General Information
Parking at the National Institutes of Health is managed by the Division of Amenities and Transportation Services (DATS).
Employees may request a parking permit through the
Commuting and Parking System (CAPS) or by emailing nihparkingoffice@nih.gov. The Employee Transportation Services Office (ETSO), is located in Building 31, Room 1A11.
Online permit requests will be mailed through the USPS (allow 5 - 10 business days) to the employee's specified home address as detailed in CAPS. To obtain a permit, a valid NIH identification card and valid vehicle registration certificate (copy) for each vehicle registered must be submitted. Each employee may register a maximum of three (3) vehicles.
Permits are mailed via USPS to the home address listed in CAPS (please allow 5–10 business days). To obtain a permit, employees must provide a valid NIH ID and a copy of the vehicle registration for each vehicle. Up to three (3) vehicles may be registered per employee.
All non-visitor vehicles must display a valid NIH Parking Permit, hanging from the rearview mirror and visible through the windshield. Each employee receives one permit, which must be shared among their registered vehicles.
Employees approved for temporary parking will receive a paper placard that must be displayed on the driver’s side dashboard.
For details on applying, updating, renewing, or canceling your NIH Parking Membership, please visit the
Application Instruction Page.
Disclaimer
It is the permit holder's responsibility to adhere to all applicable policies, regulations, and laws while using an NIH Parking Permit. The ETSO attempts to inform the NIH staff of parking policy changes using global email. In certain cases, the use of website alerts, flyers, signs, and news articles may be utilized. The ETSO is not involved with, or responsible for, any parking citations or law enforcement actions taken on the NIH Campus. Those enforcement matters should be addressed to the
NIH Division of Police. The use of NIH parking permits is the sole responsibility of the user to ensure they are up-to-date and compliant with all parking policies and regulations.
Acknowledgment
By accepting an NIH parking permit you acknowledge and accept the following terms and conditions:
- Any person who knowingly makes a false representation on this application may be subject to a criminal prosecution potentially resulting in a fine or imprisonment, or both, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1001 and to disciplinary actions, including the revocation of parking privileges, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Chapter 75 and 5 C.F.R. Part 752.
- The parking permit (hanger) is the property of NIH and must be returned to the NIH Division of Amenities and Transportation Services (DATS) upon separation from the Government or when the holder is no longer eligible for the permit.
- The permit cannot be transferred.
- The permit must be properly displayed at all times while the permitted vehicle is parked on the NIH Campus – Bethesda, Maryland. The permit is valid through the last day of the month and year displayed.
- Anyone using this permit inappropriately is subject to possible administrative and/or criminal penalties, including ticketing and towing of the vehicle.
- If you are renewing, please destroy or discard your old parking permit in the trash.
- You have read and understand the
NIH Parking Policy, Manual Chapter 1410, and will adhere to all rules and regulations within the policy and abide by policy applications administrated by the program managers.
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TEMPORARY PARKING PERMIT NOTICE
Effective March 31, 2025, temporary parking permits for the Bethesda campus will be available ONLY to employees with an on-campus workstation listed in NED.
Employees assigned to off-campus locations will NO longer be eligible for temporary permits and must use designated visitor parking areas. For information on local travel reimbursement or parking validation, please contact your Institute/Center (IC).
Employees with Disabilities
Employees parking in disability parking spaces on campus must obtain the new "Gold" Disability parking permit.
All disability parking spaces are for persons eligible to receive NIH parking benefits. NIH employees who need to use disability parking spaces must display a valid NIH-issued "Gold" disability permit. NIH permits can be obtained by emailing
nihparkingoffice@nih.gov or through the
Commuting and Parking System (CAPS).
There are two types of disability parking permits: Permanent and Temporary.
*Note: Employees are allowed to have
only one active NIH parking permit. If you already have a permit, you
must return the current permit before you can apply for the Gold Permit. For more information, please contact the NIH Parking Office at 301-496-5050.
Permanent Permit:
Upon providing a valid state-issued disability registration card in the NIH employee's name, an NIH disability permit will be provided. The permit will be valid for two (2) years. Individuals will be sent courtesy reminders via email when their disability placard needs to be renewed.
