Parking Policy
Committee on House Administration Parking Policy 118th Congress
- Parking Policy Overview
- Permits
- Multiple Vehicles
- Unreserved Parking
- Reserved Parking
- Member Parking Plates
- Carpool Parking
- Evening and Night Parking
- Temporary Parking
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Charging Stations
- Group and Event Parking
- Violations
- Right to Waive
- Parking Policy Overview
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Parking in the United States House of Representatives garages, lots, and designated parking areas is a privilege for Members, staff, and authorized personnel in support of the House of Representatives. Parking in these areas shall be on a permit only basis.
All vehicles parked in House permit-only areas must clearly display both valid license plates and a current House parking permit. Current permits must be displayed visibly on motorcycles and on bicycles. In addition to a current permit, all staff shall be required to show a valid House ID upon entering all House parking areas.
The House will not be liable for any damage or theft caused to any motor vehicle, or contents thereof, while parked in a House parking garage or on a House parking lot, whether or not the garage or lot is staffed.
Any situation or circumstance not defined within this parking policy will be decided upon by the Committee on House Administration in consultation with House Parking Security.
Each Member must appoint a Parking Coordinator for their office by completing the form available on HouseNet. The Member, the Member's Chief of Staff, and the Parking Coordinator will assign the permits for their Member office within the Collective Data Parking Portal Website. Parking Coordinator will be responsible for the assignment and upkeep of permits and parking assignments.
NOTE: Member offices may not assign their permits to individuals not employed by their office except as noted elsewhere in the policy.
Return to Top - Permits
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Parking permits must be authorized through the office of a House employing authority and are available only to current House Members and staff holding a valid Congressional ID and current license plate. Shared employees may be issued a permit from any of their employing offices. Permits are exclusively for the use of the employing offices and House staff. Employing offices and House staff may not transfer permits.
Members and staff receiving a mass transit benefit are not eligible for parking permits (permanent or temporary) unless approval is obtained from the Committee on House Administration. If approval is granted, the requestor shall park in a lot designated by House Parking Security. Approval is not needed for weekend and holiday parking; however, a temporary permit must be obtained from the House Parking Security office (G2-32 RHOB). Members and staff who utilize mass transit benefits can obtain a bicycle permit for the permit-only bicycle racks and still retain their mass transit benefits.
Spouses of Members may park in any garage or lot, on a space available basis and will be issued temporary permits if they are not using the Member plate. In addition, spouses will be required to present a Spouse ID. Due to the lack of available spaces, spouses of Members may only park on the G3 level of the Rayburn Garage if they use a Member plate with a Rayburn Member of Congress (RMC) parking permit on it.
It is the responsibility of the employing office to retrieve parking permits when staff departs from their office. Employing offices whose departing staff have not returned their parking permits will be subject to a 30-day hold before re-assignment of the permit. Departing employees may receive a temporary parking permit for their last day(s) of employment for the permit to be removed in a timely manner. Non-staff temporary permits may be issued at the request of an official Parking Coordinator, the Chief of Staff, or Member. The location of parking will be determined by House Parking Security.
Non-staff temporary permits should be submitted by the Member, the Member's Chief of Staff, or the Member's Parking Coordinator through the Collective Data Parking Portal Website and include the requested individual's name as it appears on government issued ID and vehicle information (make, model, color, and license plate information). The maximum duration of a temporary permit is 14 business days in a rolling 6-month period. Any individual needing a temporary permit for more than 14 business days in a 6-month period must submit the appropriate form to House Garages and Parking Security for the Committee's 31 consideration. Registered lobbyists cannot receive temporary permits. (For purposes of these regulations, "registered lobbyist" means a lobbyist registered under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 or any successor statute.)
Authorized permit holders who temporarily need to use an alternate vehicle should visit House Parking Security to obtain a temporary permit for that vehicle.
NOTE: Staff may only have one vehicle parked in House Parking Areas. Multiple vehicles are not allowed to be parked on House lots or garages at the same time.
Return to Top - Multiple Vehicles
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1. Members and staff may register more than one vehicle to a single parking permit.
2. Individuals with a House ID that have multiple vehicles should record their additional vehicle(s) with their employing office's Parking Coordinator, who will register them with the House Parking Security Office. Permits will be applied to each registered vehicle by House Garages and Parking Security (G2-32 RHOB).
3. An individual with House ID may not have multiple vehicles parked in House permit-only areas at the same time. A Member and their spouse may simultaneously have vehicles parked in House permit-only areas provided that each has a House ID.
4. Staff registering more than one (1) vehicle will be required to show vehicle registration for all vehicles as proof of ownership before a permit is affixed to the windshield.
Return to Top - Unreserved Parking
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House Members may choose their unreserved parking space from any available space in the various garages/lots/streets.
1. Unreserved staff parking, with the exception of the Rayburn G3 level, which is a MEMBERS ONLY location, is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the designated parking areas assigned to the employing office. This does not include special needs, reserved spaces, and electric vehicles requiring charging stations.
2. Vehicles, including motorcycles and bicycles, cannot be stored in any unreserved space in a House parking area, except for Member vehicles parked during periods when the House is not in session, the Member is traveling on official business, the Member is ill, or in other similar circumstances. "Stored" is defined as being continuously parked in an unreserved space for more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days.
