Frequently Asked Questions

You can purchase a permit online. We use a virtual permit system. You won’t receive a physical permit because your license plate will act as your virtual permit. It’s the permit holder’s responsibility to maintain an accurate and up-to-date vehicle record on their parking account.

You will need to know your license plate number, vehicle make, model and color. Students and employees will also need to use their NIU credentials when logging in to purchase their permit. If you are paying with a credit/debit card, you will need to ensure that you enter the billing address that is on file with your bank in order for your transaction to be successful. See Permit Overview for more information.

Yes. If you’re a student, faculty or staff member, you can visit the AIMS parking portal to make a change to a vehicle associated with your virtual parking permit. Log in using your university credentials and select Permits. Then, select View next to your current permit. At the bottom of the next screen, you can select Permanent Replacement, Temporary Replacement or Remove from Permit. Once you submit your request, it will be automatically updated, and you can park on campus.

If you’re no longer affiliated with NIU, you’re not eligible to have a virtual parking permit, and it will be deactivated. You may be able to request a refund.

If you’re a student and your payment for a ticket is not received within seven days, the ticket will transfer to your bursar account.

If you’re a faculty/staff member and do not pay your parking fines, the fine amount plus a fee from Human Resource Services will be deducted from your paycheck.

If you’re not a student or faculty/staff member and you don’t pay your parking fines, the fine amount may be sent to collections.

Please make sure that when parking on campus, you register your vehicle for the appropriate virtual parking permit. Accumulating five or more tickets in an academic year may lead to towing of a vehicle at the owner's expense. 

You must submit appeals to Parking Services within seven calendar days of the citation date in order to be considered. You may submit your appeal online by filling out the Parking Assessment Appeal Form that is located in AIMS (Automated Information Management System) or by filling out an appeal form and emailing it to parking@niu.edu. You can also scan the QR code on your ticket to be directed to the parking portal to file an appeal. A separate form is required for each citation unless the violations are directly related. 

If a first appeal is denied, a second appeal may be done either in writing or via Teams if it is requested within seven calendar days of the date on the denied appeal. If you wish to schedule an appointment for a Teams second appeal, please contact Parking Services at 815-753-1045 or by email at parking@niu.edu.

For additional information, please see the Tickets, Fees and Appeals.

It is the host’s responsibility to notify their visitor of parking options. Visitors can purchase a daily or weekly virtual visitor permit at any time online. In addition, day permits can be purchased using the mobile pay zones throughout campus. Daily parking permits and day parking purchased through mobile pay zones expire at 11:59 p.m. the day the parking was purchased. Read more about visitor parking.

Temporary permits for faculty/staff and students are available for purchase by the day, week or month. 

During business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), please contact Parking Services at 815-753-1045 to have your vehicle put on the disabled log. You’ll have 24 hours to move your vehicle. Any tickets incurred during this time should be appealed. Depending on the situation your vehicle may be subject to tow.

If after business hours, please contact NIU police at 815-753-1212.

Parking Services and NIU police can tow cars off campus for various reasons. If your car has been towed, please contact Parking Services or NIU police for further information:

• Campus Parking Services: 815-753-1045, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
• NIU police: 815-753-1212

Contact Parking Services at 815-753-1045 with the billing information.

For special parking needs related to medical situations, students and faculty/staff are encouraged to consult with a doctor to see if they should get a state-issued persons with disabilities license plate or placard.

If you don’t live in a residence hall, you’re eligible for a yellow permit. A student employee who is employed via student employment or the Graduate School is defined as a student for parking purposes.

Please email us at parking@niu.edu to submit your event-parking request. A parking coordinator will then contact you to discuss the event and determine appropriate parking areas as well as any charges that may apply.

When classes are not in session but the university is open, you’ll need a parking permit or will need to utilize pay parking to park on campus. Parking lots are enforced as normal when the university is open, whether classes are scheduled or not.

When the university is closed, you don’t need a parking permit to park in regular color-coded parking spaces unless the parking lot requires a parking permit at all times. However, NIU police ticket campus parking lots for certain violations even when the university is closed. Therefore, you’ll need the appropriate permit to park in spaces designated for persons with disabilities and reserved spaces even when the university is closed. You also cannot park in fire lanes or no-parking zones when the university is closed, or you could receive a ticket. If you have specific questions about enforcement over breaks or university closures, please contact Parking Services at 815-753-1045 or parking@niu.edu.

Please make sure you read, understand and follow all parking rules and regulations. Purchase a parking permit, park in the correct type of lot for your permit and park only in a designated space.

If you have questions about the rules and regulations, contact Parking Services at 815-753-1045 or email parking at parking@niu.edu, and we’ll be glad to help.

You can complete the faculty/staff permit application and email it to Parking Services for processing.

You can make a temporary license plate change. Please visit our License Plate Changes page for more information.