"Gold" Disability parking permits may be requested
online through the
Commuting and Parking System (CAPS).
*Note: Employees are allowed to have
only one active NIH parking permit. If you already have a permit, you
must return the current permit before you can apply for the Gold Permit. For more information, please contact the NIH Parking Office at 301-496-5050.
After logging into CAPS, choose "Enroll in Parking" and follow the steps below.
- Step 1: Verify work address, click Next (to update work address contact your Administrative Officer);
- Step 2: Enter current home address;
- Step 3: Check the
box under the Disability Permit field;
- Step 4: Enter the State-issued Disability ID number and Expiration date (see examples below);
- Step 5: Upload a copy of your state-issued disability ID (Files allowed: .pdf/.jpeg/.png);
- Step 6: Provide the number of days you will commute to work, and vehicle information (click on the "plus" button to add): year, make model, license plate number, type of vehicle (truck, car, etc.), type of engine (gas, hybrid, etc.).
Note: If you
do not qualify to receive a parking hanger, you will not see the "Enroll in Parking" option.
A state-issued disability registration card is the only authorized item to verify eligibility for a permanent permit and must contain the information as seen in the images below in the employee's name (Maryland MVA and Virginia DMV examples provided). NIH permits are not valid in designated visitor parking areas (including disability) or at any non-NIH location.
How to Request a Temporary Disability Permit
The employee submits a request for a temporary disability parking permit through Occupational Medical Services (OMS).
If approved, OMS sends NIH Form 26-9 directly to the ETSO.
ETSO processes the request upon receiving OMS approval.
- The approved permit is emailed to the employee.
The temporary permit will not extend beyond the expiration date listed on the approved authorization.
Enforcement
Employees who park in disability spaces without displaying a valid NIH disability placard may be ticketed and/or have their vehicle towed by the NIH Police.
Visitor Disability Parking
Visitor disability parking spaces are not free on campus.
Visitors with a valid state-issued disability placard may park in:
Designated visitor lots
“Red” top meter spaces
Parking is subject to the posted hourly fees.
Important Notice – Effective March 31, 2025
Beginning March 31, 2025:
Temporary parking permits (including disability permits) on the Bethesda campus will be issued only to employees with an on-campus workstation listed in NED.
Employees assigned to off-campus locations will no longer be eligible for temporary permits.
Off-campus employees must use designated visitor parking areas.
For information about local travel reimbursement or parking validation, please contact your Institute/Center (IC).
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Visitor Parking at NIH
The NIH offers limited visitor parking in designated garages, surface lots, and metered spaces throughout campus. All visitor parking areas are subject to the rates listed below.
Parking Rates
MLP-11 Garages and Surface Lot 18
| Time Parked | Rate |
|---|
| First Hour | $2.00 |
| Second Hour | $4.00 |
| Third Hour | $6.00 |
| More than 3 Hours | $12.00 (Daily Maximum) |
Vehicles parked longer than three (3) hours will be charged the $12.00 daily rate.
Metered Parking Spaces
Rates apply to all visitor parking, including disability visitor parking.
Metered Parking Locations
| Location | Number of Meters |
|---|
| Lot 13C | 24 |
| Lot 31B | 3 |
| Lot 38A | 31 |
| Lot 45A | 25 |
| MLP-6 Garage – Top Level | 6 |
| MLP-10 Garage – Top Level | 10
|
Additional Information
Visitor parking is available only in designated areas.
Please refer to the official visitor parking map to identify approved visitor lots.
All visitor parking lots are managed by Mid Atlantic Parking, Inc. (301-656-9008), NIH Parking Services Contractor.
Visitor Validation Stickers/Monthly Passes:
While the NIH Parking Office does not issue permits or validations to visitors, Institutes/Centers, Divisions, Offices, and companies may purchase validation stickers and a limited number of monthly passes from Mid-Atlantic Parking, Inc. The Mid-Atlantic Parking Office is located in Building 31, Room 1E08, and can be reached at (301) 656-9008. Purchases can be made using a credit card.
Validation stickers will only be valid in visitor lots. Monthly passes are valid in multiple multi-level parking garages around the campus and visitor lots. Please refer to the valid location(s) marked on the pass.
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Documents & Forms
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