona.
NOTE: Students are encouraged to ride Amtran buses between the Ivyside and Downtown campuses for free with a Penn State ID+Card. Learn more on the Amtran site.
Downtown Parking
Monday–Friday, 6:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Students attending classes downtown are directed to park in one of the following two locations:
- Altoona Transportation Center Parking Garage
1225 11th Ave, Altoona, PA 16601
Located across from The Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the corner of 11th Avenue and 13th Street (NOT the parking garage at the corner of 12th Ave. and 13th St.) - Red Lot
Located on 12th Avenue across from the Aaron Building, Devorris Downtown Center, and the Penn Building, behind the Yellow Lot.
All students with a valid Penn State Altoona student parking hang tag will be permitted to park in the lots noted above.
Parking rules and ticketing for violators will be enforced by the Altoona Parking Authority in the Altoona Transportation Center Parking Garage, street parking, and all public lots.
All public lots and street parking is permitted weekdays after 5:00 p.m. and all day on weekends.
