Parking and Transit Services
Welcome to Parking and Transit Services
To all visitors, alumni, students, faculty and staff, we are pleased to have you on our campus! Parking and Transit Services is an auxiliary service. An Administration that supports the university’s vision, strategies and goals by providing customer service with professionalism, accountability and integrity.
The department is responsible for overseeing multiple aspects of traffic and parking for USM campuses, including control, enforcement, and coordinated maintenance of parking areas. The department seeks out partnerships to provide various forms of transportation services. Other responsibilities include the main entrance information booth, pay by app parking, and vehicle identification.
Fall 2025 Permits will be available for purchase August 1
**CHECK OUT THE TRANSIT BUS ROUTE FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE**
**If you are a student or faculty/staff, please log in to the parking portal below "Online Permit Registration Portal" using your SOAR credentials. DO NOT create a guest account if your login fails! Contact the parking office for assistance.
Online Permit Registration Portal
***If you experience any issues purchasing a virtual permit or paying a citation, please email parkingFREEMississippi and be sure to include your ID number and description of the issue.
Permit Registration
All annual permits will expire July 31, 2025. For students expecting to only be enrolled in the Fall 2025 semester, you will have the option to purchase the semester permit. If you purchased the Summer 2025 semester permit-that one will have an expiration date of July 31, 2025.
You must have a current, valid permit and registered license plate to park on university
property! The online permit registration opens August 1 to purchase a permit and
register your vehicle(s).
DO NOT PARK IN HANDICAP OR RESERVED SPACES UNLESS YOU HAVE VALID PERMISSION/REGISTRATION
(IN YOUR NAME) TO DO SO ($200 citation plus $100 if towed!)
Email parkingFREEMississippi if you have any questions.
Parking 101
- Purchase a permit and register your vehicle's license plate.
- For Visible License Plates - Park your vehicle in a space, nose first - we are no longer allowed to back in or pull through a space unless you have a valid or current front plate.
- Review the parking zone map and park in your zone.
- Pay attention to parking signs and restrictions (ie. Reserved Parking, Service Zones, Visitor Parking, Fire Lanes, etc...).
- Do not ignore citations! Contact the Parking & Transit Services team if you have any questions about a citation you received.
Parking Updates and Reminders
- 2025-2026 parking rules and regulations are in effect beginning August 1, 2025. ALL lots with zone restrictions (i.e. Commuter, Residential, Village and Fraternity) will be enforced for valid parking permits. Do not ignore citations or warning cards!
- The Thad Cochran Center parking lot has designated Faculty/Staff spaces next to Chain Technology building and other spaces for Open Zone (excluding individual numbered reserved spaces). The entire lot may be reserved for special events at any given time, and advanced notice will be given when possible.
- Pay to Park is active for short-term parking. The mobile fee must be paid and your license plate must be accuarate or you will be issued a citation for overtime meter parking, even with a permit the fee must be paid.
- Verify that your handicap accommodations are registered with your permit and visibly displayed if you utilize handicap parking spaces.
- Parking in reserved spaces or on the University grounds without proper permissions is prohibited and will result in the vehicle immobilized or towed.
- Motorcycles must have a current parking permit - and are only allowed to park in vehicular parking spaces.
Did you Know? Multiple Vehicles
You can have up to four vehicles listed on your virtual permit (only one at a time can be parked on campus). If you find yourself needing to drive a different vehicle, log in to the parking portal and add that vehicle's make/model/license plate to your PERMIT (you must add to your PERMIT in order for the vehicle to link to your permit) and you are good to go!
If you get a new vehicle and do not have a license plate yet, add the last eight digits of the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) as your plate number and missing plate for your state- to your PERMIT. Remember to go back and add your vehicle with license plate when you get it! The VIN, once the vehicle has a license plate is not checked for a permit!