Parking Office FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Phone: 413-538-2514
On the Web: Parking Office

Do all cars have to be registered?
Yes; all cars parked on the campus need to be registered. Student parking is $125 per year. Each semester costs $62.50. If your daughter is here only for the first semester she will need to register the vehicle for the year; she will be refunded half of her original  registration fee if she scrapes off and returns her decal before January 1. Online registration will be available in July and a discount is offered of $15 up until the start of classes. Day Student rates are $75 per year with a discount of $15 offered with online registration.

My daughter has a car here for a short time; does she have to pay for a semester?
The Parking Office can issue a week pass (for $10) or a two-week pass (for $20). If a car will be on campus longer than two weeks, it must be registered for the semester.

My daughter has a guest coming; do they need to register? Where can they park?
Guests do need to obtain visitor passes from the Parking Office. Their hostess needs to accompany them as she will be responsible for any citations issued to the car. Most visitors are assigned to Equestrian Center Lot or to the Gorse Lot, or other lot as designated by the Parking Office and Public Safety, based on campus need.

NOTE:  visitors should not park in student space, as these are reserved for Mount Holyoke students. Visitor passes are issued for up to one month at a time.

My daughter's guest is only coming for the evening; can s/he park anywhere near my residence hall?
Visitors without a pass can park in faculty/staff spaces in the evenings after 5 pm and before 7 am the following morning. If they are staying later than 7 am, they can park in the Pratt lot until 9 am, allowing time to obtain a pass from the Parking Office when it opens at 8:30 am.

Can I appeal a ticket?
Yes; appeal forms are available from the Parking Office Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4 pm. During the summer forms can be picked up Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm. Any ticket can be appealed within 14 days of the date of issue. The Parking Appeals Committee meets monthly and reviews any appeals. They will notify you of the outcome of the appeal. Appeals are available online or you can call 413-538-2514.

If I need to run into a building to pick up something, can I park there for a few minutes?
Students, staff, faculty, or visitors can park in ANY LEGAL SPACE with their HAZARD LIGHTS on for up to 15 minutes to load, unload, or pick up items. However, parking in unmarked areas, roadways, or tow zones/no parking zones is never allowed.

Can a student or visitor park in faculty/staff spaces during the break?
No; the parking rules and regulations are the same 365 days a year, including holidays, breaks, and the summer.

I have a temporary car today; how can I park and not get a ticket?
The Parking Office has temporary passes that can be issued to students, faculty, and staff. These are provided free of charge to community members who are temporarily replacing a registered car on campus. Students registering a car (which is not replacing a registered car) can do so for $10 per week or for $20 for two weeks.

My daughter has a new car to replace her old car; can she put her old decal on that car?
No; a decal can only be affixed to the car for which it was issued. If she is replacing the car, she must scrape off the old decal and bring it to the Parking Office. She will then be able to obtain a new decal. There is a $10 replacement decal fee.

If my daughter's car is towed, how does she get it back?
Contact the Parking Office at 413-538-2514. After hours, contact Public Safety at 413-538-2304. Any tickets on the car must be paid, and the towing fee must be paid before a vehicle is released. The car must also be registered to be allowed to park on campus again (unless the car has been banned from campus, in which case it must be removed from campus).

When it snows, how does my daughter find out about a possible parking ban?
Public Safety posts parking ban notices on the main door of each residence hall and in academic buildings. We also post them to mhc.announce, mhc.chat, and WMHC, and we notify hall presidents. Call the Public Safety Office at 413-538-2304 if you have any questions about a snow parking ban.