[Published: Oct. 9, 2020; Updated: Nov. 13, 2020]

To support campus health and safety and more effectively manage external visitors, parking enforcement at Stanford’s main campus will be extended to include nights and weekends. All vehicles will be required to have an active permit to park on the main campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Those with existing Stanford permits (residents, commuters and departments) do not need to take action and are covered at no additional charge.  

In an effort to provide the Stanford community some time to navigate this transition, those who park on evenings and weekends without a permit may begin to receive courtesy notices as of Monday, Oct. 12, explaining the change and what they need to do. Night and weekend parking enforcement will begin on Monday, Nov. 2.

Stanford affiliates do NOT pay to park after hours

Stanford affiliates can continue to park after hours at Stanford’s main campus at no charge. To determine how this affects you and what, if anything, you need to do, please refer to our Night and Weekend Parking Enforcement action steps diagram along with the following information.

Stanford permit holders: 
No action is required for those who currently have a valid Stanford parking permit. Monthly permits purchased through Stanford’s virtual parking permit system are already valid 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no additional cost.

Stanford affiliates without a permit:
If you don’t have a monthly permit, and you are required to be on the main campus after hours, we are providing a Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit. With this courtesy permit, Stanford affiliates, residents, and sponsored commuters can continue to park without charge on evenings and weekends as expanded enforcement takes effect.

Stanford affiliates, residents, and sponsored commuters can register their vehicle for a Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit in the virtual parking permit system at no cost. Those with existing monthly permits are not eligible for the Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit, since their existing permit is valid 24/7.

Where can I park and when?

After Hours (evenings and weekends): 

For after-hours parking at the main campus, the following permits are valid from 4:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays: 

  • The monthly, Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit allows you to park only in any ‘A,’ ‘C,’ ‘Z,’ or ‘Motorcycle’ permit space on the main campus. In addition, it is valid in visitor spaces in Roth Way Garage and the Beckman Center Lot (L-15).
  • All monthly, Stanford-issued parking permits (e.g., commuter or resident permits), are valid 24/7. After hours, your permit can be used to park in any ‘A,’ ‘C,’ ‘Z,’ or ‘Motorcycle’ permit space on the main campus, as well as visitor spaces in Roth Way Garage and the Beckman Center Lot (L-15), at no additional cost.
  • Please note: the Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit is ONLY valid from 4:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Weekday Business Hours: 

To park at the main campus and Stanford Redwood City, you must continue to purchase a commuter, resident, or visitor parking permit to park during business hours: 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

How to request the Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit

Please only request this permit if you need to park at the main campus after hours AND if you do not currently have a monthly Stanford parking permit. Those with existing monthly permits are not eligible for the Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit, since their existing permit is valid 24/7. 

To request a Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ parking permit, follow these steps:

  • Log in to the virtual parking permit system.
  • Select “Parking Permit” under the “Purchase” menu.
  • Click on the "Long-term/Commuter" tab, then select the range of months for your permit, then click "Next." Please note:
    • This is a monthly permit, so it only appears under the "Long-term/Commuter" tab.
    • When choosing an expiration date, the calendar defaults to the current month and year. If you’d like to select an expiration date beyond December, first click the arrow at the top right corner of the calendar module to navigate to a future year, then select the month in that year you'd like the permit to expire.
  • Choose the “Courtesy ‘After Hours’” permit type, which is valid only from 4:01 p.m. to 5:59 a.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. 
  • Click the box to the left of the vehicle(s) you wish to associate with the permit. If your vehicle doesn't appear, add your vehicle(s) by selecting "+ ADD," then click the box next to the vehicle(s) you wish to associate with your permit.
  • Review the terms and conditions, check the "I agree" box, confirm your order, and complete your transaction.

We also offer a step-by-step, How to Register for a Courtesy 'After-Hours' Parking Permit guide.

Please contact us if you have questions or need assistance. We would be glad to assist you in English or Spanish, and we can be reached at transportation@stanford.edu or 650.723.9362.

No change to enforcement at Stanford Redwood City, for residential parking or in special zones

There is no change to enforcement hours at the Stanford Redwood City campus. Parking at Stanford Redwood City will continue to be enforced Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Please note that Barron Garage is open between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Outside of these weekday hours and on holidays, you will need to badge in at the card reader with your Stanford ID in order to enter. All Stanford faculty and staff cardholders have badge access to Barron Garage.

Parking restrictions on both campuses for resident, disabled parking, red zones, fire lanes, and special-permit-only spaces remain unchanged. Those spaces will continue to be enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Night shift staff at Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

Hospital employees have several options:

  • University parking options. If you park in university commuter spaces or in visitor spaces in Roth Way Garage or the Beckman Center Lot (L-15) after hours and/or on weekends and do NOT have a monthly Stanford parking permit, you may request a Courtesy ‘After-Hours’ permit through our online ordering system at no cost.
  • Enforcement hours and permit designations in the Hoover Pavilion Garage (i.e., ‘Z’ and ‘C’) and Lot 1A (i.e., ‘A’ and ‘C’) remain unchanged and are not transitioning to 24/7 enforcement.

All visitors must pay to park after hours

As a first step in Stanford’s effort to facilitate the safe return of teaching and research, visitor parking spaces were temporarily removed from the campus core as part of the campus zones program. 

Stanford visitors, including those visiting residents, have two options:

Please note that posted time limits in visitor parking areas still apply. 

Additional resources

We have developed resources to help you as Stanford transitions to 24/7 enforcement:

We are available to assist you

We understand that individuals may have unique circumstances and needs or may need assistance navigating this transition. Please be assured that our staff are available from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, to assist you in English and Spanish.

If you have questions or need assistance, please use the following contacts:

For general COVID-related transportation updates, please visit our Stanford Transportation COVID-19: Featured Topics page. For other COVID-19-related updates for the Stanford community, visit healthalerts.stanford.edu.