Virtual Parking Permits are now available to purchase! Please read the "rules and regulations" and "FAQ's" pages for details on how the new LPR system will work. To Purchase a virtual permit CLICK HERE. Once at the portal, if you have an SOU login, click the "SOU Parking" button, DO NOT click the "Are you a visitor" button.
You are responsible for entering your vehicle license plate info correctly into the system. Failure to register your license plate number and state completely and correctly may result in a parking citation.
If you have issues logging into the portal, please email: parking@sou.edu
Virtual Parking Permit Types:
Student Commuters- $140
Student Commuters: if you are an enrolled student who currently lives off campus, you qualify for a student commuter virtual permit. This virtual permit allows you to register up to two vehicles, but only one is permitted to park on campus at a time. This permit is valid to park in SOU lots posted on the entrance signs as “Student Commuter Parking Zone”. Since some parking lots allow multiple permit zone types, the parking spaces have one or more colored dots painted in the parking spaces that correspond with what virtual permit types are permitted to park. Green Dots represent student commuter virtual permit parking zone.
Annual Permits are valid fall term through summer term at $140. Single Term Permits may be purchased for $50 a term. Annual permits are avialable to purchase up through the end of fall term. After fall term is over, only single term permits are available to purchase.
Student Residents- $140
Student Residents: If you are an enrolled student who is signed up to live in the Residence Halls (excluding family housing), you qualify for a student resident virtual parking permit. This virtual permit allows you to register up to two vehicles, but only one may be parked on campus at a time. Resident permits are only valid to park in SOU lots posted on the lot entrance signs as “Student Resident Parking Zone”. Since some parking lots allow multiple permit zone types, the parking spaces have one or more colored dots painted in the parking spaces that correspond with what virtual permit types are permitted to park. Red dots represent student resident virtual permit parking zone.
Annual Permits are valid fall term through summer term at $140. Single Term Permits may be purchased for $50 a term. After fall term is over, only single term permits are available to purchase.
Facutly/Staff- $150
Faculty/Staff employed by SOU either full or part time qualify for a faculty/staff virtual permit. This virtual permit allows you to register up to three vehicles, but only one is permitted to park on campus at a time. This permit is the only one valid to park in SOU lots posted on the entrance signs as “Faculty/Staff Parking Zone”. However, if you have a faculty/staff virtual permit, you may also park in student resident or student commuter parking zones. Since some parking lots allow multiple permit zone types, the parking spaces have one or more colored dots painted in the parking spaces that correspond with what virtual permit types are permitted to park. Yellow dots represent faculty/staff parking, Green dots represent student commuter parking, Red dots represent student resident parking, and white dots represent metered permit guest parking.
Annual Permits are valid for fall term through summer term at $150. Single Term permits may be purchased for $50 a term. After fall term is over, only single term permits are available to purchase.
If you choose the payroll deduction option, it will be deducted as payments of $25 per paycheck until the permit has been paid off.
Carpool Permits- $135
Carpool parking permits may only be sold annually, not for a single term. To be eligible for a carpool permit, you must meet the following criteria:
(a) The carpool must contain at least two individuals with cars, but no more than six.
(b) No more than one vehicle from the carpool is allowed on campus at a particular time.
Annual Carpool Permits may only be purchased by Student Commuters and Faculty/Staff.
Parking Meter Permits- Price Varies
The visitor parking meters are located in lots: 1, 12, 29, 36, 37 and 41. These meters all accept coins and credit/debit cards (Visa and MasterCard).
Meter Rates:
$0.50 - 30 Minutes
$0.75 - 45 Minutes
$1.00 - 60 Minutes
$10.00 - 24 Hour permit
$20.00 - 3 Day permit
$30.00 - 7 Day permit
VIP Permits- $0
VIP parking permits are only issued to select individuals on campus; eligibility is designated through the Office of the President. If you have been issued a VIP hang tag in the past, you are still required to register your vehicle in our new parking system. The system will then assign your vehicle a “virtual” permit. Physical permits are no longer recognized as valid by the SOU parking department. VIP virtual permits will be valid one year from the issue date. The next year you will be required to register again for a VIP virtual permit. This will help us to ensure that your vehicle information is still up to date in our system. Once we verify that you are still eligible for a VIP permit, you will be issued a virtual permit which will be valid for one more year. VIP permit holders are allowed to register up to three of their vehicles to one virtual permit- however only one vehicle is permitted to park on campus at a time.
VIP virtual permit holders are permitted to park in any SOU parking lots designated as: student commuter zones (green dots), student resident zones (red dots), and faculty/staff zones (yellow dots). The only spaces that VIP permit holders may not park in are in spaces that are posted with signs as “reserved” for certain types of vehicles. VIP Virtual Permit holders may park in spaces marked with a time limit- but only for the allotted amount of time posted on the sign.
Emeritus Permits- $0
EMERITUS Permits are only eligible for retired faculty. If you have been issued an Emeritus decal permit in the past, you are still required to register your vehicle in our new parking system. The system will then assign your vehicle a “virtual” permit. Physical permits are no longer recognized as valid by the SOU parking department. Emeritus virtual permits will be valid one year from the issue date. The next year you will be required to register again for your emeritus virtual permit. This will help us to ensure that your vehicle information is still up to date in our system. Emeritus permit holders are allowed to register up to three of their vehicles to one virtual permit- however only one vehicle is permitted to park on campus at a time.
Emeritus virtual permit holders are permitted to park in any SOU parking lots designated as: student commuter zones (green dots), student resident zones (red dots), and faculty/staff zones (yellow dots). The only spaces that Emeritus permit holders may not park in are in spaces that are posted with signs as “reserved” for certain types of vehicles. Emeritus Virtual Permit holders may park in spaces marked with a time limit- but only for the allotted amount of time posted on the sign.
Department Guests and Volunteers- $0
Department Guests and volunteers: If you believe you qualify for a department guest or volunteer parking pass. Please contact the department so they can give you a code to enter at one of the parking meters on campus. Volunteer and Department Guest permits are NOT for use by faculty/staff or students.
Virtual permits will automatically expire after the term or year you purchased it for. Permits will not automatically renew; you must login before your current permit expires and purchase the next one to make sure your vehicle is registered to an active permit at all times.
Virtual Permit Returns:
When we say "return" a permit, it actually just means a "deactivation" of the permit- this is becuase permits are virtual and there is no physical permit actually issued to be able to turn back in.
-Annual Virtual Permits can be returned for a prorated refund up through the end of winter term. If you are interested in getting a refund for an annual permit for spring term, you will have to show the parking department proof that you are no longer enrolled in any future classes.
-Single term permits may be returned up until two weeks into that term. After the two week period we will not issue any refunds for single term permits.
If intersted in returning a virtual permit, email: parking@sou.edu
