A visitor is anyone who is not a current student or employee directly of Ball State University. There are several options for visitor parking on campus. Visitors are expected to comply with all University parking rules and regulations as well as with city ordinances and state laws.

Parking Locations

To see all of the parking lots and garages at Ball State, please see our campus map. For a breakdown of the locations allowed by each permit, view our campus map (PDF).

Visitor Parking-Business Hours

  • Parking Meters and Stations (both on-street and in garages) are typically $1/hr.
  • Visitors not affiliated with Ball State University on campus during regular business hours may purchase a $5 pass to park in yellow or green permit lots. Visitor permits are available for purchase online or at the Parking Service’s office.

Visitor Parking-Evening Hours

  • General parking lots (Yellow lots) are available for free after 5 p.m. M-F and on weekends
  • Parking garages and restricted lots (Red lots) are free after 7 p.m. M-F and on weekends
  • Commuter parking lots (Green lots) are available for free after 5 p.m. M-F and on weekends
  • Meters in Ball State garages are free after 7 p.m. M-F and on weekends
  • No overnight parking from 3 a.m.–5 a.m. daily in commuter lots and all garages.

Visitor Event Parking

Visiting campus for an event at one of the following venues. See the Visitor Event Parking Map for cultural events.

Interactive Visitor Parking Map

Use this Google Maps overlay to get turn-by-turn directions to specific metered, on-street, or designated lots.
Meter Parking

Surface Lots

Surface lots are parking lots located outside of or close to highly trafficked buildings. Pay stations are located in the following lots:

Teachers College and Arts & Journalism (P7) – 1 hour = $1.00 (Max time allowed)

Robert Bell Building (P2) – 1 hour = $1.00, 2 hours = $2.00 (Max time allowed)

Lucina Hall (P14) – 1 hour = $1.00, 2 hours = $2.00, 3 hours = $3.00 (Max time allowed)

Parking Payment Information

Pay Station Information

Pay StationYou must pay at the beginning of your stay in the parking garage. The pay stations in each parking garage provide instructions for making a payment. Pay stations are kiosks designed to provide short- and long-term parking options. They require users to enter their correct license plate from the back of the car they are driving to pay for parking. These machines will accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) or cash & coins for payment. Depending on the location of the machine, there are different options for the amount of time that may be purchased. Overnight parking is prohibited in all parking garages.

Pay stations do not give change. The Office of Parking Services does not issue refunds for money paid in the parking garage or excess time on a meter.

They are located in the following areas around campus:

Parking Garages

McKinley garage (R7) – 4 total kiosks one at each entrance/exit

New York Ave. garage (R6) – 2 total kiosks, one each at the east/west entrances

Student Center garage (R8) – 1 kiosk at the north entrance/exit

Allotted time allowed in all of the garages is:

  • 1 hr. of parking = $1.00
  • 2 hrs. of parking = $2.00
  • 3 hrs. of parking = $3.00
  • 4 hrs. of parking = $4.00

Calendar day parking = $5.00 (Max time allowed)

Calendar day parking is NOT for a 24-hr. period from the time purchased and will expire at 11:59 pm on the day purchased.

Surface Lots

Surface lots are parking lots located outside of or close to highly trafficked buildings. Pay stations are located in the following lots:

Teachers College and Arts & Journalism (P7)

  • 1 hr. = $1.00 (Max time allowed)

Robert Bell Building (P2)

  • 1 hr. = $1.00
  • 2 hrs. = $2.00 (Max time allowed)

Lucina Hall (P14)

  • 1 hr. = $1.00
  • 2 hrs. = $2.00
  • 3 hrs. = $3.00 (Max time allowed)

Parking Meter Information

Parking MeterParking meters are standalone devices located in surface parking lots across the campus. Meters are located in the lots connected to all residence halls as well as lots connected to highly visited administrative buildings. Users do not enter their license plates on these machines, rather they pay per the space they are parked in. Parking meters come in two varieties, Dual space meters, and Single space meters.

The majority of stand-alone parking meters are dual space meters. This means that one meter will govern two different parking spaces. When parking at a dual space meter, the users will find the meter either in the center line of two parking spaces or, for parallel parking areas, at the front end of their car or the tail end of their car. (Rule of thumb in a parallel area, if you do not see a meter in front of your car, look to the back). When using a dual space meter, the user will select the side of the meter they are on with the arrows on the touch screen, then follow the instructions for payment.

A small number of spaces are governed by single space meters. In this case, the meter will always be at the front of the car directly in between the lines of the space.

Both dual and single space meters accept the same forms of payment. They are coins and credit cards (Discover, Mastercard, Visa). Cash is not accepted on these machines. These machines are enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Payment times for these machines are as follows:

Credit Cards

  • Min/Max is 1hr. = $1.00

Coins

  • .5 cents = 3 mins
  • .10 cents = 6 mins
  • .25 cents = 15 mins
  • .50 cents = 30 mins
  • .75 cents = 45 mins
  • $1.00 = 1 hr.

Garages

Hourly parking is available in each garage. Overnight parking is prohibited in all parking garages.

Locations

New York Parking Garage (R6) – Metered parking is located on the bottom floor of R6 with a pay station located at the west entrance and in the east stairwell.

McKinley Avenue Parking Garage (R7) – Metered parking is located on the bottom floor of R7 with a pay station located at each pedestrian exit.

