General Information
Parking at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is managed by the Division of Amenities and Transportation Services (DATS).
Employees can request a parking permit through theCommuting and Parking System (CAPS) or by emailing nihparkingoffice@nih.gov.
Parking permits are mailed via USPS to the home address listed in CAPS. Please allow 5–10 business days for delivery.
To receive a permit, employees must provide:
- A valid NIH ID
- A copy of the vehicle registration for each vehicle
Employees may register up to three vehicles, but only one parking permit is issued per employee and must be shared among registered vehicles.
All non-visitor vehicles must display a valid NIH parking permit hanging from the rearview mirror and visible through the windshield. Employees approved for temporary parking will receive a paper placard that must be displayed on the driver's side dashboard.
For instructions on applying, updating, renewing, or canceling your NIH parking membership, visit the Application Instruction page.
Employee Transportation Services Office
The NIH Employee Transportation Services Office (ETSO) is located in Building 31A, Room 1A11. The office hours of operation are Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, closed from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. This office is commonly known as the "NIH Parking & Transhare Office" and provides the following services to the NIH Community:
Mailing address:
9000 Rockville Pike,
Building 31A, Room 1A11, MSC 2009
Bethesda, MD 20892-2009
Employee Transportation Services Office
Telephone:(301) 496-5050
Fax: (301) 480-0854
Important Notice – Off-Campus & Volunteer Employees
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.
Volunteers & Special Volunteers no longer qualify for NIH Parking Permits.
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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