Virtual Parking Permits: Texas State’s Newest Innovation

By Megan Wehring
Senior News Reporter 

While the fall semester is underway, Texas State Parking Services is changing the way the university operates parking permits on campus. 

Students and faculty will now be required to register their license plate for a virtual OPpermit in place of the previous sticker or hang tag on the vehicle. Parking Services will still have vehicles patrolling throughout campus, but there will be cameras attached to scan the license plates to ensure the vehicle is in the correct colored parking area. Parking Services director Stephen Prentice says the university was looking forward to a more modern and convenient approach to parking permits. 

“There’s a lot of benefits to it,” Prentice said. “You don’t have to hang something on your car. You don’t have to stick something to your car. The minute you order it, it’s valid, so you don’t have to wait two weeks to get it in the mail. You can go online to change your license plates to get a different car.”

Students and faculty are allowed to register up to three license plates to vehicles and can use them interchangeably. Changes can be made to vehicles, license plates and other permit information by using the online Parking Portal. 

Featured image by Juan Garcia.