Student Center Parking Garage (R8) – Metered Parking is located on the bottom floor of R8 with one pay station located at the pedestrian exit on the north side of the garage.

Garage Rates

  • Hours 1-3 – $1 per hour
  • Hours 4-6 – $.50 per hour
  • Hours 7-8 – $.25 per hour

Maximum Daily Rate – $5

Calendar day parking is NOT for a 24-hour period from the time purchased and will expire at 11:59 p.m. on the day purchased.

You may purchase a parking permit if you are a member of the general public not affiliated with Ball State.

A permit costs $5 per day.

Visitors may purchase a permit in our office during normal business hours or buy one online by setting up a guest account with a valid email address.

How to Register

Please provide the following when you register:

  • license plate number and expiration date
  • vehicle make, color, and year

How to Display the Permit

Your license plate is your permit and must be visible at times.  Do not back into or pull through your parking space.  

Where You May Park

Parking is permitted only in the yellow and green marked lots on campus and does not allow for parking at a meter or in the paid areas of the garages. There is no overnight parking in green commuter lots.

Handicap Parking

Handicap parking is also available; however, you are still required to purchase a visitor permit as well as display your state-issued placard or license plate while on campus.

Exclamation IconWarning

Faculty, staff, and students are not eligible to purchase or display a visitor permit. Anyone caught violating this will have their parking privileges revoked for one calendar year.

An electric vehicle permit is required to use electric vehicle charging stations on campus. Electric vehicle spaces are not meant for long-term, overnight parking. Charging stations are to only be used while the vehicle is charging (maximum 3 hour time limit). Once done charging, the vehicle should be moved to a regular space in any yellow faculty/staff or green commuter lot.  There is no parking in green commuter lots daily from 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.  Any person found to be using EV spaces for overnight or long-term parking may be subject to a citation.

Visitors to campus can purchase a special daily permit for an additional daily fee of $1/day by contacting the Office of Parking Services.

Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations

  • C1 Arena North -1
  • R6 (New York Garage) - 2 first floor, 2 second floor, 2 third floor = 6 total
  • R7 (McKinley Garage) - 1 second floor, 1 third floor = 2 total
  • G14 (Alumni Center) - 1
  • Oakwood Building - 1

TOTAL Level 2 = 11

Level 1 (110v/no cords) Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations

  • C9 (East of Arena) - 1
  • C5 (South end of campus) - 1
  • R8 (Student Center Garage) - 1 second floor, 1 third floor = 2 total

TOTAL Level 1 = 4

Contractors are required to comply with all University parking rules and regulations as well as with city ordinances and state laws, including displaying a Ball State parking permit.

Contractor parking is enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Costs

  • per semester – $60
  • per year – $120 (August to August)

How to Buy a Permit

To purchase a contractor permit, the following information must be submitted at the Office of Parking Services:

  • company name, address, and phone number
  • customer (person purchasing the permit) name, address, and phone number
  • license plate number, make, and color

Vendors, sales, and service personnel are required to comply with all University parking rules and regulations as well as with city ordinances and state laws, including displaying a Ball State Parking Permit.

Sales and Service parking is enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Costs

  • per semester – $60
  • per year – $120 (August to August)

How to Buy a Permit

To purchase a sales and service permit, the following information must be submitted at the Office of Parking Services:

  • company name, address, and phone number
  • customer (person purchasing the permit) name, address, and phone number
  • license plate number, make, and color

Locations

A sales and service permit allows parking in the following areas:

  • service vehicle spaces
  • any yellow general faculty/staff or green surface commuter lot

The Cardinal Pride Permit is free of charge to parents of students living in a residence hall. You may not request a permit for a vehicle that is registered to a student. Only one Cardinal Pride permit will be issued per address at a time.

Exclamation IconWarning

This permit is for parents only. Students found using a Cardinal Pride Permit will be ticketed for Improper Registration and have their parking privileges revoked for one calendar year.

Locations

The Cardinal Pride Permit is valid Monday through Friday in the following areas:

  • green surface commuter lots
  • yellow faculty/staff lots
  • Meter (24/7)

The Cardinal Pride Permit does not authorize parking in the following areas:

  • disabled driver spaces
  • service vehicle spaces or restricted areas
  • red restricted or blue housing lots
  • fire lanes, driveways, or "No Parking" areas

A permit is not required in most areas on Saturday and Sunday unless otherwise posted.

How to Request a Permit

In Person

To be issued a Cardinal Pride Permit in person, the parent must bring the following information to the Office of Parking Services.

  • driver's license
  • license plate number and expiration date
  • vehicle make, color, and year

By Mail

Complete and return the Cardinal Pride Permit Application to the address listed on the application.

Download Application (PDF)

Prepaid parking garage permits allow parking in the metered areas of any parking garage (R6, R7, or R8).

Anyone (students, employees, or visitors) can purchase a prepaid permit. The cost is $5 for the day.

Overnight parking is prohibited in all parking garages.

How to Purchase a Permit

To purchase a prepaid permit, bring the following information to the Office of Parking Services:

  • driver's license
  • license plate number and expiration date
  • vehicle make, color, and year
  • payment (cash, check, money order, Visa, or MasterCard)

University departments purchasing permits for their visitors may also pay using a journal voucher.

Questions or Concerns?

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