Departmental parking

The University recognises the importance of providing for vehicle use by departments where this is essential for delivering their work.

Departments can apply each year for a fixed number of designated departmental parking spaces on the University Precinct and Satellite sites, for use by specific University-owned vehicles or staff-owned vehicles used routinely on departmental business.

To be awarded any designated parking space, departments are expected to demonstrate that their need meets one of the five essential use criteria, as set out in the Precinct Parking Policy Summary (PDF, 1,411kB)‌ 

Departmental spaces are not intended for staff commuting or attending meetings; for any form of contractor parking; or for visitors (unless they meet one of the essential use criteria). Designated parking spaces are provided as close as possible to the location(s) requested.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities in a designated departmental parking space are for the exclusive use of University owned departmental vehicles and primarily by the departmental vehicle(s) assigned to that space. Staff general permit holders are not permitted to use these EV charging facilities.

How to apply for a permit

Departmental parking permit applications should be submitted by a nominated departmental administrator whose role includes managing departmental business travel. 

If they already have one for the purposes of their own staff parking permit, administrators should use their existing account on the permit management system to apply for a departmental permit. If they don't already have one, nominated administrators should first register for an account on the permit management system via Single Sign-OnThey can then complete the online questionnaire and upload the documents required.

As part of the application, departments will be expected to provide supporting evidence to demonstrate the parking space(s) requested will be used frequently by vehicles on essential University business.

This evidence should cover a minimum six-week monitoring period of the current permit year and may take the following forms:

The permit management system will require you to download and complete the Departmental Parking Permit Application_Summary of Evidence (PDF, 1,363kB)‌ template.

A single application may be submitted for multiple departmental spaces. If successful, a single permit will be issued allowing all vehicles registered within the application to park in any of the designated spaces provided. Separate applications should be submitted for any designated spaces to be restricted to specific departmental vehicles, eg. bespoke research vehicles. Applications may be submitted by a single department or jointly, where a department is unable to demonstrate frequent usage on its own. 

Applications must specify the budget code the annual department parking fee will be charged to, and be approved by the relevant budget holder. The online questionnaire provides instructions and links to further guidance on how to complete an application.

Departments are encouraged to submit their parking permit applications in line with the application rounds for General staff permits. However, applications will be considered at other times subject to departmental requirements. In these cases, departments should allow at least 10 working days for a new permit to be issued. All departmental parking permit holders are required to re-apply annually for the permits and spaces they require in the coming permit year.

Prior to submitting an application, departments should note that all permit-holders must abide by the University’s Parking Terms and Conditions

When to apply 

DEPARTMENTAL parking permit dates 

Existing Departmental permits will be automatically renewed for the 2023/24 permit year  

New applications can be made at anytime during the permit year  

How applications are assessed

Departmental parking permit applications are assessed at the end of each annual application window and (subject to available parking capacity) at other intervals in the permit year.

Applications are reviewed firstly to ensure they meet one or more of the department parking essential use criteria, i.e. that the parking space(s) are required to enable:

The supporting evidence is then assessed to ensure the vehicle and/or space will be used on average for a minimum of three days per week for at least 70 percent of the monitoring period. If their application is unsuccessful, a department is eligible to re-apply and its application will be reviewed at the next available opportunity.

Space allocation and charges

Once its application is approved, each permit-holding department will be allocated designated parking space(s) as close as possible to the location(s) requested.

Except where one space with a single permit is requested, parking spaces will not be allocated to specific vehicles. Instead a fixed number of spaces will be allocated based on the supporting evidence provided, for shared use by all the department’s registered vehicles.

Permit-holding departments will be charged an annual fee for each designated departmental parking space. See the Parking charges page for further information. 

Using your departmental parking permit

Issued staff parking permits are virtual. 

Departments will be issued with a single virtual permit covering all its designated spaces and registered vehicles, so it can manage how these should be allocated on a day-to-day basis. Separate permits may be provided where departments need one or more of their designated parking spaces to be restricted to a single vehicle.

Departments may change or add vehicle(s) registered against any of its permits. This is done by the departmental administrator accessing their permit by logging on to the on-line permit management system and making the required changes.

If requested in its application, a department may be issued with one or more flexible permits for ad hoc use in its designated parking space(s) by visitors in unregistered vehicles. In these cases, the permit-holding department must accept that the University will be unable to enforce parking policy in any of its designated space(s). Otherwise, departments must ensure that only departmental vehicles registered against their permit(s) park in any of their designated parking spaces.

Except where agreed with Security Services (e.g. for maintenance vehicles which may be permitted to use General parking spaces), registered departmental vehicles are for use only in the designated departmental parking spaces allocated to each permit-holding department. These spaces are marked with red lines.

Departmental parking permit holders do not need to display a daily parking coupon in their vehicle to park in one of their department’s designated parking spaces.

Departments are responsible for managing the use of their designated spaces and permits. This includes monitoring the daily usage of departmental spaces and/or vehicles to provide supporting evidence for future permit applications.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities in a designated departmental parking space are for the exclusive use of University owned departmental vehicles and primarily by the departmental vehicle(s) assigned to that space. Staff general permit holders are not permitted to use these EV charging facilities.

Privacy policy

Please note that all parking permit applications are subject to the University's Privacy Policy for the permit application process.