Student Perry Street parking permit lottery registration open through July 31

From: Parking Services

Registration for the 2026-27 Perry Street parking permit lottery is open and will close Friday, July 31.

Due to continued high demand for Perry Street parking permits, Virginia Tech Parking Services will once again use a lottery-based allocation process for the 2026-27 academic year. The lottery system, which was implemented last year, replaced the previous first-come, first-served process and provides a fair and equitable method for permit distribution.

Students should be aware that Virginia Tech is transitioning from physical parking permits to virtual parking permits beginning this fall. Students selected through the Perry Street parking permit lottery will not receive a physical permit or hangtag in the mail. Instead, the vehicle’s license plate will serve as the parking permit.

Because of this change, students must ensure their vehicle information, especially their license plate number, is accurate and up to date in the Parking Portal before purchasing a permit.

Parking Services has been working closely with its parking vendor to ensure the virtual permit system is configured properly for a successful launch this fall.

How to enter the Perry Street parking permit lottery

Students interested in entering the Perry Street parking permit lottery should:

1. Log in to the Parking Portal.
2. Select “Add/Edit Waitlist.”
3. Add their name to the appropriate Perry Street parking permit waitlist.

Separate lotteries will be conducted for commuter students and graduate students.

Important information before registering

The Perry Street parking permit lottery is available only to commuter and graduate students living off campus. Students residing in university housing are not eligible to participate.

Students should also review the following information before joining the waitlist:

• The lottery is completely randomized. A student’s position on the waitlist does not impact their chances of being selected.
• Students must have at least one vehicle registered to their parking account before joining the waitlist.
• The vehicle must be registered to the student or an immediate family member through the appropriate state motor vehicle agency.
• Perry Street permits are issued on an annual basis only.
• Students must be enrolled and registered for classes on the date the lottery is awarded to be considered active students and eligible for selection.
• Students who no longer wish to be considered for a Perry Street permit should remove their name from the waitlist through the Parking Portal so other students have the opportunity to participate.
• Lottery selections are final. Students selected through the lottery may not transfer, sell, assign, or otherwise give their permit purchase opportunity to another student for any reason.
• Requests for a Perry Street parking permit based on medical, health, mobility, or accessibility-related circumstances will not be considered outside of the lottery process.
• Individuals seeking accessible parking accommodations should contact the appropriate state motor vehicle agency regarding ADA parking placard or accessible parking license plate eligibility. Virginia Tech Parking Services does not determine eligibility for ADA parking placards or accessible parking license plates.

Lottery selection and notification

Lottery selections will be made on or around Aug. 1. Students selected through the lottery will receive an email notification with instructions for purchasing their permit.

Once purchased, the permit will be valid immediately for the upcoming permit year. No physical permit will be issued or mailed. The vehicle’s license plate will serve as the parking permit, and no additional action will be required once the permit purchase is complete and the vehicle information is accurately registered in the Parking Portal.

Students selected through the lottery should carefully review their vehicle information before completing their permit purchase. Students are responsible for entering their license plate information correctly when registering a vehicle.

FY27 permit pricing has not yet been finalized. The annual Perry Street parking permit rate is currently listed at $620. Additional information regarding permit rates will be communicated as soon as it becomes available.

What is a virtual permit?

A virtual permit is a parking permit linked directly to a vehicle’s license plate rather than a physical hangtag or sticker.

Using License Plate Recognition technology, Parking Services can verify permit eligibility by reading a vehicle’s license plate.

In short: your license plate is your permit.

Students should review Parking Services’ Rules and Regulations for information about vehicle registration requirements, license plate visibility, and parking procedures related to License Plate Recognition technology.

For questions or additional information, contact Parking Services at 540-231-3200 or parking@vt.edu.