How Does It Work?

Cameras outfitted with license plate readers snap a picture of every vehicle’s license plate as it enters and exits the garage. Then the system compares how much time the driver paid for and how long they stayed.

  • ENTER. Welcome! Your license plate is recorded upon entry. No gate. No ticket. No need to stop.
  • PARK. Find your favorite spot and pull right in.
  • PAY. You have options – make your payment via the Parkmobile app or visit one of our paystations, enter your license plate number, and then pay. Payment is required within 20 minutes of entering the garage.*
  • ENFORCEMENT is automated. Vehicles not paying for time will be invoiced a minimum of $20 per violation. Invoices will be emailed to the registered owner, if email is registered with UMass Parking Services. If the vehicle is not registered with UMass Parking Services a physical violation notification will be mailed to the owner's residence. 
  • You’re on your way! Garage visitors can get reminders when your time is about to expire. You can add time if needed.
  • Ready to Leave? No gate, no payment, nothing to slow you down.
  • License plate recorded as you exit.
  • You’re on the road!

*As awesome as gateless garage is, garage parking is still a paid service. Failure to pay will result in a $20 non-payment invoice.

Garage Entrances, Hours & Rates

The Campus Center Parking Garage is available to the visitor on an hourly basis.

  • The rate is $1.85/hr and is open 24/7. 
  • The Upper Garage entrance (Levels 2 - 6)  is located on 91 Campus Center Way. Enter on Level 3 and exit on Level 4. Clearance is 7' 2".
  • The Lower Garage is reserved access, permit required. Reserved permits are available for purchase at Parking Services.
  • The Lower Garage entrance (Level 1) is located on Campus Center Service Rd. Clearance is 13' 5". 

We’re pulling out all the Stops – literally

All those spots that slow you down - pulling a ticket, making a payment, waiting for an arm to go up or down…gone! We want to make parking as fast & easy as possible, so we’re getting rid of gates! Yep, you heard that right. No more gates!

We Heard You!

We’re making this change in response to many comments and suggestions from you, our customers. Pulling a ticket on the way in created long lines. Paying on the way out took way too long. Not anymore. We’re talking super easy entrance and exit now. Drive right in and find your space. Make your payment via the Parkmobile app or at a paystation, then you’re on your way! It’s that easy and quick!

 

Gateless Garage FAQ


What is Gateless Garage?

Gateless Garage is our new Campus Center Parking Garage payment and verification program.  This project has removed antiquated physical barriers and paper tickets used to control access to the garage with license plate cameras and mobile device payment options.


Why is Gateless Garage happening?

Gateless entry and exit, with payment enforcement, allows for a seamless experience for everyone, whether coming or going. 

During campus peak periods, significant delays occur to both those entering and exiting the garage by up to 20 minutes.  No other customer service issue creates more problems, complaints or frustration than our old gated payment system.  The “unique” design of the garage requires incoming arrival traffic to sit behind slow exit lanes, creating gridlock for everyone. 

Gateless Garage is intended to be "revenue neutral" to Parking Services, focused first on offering our patrons a faster, seamless and flexible experience that allows all to tailor their experience with us.

Most surface meter spaces across all UMass surface lots have already been converted with great success.  Over 90% of daily parkers use the ParkMobile app to pay for their parking, and we are now extending the same technology to our garage.  Moving to license plate reader technology allows Parking Services to continue to expand innovation to our campus community and visitors, including a wider variety of future option, including flexible permit systems for all of our 12,600 parking spaces.


How does it work?

Instead of a moving gate that goes up and down to enforce payment, special entry and exit cameras linked into our parking control systems process license plate information.  Depending on the type of user and how they are using the garage, payment is collected at the beginning of a parking session, instead of at the end when exiting.  Payment can be made on the ParkMobile app, the ParkMobile website, at one of five parking pay stations on Level 2, 3, and 4, or at our Level 2 parking office when open. 


What is ParkMobile?

ParkMobile is the UMass Amherst parking payment provider for most meter and hourly parking, now including the garage.  ParkMobile already processes over 90% of all meter payments for UMass, and offers significant flexibility to our customers to pay for their parking from their own device without having to access outdoor pay station machines or meters.  Visitors can use or download the ParkMobile mobile application to their device and manage payment and vehicle(s) in your profile.


What is the UMass Amherst ParkMobile garage zone number?

