Parking Services has launched a new parking management system that included the implementation of Virtual Permitting to replace parking hangtags. This system has improved and streamlined the parking permitting process. There is no physical permit to be displayed. You would only need to register the vehicle(s) that you typically drive to campus, then your vehicle license plate will be counted using license plate recognition (LPR) as your parking permit.
Please view our Virtual Permit Video to see how this system will function. For more information on Virtual Permits and LPR, please read our FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Signing up
With Virtual Permitting Cal State LA will no longer issue physical parking permits to a majority of its parkers. Instead, parkers will register their vehicle and license plate number when purchasing their permits. We will then use that plate number as your permit number. This system will make parking on campus easier for our customers, reduce the amount of waste from plastic and paper permits, and will be more efficient for everyone on campus.
Our Virtual Permitting System uses License Plate Recognition (LPR) software to create and verify virtual permits.
When purchasing a permit, the parker registers their license plate, vehicle make and model into the online parking system. The LPR software then combines this information with the individual’s payment and generates a virtual permit linked to that vehicle’s license plate number.
- Your permit purchase and renewal process is simplified! – Just purchase a permit online and park. Your plate number is your permit number, so waiting for your permit in the mail, downloading temporary permits, lost or stolen permits, paying to replace a permit, police reports, and processing times are a thing of the past!
- We eliminated the need to display physical permits and the need to move permits from vehicle-to-vehicle
- You’ll never forget to display your permit or worry about permits falling from a rearview mirror or being displayed improperly
- When purchasing a permit at parking pay stations, pay stations will be paperless and returning to your vehicle to display a paper permit will no longer be necessary
- Reduces waste
- Eliminates plastic permit production – manufacturing impacts such as fossil fuels, carbon footprint of factory/facilities
- Eliminates paper receipts at parking pay stations
- Eliminates disposal of expired and unused plastic permits
- Eliminates delivery (fossil fuel, emissions, vehicle/road wear and tear)
Parking Services will use License Plate Recognition (LPR) to assist in enforcement. LPR works similar to a supermarket scanner with your license plate functioning as the barcode. When a vehicle parks on campus, the license plate is scanned by cameras mounted on enforcement vehicles. The numbers of your plate are automatically referenced against the parking database to verify a valid permit and parking privileges for the location. If the license plate is not associated with a valid virtual permit or the vehicle is parked in an unauthorized location, then a parking officer will review the vehicle and any possible permits and determine if vehicle is subject to a citation.
Your information can be viewed and updated via your MyCalStateLA or at calstatela.aimsparking.com. You will be asked to login with MyCalStateLA with your ID and password.
The license plate information collected in this process will only be referenced against the parking database for the purpose of verifying Cal State LA parking (permits, meters, pay stations, apps) on campus. The enforcement rules will not change because of this new technology, nor will information be shared or accessed by anyone other than Public Safety/Parking personnel.
The new LPR system will read 2 wheel vehicle license plate in the same manner as a standard vehicle license plate. A 2-Wheel vehicle plate can be added to a standard vehicle permit however if only a 2-wheel vehicle is going to be driven, only a 2-wheel semester permit is required. Note: Adding a standard vehicle to a 2-Wheel permit will result in a parking citation. Please ensure your plate information is listed correctly through MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com.
LPR will automatically verify staff and faculty virtual permits via license plate. Vehicles parked in areas on campus not associated with their virtual permit type will be subject to citation.
As long as your plates are legal for driving, our system will be able to read them.
Students, faculty and staff can access parking through MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com. Here you can add or delete vehicles that should be correlated with your parking permit.
Staff/faculty may register more than one vehicle. Students can only register one vehicle per permit. Students can assign a temporary vehicle or change the vehicle online through MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com. Vehicles can be added their account by following the steps listed below.
- Visit MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com
- Login with your MyCalStateLA ID and Password
- Click "View Your Account Permits"
- Click on your "Active" Permit
- Review the "Associated Vehicles"
- Verify those listed are the vehicles you want on your permit
- Click on "Add Vehicles to Permit" if you want to link a vehicle to your permit
- After you have added your vehicle, view your permit to ensure all vehicles are linked
- If you have multiple vehicles listed on your permit, you may delete a vehicle that you want to disassociate with your permit. Vehicles with outstanding citations will not be removed until all citations are paid or appealed
Vehicles owned or leased by the US Government, state agencies, cities and counties or special districts that display E Plates or Exempt Vehicles are valid in all state vehicle spaces. Are still required to purchase a permit.
Cal State LA and other CSU campuses will continue to honor Faculty/Staff Cal State LA permits based on respective collective bargaining agreements (CBA’s). Simply visit the Transportation Center and complete a permit verification form Cal State LA has no jurisdiction over another campus’s decision to honor Cal State LA permits beyond the requirements outlined in CBA provisions. Cal State LA has never had permit “reciprocity agreements” with other institutions.
It is important that your license plate and vehicle information is current and correct in order to avoid an unnecessary citation. Please visit MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com to update your information immediately after any change in license plate number. It is also important to delete all old or unused vehicle listings from your account. Vehicles with outstanding citations will not be removed until all citations are paid or appealed.
If you have a personalized plate with less than 7 characters, or if you have a special character within your plate (heart, star, etc.), skip the special character when entering the number into the system and simply include the remaining characters on the plate.
For example, the license plate below would be entered as: HUG938.
Vehicles parked on campus without an appropriate permit are subject to a citation. However, virtual permits can be purchased online quickly through the pay stations, the PayByPhone app, through MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com.
Pay stations are available in order to purchase daily parking.
The State of California requires that two plates be displayed, one in the front and one in the back of the vehicle (California Vehicle Code 5200). If you have a back-facing plate only, please park head-in only so that our officers can see your registered license plate.
The LPR technology will recognize the first vehicle on campus as valid, but any additional vehicles under the same virtual permit on campus at the same time will be subject to citation. Two vehicles listed under the same virtual permit may be on campus at the same time if the second vehicle purchases a daily parking permit.
California now requires new vehicles be issued paper plates with a temporary license plate number. LPR has the ability to recognize these temporary plates. Enter the temporary number and when you receive your new plate from the DMV, log into MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com and register the new plate.
Individuals are allowed to add vehicles to their parking permit temporarily. Log into MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com and add the temporary plate. It is important that you remove vehicles as soon as your use of the temporary vehicle has ended. Vehicles with outstanding citations will not be removed until all citations are paid or appealed.
To avoid being cited in error, we recommend only listing your vehicle on your own virtual permit. If the vehicle has a valid virtual permit, listing the vehicle on another account is not necessary. To register a second vehicle to your virtual permit temporarily, please visit MyCalStateLA or calstatela.aimsparking.com.
All permits are non-transferable and can only be used by the individual who purchased it. Permit privileges can be revoked for any individuals found sharing virtual permits or in violation of Cal State LA Parking Regulations.
Eligible emeriti will be issued a virtual permit. Emeriti must complete the Emeriti Parking Registration Form to be request an Emeriti Virtual Permit.
Follow the link to view the Cal State LA LPR Policy
Follow the link to view the Cal State LA LPR Data Collection and Privacy Policy
Contact Parking and Transportation for more information
All of the above information is subject to change without notice
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