For the most frequently asked questions about parking at the University, please see below. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us directly.
General Parking Questions
Gorham: If you and your family are visiting the Gorham campus as a prospective student, you may park in the dedicated Office of Admissions spaces near the water tower. Other visitors must obtain a temporary parking permit from the Public Safety Office for short-term parking. Public Safety is located at 28 Husky Drive on the Gorham campus.
Portland: On the Portland campus, visitors can use the parking garage located on Bedford Street. Parking is free for the first 30 minutes, and then $3 per hour thereafter, payable at the pay-on-foot stations in Abromson or at the parking services window.
Lewiston: Visitors on the Lewiston campus can park anywhere.
Yes.
On the Portland Campus there are 2 EV Chargers. 1) At the entrance of the Parking Garage on the outside wall. 2) Inside the Parking Garage, Level 1, next to the blue Stairs door overlooking Wishcamper. The entrance is off Surrenden Street from Bedford Street
On the Gorham Campus at the entrance of Russell Hall on the outside wall overlooking the basketball courts in front of Upton-Hastings Hall.
These stations can be used by our students, employees, and visitors to University of Southern Maine campus.
These chargers are Level 2, 4 amp, 240 volt, with a 25 foot long cord and has a universal charge connector that works with most electric vehicles.
There is a 2 hour charging limit. Please be courteous and move your vehicle after that time to allow others to charge.
Starting in June 2023, there will be 58 EV charging spaces in the new Portland Parking garage. For more information, visit the EV Charging page.
If your vehicle was towed due to a parking ban or snow removal periods, please contact Public Safety at 207-780-5211, and the tow company information will be given to you, at which point you need to contact the tow company to make arrangements to retrieve your car.
If your vehicle was towed due to a parking fine, there is a hold on it. Please contact Parking Services at 207-780-4718 to either pay the fines or make a payment plan agreement. Once this step is fulfilled, Parking Services will inform Public Safety to release the hold on the car and they will release the tow company information to you.
Overnight parking is considered parking one’s vehicle in any area listed below between the hours of 11 pm to 7 am the following day.
Over break/USM Business Related (or University-designated vacation period) parking is considered parking one’s vehicle in the listed areas below during a break timeframe.
In Gorham:
For University-designated vacation periods, students and employees must park in Lot G-13 between the designated long-term parking signs.
If you think there may be a parking ban while away, please park in the Portland Parking Garage so you are not towed and/or ticketed or make arrangements to park off campus elsewhere.
Overnight parking for upper class residential students: park in lots designated with a green Upper Class Resident Parking and a green and white striped First Year Resident Parking sign. This does not include University-designated vacation periods.
Overnight parking for first year residential students: park in lots designated with a green and white striped First Year Resident Parking signs only. This does not include University-designated vacation periods.
Overnight parking for non-residential students and employees: park in Lot G-13 between the designated long-term parking signs.
No overnight parking is permitted in blue Faculty/Staff signed or red Commuter Parking signed lots regardless if a valid and current hangtag is displayed.
In Portland:
Overnight (short-term/one night only) parking is only permitted in the Parking Garage.
Students and Employees can keep their vehicles in the Parking Garage on the Portland campus on the Ground Level as long as they have a valid and current parking permit displayed.
Please keep in mind that the Parking Garage is only open Monday – Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. You can only retrieve your vehicle during these hours. The garage is closed on the weekends and holidays.
With the exception of Over Break Parking, if you need longer-term overnight parking, please contact Parking Services for permission and additional information.
In Lewiston: If someone needs to leave a vehicle on campus outside of normal building hours they should notify LAC facilities ahead of time by emailing them at lac@maine.edu or call them at 207-753-6536.
Parking Services must be notified before parking overnight. This applies to non Resident Students & all Employees & snow ban public vehicles. Your vehicle will be at risk of tow without notification.
You must notify Parking Services if you lost your permit before applying for a replacement permit.
If you lose your parking permit (hang tag), a replacement can be purchased for $25.00, this is non-negotiable. We accept Cash, Discover, Mastercard, Visa, or Check (made out to University of Southern Maine).
Student Replacement Permit is good for the remainder of the academic year (September 1 – August 31).
Employee Replacement Permit is good for the remainder of the calendar year (January 1 – December 31).
Replacement permits can be obtained on the Parking Portal.
Parking Fines Questions
University of Southern Maine does not have any control over any street parking in Portland nor in Gorham. You must contact the town where you received the citation. Look for contact information on your citation.
No. All outstanding fines, including those under appeal, must be paid in full, covered by an active payment plan, or receive an appeal decision before a parking permit may be issued.
Failure to pay parking fines may resulted in your vehicle being towed, and being reported to Community Standards and Student Financial Services for further consequences.
If you receive a parking ticket and wish to appeal the violation, you must complete an appeal form and attach any supporting documentation within 10 days of receiving the ticket