The Garage is now ParkMobile Zone #3333 – just select/confirm “University of Massachusetts” to continue.  In most cases, your cell device should automatically display the zone without prompting by using your cell device location.


Do I need a ParkMobile device app to pay?

No.  You can pay from one of five pay stations on Level 2, 3, or 4, or you may visit the garage office on Level 2.  You can also visit the ParkMobile website from any device without downloading the app, and enter Zone 3333, then select University of Massachusetts.  You would pay as Guest without creating an account profile which allows you to use ParkMobile without downloading the device app.  Receipts are emailed.


Does this new “Gateless Garage” cost me more?

Yes and No.  The garage parking rate was intentionally not raised for the FY2025 year and remains $1.85 per hour in order to “soften” the $0.20 per transaction fee charged by ParkMobile.  That transaction fee is charged for each new parking occurrence no matter how many hours are purchased, or when additional time is purchased to extend the time, so for most daily garage parkers, the additional fee is approximately three cents per hour more than last year.  There is no transaction fee charged at garage pay stations or the parking office.


Can I pay cash or UCard to park?

Yes.  Please visit our staffed garage office located on Level 2 to pay with cash or UCard.  The garage is typically staffed Monday-Friday 730A-11PM but may be unattended when staff are on security patrols or helping other users.  If the garage is unstaffed when you return to the office before you exit, please send an email to @email stating the time you entered, intend the exit, and your license plate, so we can verify your visit and confirm any next steps. ParkMobile and the garage paystations do not accept cash or UCard transactions. 


Can I pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay?

Yes!  The Parkmobile app hosts Apple Pay transactions, and credit cards linked to a Google Wallet account.  Only ParkMobile offers Apple Pay or Google payment options to pay.


Is there any free parking in the garage?

No.  The garage is a 24x7x365 pay facility that is subject to compliance enforcement at all times including during declared snow emergencies.  Only the first 20 minutes during the payment grace period is garage access “free”. 


Can I park for multiple days?

Yes! You can pay for up to five days with a single purchase or validation.  You can purchase additional time or days at anytime during your paid stay from within the ParkMobile app or when prompted by the paystation if you are attending validated events or meetings.  This is a major new feature for hotel and event guests.


How will compliance of parking fees work? 

Same as a parking meter or pay station space.  Compliance with payment or event validation takes place with license plate readers from the garage and parking compliance vehicles who scan whether a vehicle is within its paid or validated period, or whether it has exceeded its paid or validated time.  Vehicles who have not paid or validated within 20 minutes of entry into the garage are subject to a fee-waived reminder, a warning or citation.  Vehicles with repeat violations, including UMass campus vehicles, may be subject to additional fines and/or towing as you are from other meter or paystation locations.


How much is the citation?  Can I appeal any citation? 

An issued citation is the same as all other paid meters or pay stations at parking facilities: $35.00 for a meter space violation.  Appeals may be made for garage violations, which will be verified by both license plate readers and video cameras.  Please note that appeals for violations to anyone attempting to enter the garage through the Exit lane (or conversely, exiting through an entry lane) will *not* be considered for an appeal.


Can I enter the garage from the Exit lanes, or exit through the Enter lanes?

NO ABSOLUTELY NOT.  Our plate and camera systems send an alarm, and we will immediately investigate any access through the marked wrong way lanes for an additional citation.  YOU WILL BE CITED.  Please note that appeals for violations to anyone entering the garage through the Exit One Way Do Not Enter lanes will *not* be accepted nor considered (or conversely, exiting through the entry lanes).  This is for everyone’s safety.


What if your garage plate scanners, pay stations or my device can’t process my visit?

Unlikely, but we understand it could happen.  Just email @email providing your plate and times of entry and/or exit and we’ll verify your visit by cameras.  In most cases, if we can verify the issue or outage, we will either waive or reduce the cost of the visit, depending on circumstances.  We have recently vastly improved WiFi and cell reception in all areas of the garage so “dead zones” are a thing of the past, no matter what carrier you are using.  If your personal device is not working for any reason, please use a parking pay station.


How will Hotel Guests process parking?

