Event Parking

Event attendee information

NOTE: Event hosts should provide you with relevant information about the following services before you arrive on campus for an event.

If you’re attending an event during our fall or spring terms, our peak parking hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to arrive and find a parking space before the event you’re attending begins.

Rate type	Cost
Standard vehicle	$4.15/hour
Oversized vehicle, bus, & trailer	$8.30/hour
Day pass (7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.)	$16/day
Overnight (11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)	$24/night
Portland citywide snow ban	$4.15 for the duration
Disability parking	Contact us for validation

All rates and additional fees are subject to change.

NOTE: Each transaction total includes an additional convenience fee, which supports the maintenance and improvement of our ParkEngage system, ensuring reliable service and customer support.

Scan a QR code to pay = $0.85 convenience fee
Text-to-pay option = $0.85 convenience fee
Paystation = $0.85 convenience fee
Pay to park in advance = $1 convenience fee

Park in Portland

Rate type	Cost
Standard vehicle	$1.05/hour
Oversized vehicle, bus, & trailer	$2.10/hour
Day pass (7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.)	$6/day
Overnight (11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)	$12/night
Disability parking	Contact us for validation

All rates and additional fees are subject to change.

NOTE: Each transaction total includes an additional convenience fee, which supports the maintenance and improvement of our ParkEngage system, ensuring reliable service and customer support.

Scan a QR code to pay = $0.85 convenience fee
Text-to-pay option = $0.85 convenience fee
Paystation = $0.85 convenience fee
Pay to park in advance = $1 convenience fee

Park in Gorham

Some on-campus events may offer parking rates that differ from our standard rates.

If you have a validation, promo, or pass code provided by the event host, make sure to enter it into the Validation Code field when you start your parking session.

To start a new parking session, locate a sign with a QR code to scan (and a text-to-pay option) or a paystation.

You must start your paid or validated parking session within the allotted grace period for each campus.

What are the grace periods?

We define a grace period as the amount of time allowed for you to start a paid or validated parking session — or purchase a permit — after entering a parking lot or garage on campus.

Grace periods are intended for quick stops, student or camper drop-offs and pick-ups, loading, and unloading.

You must start a paid or validated parking session or purchase a parking permit before the allotted grace period is up — or before you move your car to a second space — or you will be fined.

Portland campus

Ongoing: You must start a paid or validated parking session within 30 minutes of parking on our Portland campus.

If you made a mistake and/or plan to move your vehicle to another parking space on our Portland campus, you must start your parking session before you move your vehicle.

Gorham campus

You must start a paid or validated parking session within 60 minutes of parking on our Gorham campus.

If you made a mistake and/or plan to move your vehicle to another parking space on our Gorham campus, you must start your parking session before you move your vehicle.

NOTE: Parking on our Lewiston-Auburn campus is free.

Alternative transportation

Safety escort service

Public Safety offers on-campus safety escort services at any hour, as long as our officers aren’t on another call. If no one is available, the dispatcher will let you know how long the delay will be and direct you to a secure location where you can wait.

Call 207-780-5211, and a uniformed Public Safety officer driving a marked vehicle will pick you up at your current campus location (e.g., your vehicle) and drop you off at another campus location (e.g., your residence hall).

Event host information

We offer a variety of paid services for your on-campus events, including:

Group parking rates & validation
Shuttle service
Reserved parking
Wayfinding signage
Parking attendants

We recommend that you communicate relevant information about the services you use to your event attendees as early as possible. This will help set their expectations and ease some anxiety before they arrive on campus for your event.

When classes are in session, our peak parking hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

We recommend hosting your event outside of our peak hours — or during the summer — to avoid traffic and/or parking delays and the resulting environmental impact.

To provide free or discounted parking rates for your event attendees, you must submit your request at least 3 business days before your event date.

Request parking validation code

Budget considerations

The cost for this service is calculated by multiplying the estimated number of vehicles by the hourly parking rate of the campus where your event will be held.

e.g., 75 vehicles x $4.15 Portland hourly rate = $311.25

There’s also a convenience fee for each use of the validation code, which will be included in your guests’ total cost unless you choose to cover it.

Parking validation options

Guests cannot extend a validated parking session beyond its allotted time or they will receive a fine. Any additional time parked must be paid by the guest with a new parking session.

For hourly rate or 1-day parking, there are 2 options:

Validation code: A free parking code you purchase to share with event attendees when your budget can cover all parking fees.
- Short events, 3 hours or less
e.g., guest lectures, seminars, one-off meetings
Events for external guests who aren’t familiar with our campuses
- e.g., campus tour, open house, information session
Promo code: A discounted parking code you purchase to share with event attendees to simplify the billing process for all parties involved (e.g., $5 off the total cost of each paid parking session).
- Long events, 4ish hours or more
- Large or special events
  - e.g., conferences, concerts, or sports events

For longer-term free parking, you can purchase a Pass (which works like a permit) to cover multiple days or visits for each guest or attendee.

Recurring visits
- e.g., a weekly or monthly meeting
Overnight parking, 11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
- Additional fees apply
Multiple days and nights
- Additional fees for overnight parking

NOTE: A Pass, like a permit, is only good for the vehicle and license plate entered with your request; if your guest parks a different vehicle on campus they will receive a fine.

Request parking validation code

NOTE: To complete the request form, you’ll need to know your department billing codes. We need a processed interdepartmental order (IDO) to process parking validation requests.

If you want to provide a shuttle service for your event, you must submit your request at least 2 weeks before your event date.

$100 per hour for each shuttle
2-hour minimum
We provide the drivers
Availability may vary

NOTE: Any changes made to your initial request within 72 hours of submitting it may add extra fees to your total cost for the service.

Request shuttle service

If you want to reserve a specific group of parking spaces for your event, you must submit your request at least 72 hours before your event date.

$75 per parking space
8-hour time limit
Subject to availability
Additional fees apply

Request reserved parking

If you want additional and/or custom wayfinding signs to help attendees find parking and/or your event location on campus, you must submit your request at least 8 weeks before your event date.

The cost of additional and/or custom wayfinding signage is based on what you need or want for your event.

Request signage

If you want to hire our staff as parking attendants for your event, you must submit your request at least 2 weeks before your event date.

$45 per hour for each attendant
Recommended for events expecting 150+ vehicles
Available for University parking lots and garages (not public roadways like Bedford St.)

Request attendants

If you want to hire USM Public Safety officers for traffic or crowd control or to provide security for your event, you must submit your request at least 2 weeks before your event date.

$48 per hour for each officer
3-hour minimum
$25 for each marked vehicle (if needed)
Available for public roadways (e.g., Bedford St.)
- Recommended for events expecting 150+ vehicles

Request Public Safety officers

If you’re renting University facilities for an event, Conference Services will help you with your parking needs.

If you need to work directly with Parking Services for an event (and you aren’t current faculty, staff, or a student), email us to request parking validation for your event attendees.

Request parking validation

Do you have questions or need assistance? We're happy to help!