Tickets, Fees and Appeals

It's your responsibility to follow parking signs, rules, and regulations when parking on campus. Virtual permits are required at all times, unless otherwise posted. Parking regulations are enforced when the university is open, whether or not classes are scheduled.

Tickets may be issued to virtual permit holders and/or vehicle registrants:

• Tickets issued to a vehicle registered to a virtual permit are the responsibility of the person to whom the permit is registered.
• Tickets issued to a vehicle not registered to a virtual permit are the responsibility of the vehicle owner.
• Tickets issued to a state-owned vehicle are the responsibility of the person to whom the vehicle was assigned at the time of the violation.
• When a vehicle accumulates five or more citations within an academic year, regardless if tickets are paid or unpaid, vehicles will be subjected to towing when found parked in violation of the parking rules and regulations. 

Vehicles may receive more than one ticket during a 24-hour period.

The university may place financial holds on the records of students with unpaid tickets or deduct from faculty/staff payroll.

Parking Tickets and Amounts

Parking Payments

You can pay online or by check:

• Visit the AIMS parking portal to pay by Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
• Make your check payable to NIU and mail it to us at:
  Campus Parking Services
  Northern Illinois University
  1425 W Lincoln Hwy
  DeKalb, IL 60115

Any partial payments will be applied to your account until paid in full. Any contrary notation, writing or indication on your check or payment method will not be accepted. Increases will still apply after seven days.

Parking Ticket Appeals

Anyone who feels they have been ticketed in error, or have extenuating circumstances may appeal a parking ticket within the AIMS parking portal or by completing an online appeal form. You must appeal within seven calendar days of the ticket issue date. Late appeals will not be accepted.

When tickets are placed under appeal, they are not subject to the uplift fee until seven calendar days after the committee emails the decision letter to the appellant. Tickets that are placed under appeal are unable to be paid while in appeal status. The Parking Appeals Committee has scheduled meetings twice a month during the fall and spring semesters and once a month during the summer semester but may vote on appeals digitally in between regular sessions.

The following are not valid reasons for an appeal and may be denied:

• Unauthorized parking in accessibility spaces/hatches or fire lanes.
• Failure to observe posted signage – Signs are posted at the entrance and throughout every parking lot on campus.
• Tardiness to class, meetings, work or other appointments.
• Using hazards to justify short-term parking and/or only parked in an unauthorized area for a short amount of time.
• Someone other than an authorized Parking Services representative providing instructions to park.

Second Appeals

If you disagree with your denial or reduction of fine, you can request a second appeal, so long as your first appeal was not denied due to one of the invalid reasons above. You can write out your second appeal and send it to parking@niu.edu or contact us to arrange an online appointment on Microsoft Teams.

You must submit your second written appeal or schedule an online appointment within seven calendar days of the date you received your first appeal decision email.

• If there are no online appointments available, you must submit a written second appeal.
• If you’re unable to attend your scheduled online appointment, you must notify us in advance.
• If you fail to appear at your scheduled online appointment, your appeal will be automatically denied.

If your second appeal is denied, you have seven calendar days from the date of the decision to pay the ticket before a $15 increase will be applied.

All decisions of the Parking Appeals Committee are final.