UMass Hotel guests will provide their license plate information to Hotel Reception staff at Check-in on the 3rd floor within 20 minutes of arriving and parking in the garage.  Hotel guests who are arriving before their check in or after check-out shall visit Hotel Reception or call from the Garage Level 2 Hotel Courtesy Telephone to arrange for their parking while at UMass.  UMass Hotel guests will not use the ParkMobile app.  Once your information is provided with Hotel Reception, no further action is needed and you may exit as you wish, including unlimited in-out privileges.  Please confirm that you have the license plate of the vehicle you will be registering with either a photograph or confirming the key tag has the written plate number for rental vehicles.


How will special event or conferences use gateless garage?

Special events, conferences and group events that are offering attendees either full or partial validation for free or reduced fee parking will register their vehicle license plate at a garage pay stations on Level 2,3 or 4, at our garage office on Level 2, or at the event reception desk, depending on the type of discount provided. Event or conference attendees will not use the ParkMobile app.

For fully “free” special events and meetings: attendees can either register their license plate numbers if known before arriving on campus when they receive an email from their event organizer.  If your license plate is unknown or you don’t pre-register, you can register your license plate at your event reception desk within 20 minutes of your arrival.  Once your information is provided, no further payment or processing is needed to exit the garage.

For those events offering discounted “not free” rates, a unique validation code will have been provided prior to arrival by your event organizer.  Attendees can only use the parking pay stations located on Levels 2, 3, or 4, or the staffed Garage Services office on Level 2, to enter your license plate and validation code within 20 minutes of your arrival.  Once your information and payment have been processed at a parking pay station or our office, no further payment or processing is needed to exit the garage.


How can my program, department or event offer validations?

Contact Parking Services at @email or 413.577.7275 to receive instructions on how registered departments and programs can tailor their own attendee offerings.


What if I have a valid annual parking permit, or some other user permit for the garage?

You are all set.  No further action is needed so long as the license plate you are parking with is current and part of your active UMass Parking profile.  To add, change or drop vehicles from your account, just update within your My Account profile on the Parking web site.  You can add/drop rental or loaner vehicles there as well.


Can I use the Lower Garage now?

No!  This area remains an immediate Tow Zone for any unauthorized/unpermitted parkers, including UMass vehicles.  There is no change to Lower Garage access or citation penalties.  Only those who have purchased and authorized to use a premium Lower Garage permit are permitted to park there. 


I have UMass “Retiree” passes.  How do I use this gateless garage?

Just enter your registered “coupon code” (your phone number) that you provided during your annual renewal at the garage paystations.  Your coupon code will deduct your garage access from your annual allowance until you reach zero, at which point regular payment will be required.


How do I use my departmental M1 or M2 mobile business pass for the garage?

For use in the garage, M1 or M2 departmental mobile passes need to have authorized license plate number(s) registered with Parking Services.  Any vehicles registered with these business passes are free to enter and exit the garage at will.  Multiple vehicles, including both personal and UMass, can be listed against a single M1/M2 pass, but only the first to enter will be approved to park.  Any subsequent vehicle entering when the first vehicle is “on the clock” will be subject to a warning or citation, including UMass vehicles – only one vehicle in the garage at once under a single business pass.  We recommend that holders of these business passes continue to use the hang tag passes since they remain needed for any surface lot.  To add or change vehicles to a M1/M2 pass, email @email with changes and include the full pass number shown at the bottom of the current year pass along with all license plate information needed to update the record.  We remind all M1/M2 pass holders that these passes are for UMass business purposes only and that a valid UMass permit must be displayed at the same time as the M1/M2 on surface lots.


Can UMass, state or municipal plated vehicles park for free in the garage?

No.  Just as with parking meters, UMass or other official vehicles without a valid permit, or not listed as a valid user on a M1/M2 business pass, will be subject to warning, citation and/or tow after the initial 20-minute payment grace period.  Vehicles entering and exiting within the 20-minute payment grace period will not be cited.  Only law enforcement or emergency vehicles are permitted in the garage without payment or passes.


My department has old pre-paid validations, “ops cards” or other legacy forms of parking payment.  What do I do now?

No worries.  Contact or visit Parking Services for conversion options to new event validation codes or some other mechanism. 


How do I update my license plate with Parking Services?

The best way is to update your own My Account profile on the Parking Services website.  You may email us at @email, call 413.577.7275, or visit us at Whitmore Administration Building Room 139, at Lot 71.  You will need your new license plate, state of plate, the make and model of vehicle, and the color of that vehicle.

Garage in the UMass News!