Parking Permits

People who are not Tech Squares employees but have an MIT ID card can use MIT parking facilities at their own expense through an "Occasional/Evening Parking" permit, as described at http://web.mit.edu/facilities/transportation/parking/employee/occasional.html.  This is the authorization level that you probably want; higher levels are hard to get and very expensive.  ID cards are available to MIT students, employees, and alumni.  Go to the web site of the Security and Emergency Management Office at http://web.mit.edu/semo/card/get to apply for a card.

The parking permits cost $89 (as of 2015) per year, plus an escrow deposit, of $100 or so, that you have to maintain.  They need to be renewed prior to September 15.  The remaining escrow rolls over to the next year.

The basic idea of Occasional/Evening Parking is that you can park at no cost, in any open lot, after 2:30 PM on weekdays and any time on weekends and holidays.  Often the gate will be open; if not, present your card to the reader.  At other times, you have to park in the lot to which you were assigned (typically the West Garage, north side of Vassar Street across from the Zesiger center), and it costs you $5 each time.  This fee will be taken out of your escrow deposit.

The renewal process used to be quite complicated, but the whole system was revamped in 2015, and the process is almost entirely electronic.  It seems to work reasonably well.

Go to http://mit.aimsparking.com  Click on "Click here to login".  Logins are administered by "Touchstone", the same mechanism that presumably got you to this page.  Login with your email, and use your card number (9 digits or so) as the password.  The password that you use to access this Tech Squares web site does not apply-–they want the card number.

That number may not work.  If it doesn't, call the parking office at 617-258-6510, and they should be able to perform some behind-the-scenes computer magic on the spot to get your account set up.

Once you are logged in, click "Order A Permit".  Follow the directions.  Credit card number, etc.  You should be able to pick up your permit at the parking office (W20-022, basement of the Student Center) the same day.  Or maybe it will take longer.