Return to Top - Reserved Parking
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Members of the House may choose their reserved parking spaces from any unassigned space in the various garages. Only Members whose parking space is on the G3 level of the Rayburn Garage may reserve a space on that level.
1. Staff must choose their reserved space from the designated parking areas indicated on their permit.
2. Each person who reserves indoor space incurs additional taxable income as a working condition fringe benefit. Under the tax code and IRS regulations, for 2023, Members and their employees have imputed taxable income to the extent that the fair market value of Government-provided parking exceeds $300.00/month. The fair market value of a space at the House of Representatives is $320.00/month and therefore, the imputed taxable income is $20.00/month. These amounts are subject to change. (Contact the Office of Payroll and Benefits for current rates at extension 5-1435.)
3. Only individuals with reserved parking will be permitted to park their vehicles in their designated spaces for an indefinite period with valid license plates.
4. The Committee on House Administration reserves the right to limit the number of reserved spaces at any time.
Return to Top - Member Parking Plates
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1. Member parking plates are only for the use of the Member and spouse, as well as for transportation of the Member by staff. Only Members or authorized staff whose plates contain a Rayburn Member of Congress (RMC) parking permit may park on the G3 level of the Rayburn Garage using the Member plate. The RMC permits on the Member plates must be displayed visibly and remain in the vehicle when it is parked on G3.
NOTE: Only Members who have plates with the permit designated for the G3 level may park long-term on G3.
2. A staffer driving the Member while utilizing the Member plate must have a parking permit or a temporary parking permit assigned to their vehicle that has been issued through the Parking Office.
NOTE: The Member plate DOES NOT allow staff use for long-term G3 parking (outside of staff persons normally assigned / permitted location).
3. Former Members (except registered lobbyists) will be permitted to park using either temporary permits or Member parking plates from previous Congresses, but must also present a former Member ID.
Return to Top - Carpool Parking
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House employees interested in carpool parking should contact House Garages and Parking Security (extension 5-6749). Carpools must have a minimum of two employees from House employing offices. The carpool permit must come from the employing office's parking roster of one of the carpool members.
If multiple vehicles associated with a carpool are found in the House parking areas, simultaneously, individuals associated with this carpool will lose their carpool privileges for the remainder of the current Congress.
Return to Top - Evening and Night Parking
- Swing shift employees (i.e., work schedule 2:00 pm to 7:30 am) should park in areas designated by House Parking Security. Certain parking areas designated by House Parking Security will be made accessible to swing shift employees starting at 4:00 pm based on space availability. Swing shift employees who are held over on assignment will be required to move to a designated area before 7:30 am. Parking Coordinators who are interested in parking for swing shift employees should contact House Parking Security (extension 5-6749). All swing shift employees' parking must be authorized via their office's Parking Coordinator. Return to Top
- Temporary Parking
- Parking on D Street, S.W., the marked spots on C Street, S.W., and the designated spots in Lot 9 are limited to temporary parking for parents of children attending the House of Representatives Child Care Center (HRCCC) for the purposes of dropping off or picking up their children and for attending meetings and functions at the HRCCC. Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis and parents must move their vehicles upon leaving the Center. Return to Top
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Staff authorized a parking permit by their employing authority that require accessible parking based on special needs considerations will be accommodated on an as-needed basis in spaces clearly marked for that purpose. Such permits will come from the pool of permits assigned to the office. Staff will be required to display the state-assigned handicap designation and may be required to provide additional documentation to House Garages and Parking Security. Return to Top
- Charging Stations
- Charging stations are available throughout the House campus for electrical vehicles on a fee paid basis. Prior to utilizing these charging stations, permit holders will need to register through Pay.Gov. Return to Top
- Group and Event Parking
- Requested group and event parking may be approved in House parking areas for morning events prior to 8:30 am and events after 5:30 pm dependent upon space availability. The request should be made in writing on office letterhead and signed by the Member or Parking Coordinator of the requesting entity. The letter should contain the name of the group, event date, time, location, and approximate number of vehicles requesting parking. If approved, other information may be required for security reasons. Requests should be emailed or faxed to House Garages and Parking Security (G2-28 RHOB, fax 6-1950). Group parking needs will be accommodated in House parking areas designated by House Parking Security. Return to Top
- Violations
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Violations include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to display proper identification (license plates and parking permit or Member plate) while in a garage, lot, or designated on-street parking area;
- Failure to park in the assigned space, garage, lot, or parking area;
- Failure to park within marked spaces;
- Improper use of a Member plate;
- Unauthorized parking in reserved spaces, handicap parking spaces, special needs parking spaces or charging stations;
- Storing of a vehicle in any House garage, lot, or designated parking area; and
- Parking multiple vehicles with the same permit on the campus at one time.
Generally, violations of the Parking Policy follow principles of progressive discipline. However, aggravating factors can help determine more severe discipline. Notices of violations are generally provided as follows:
- First Violation: written notice placed on vehicle and sent via email from House Parking Security.
- Second Violation: E-mail or letter to employing authority and permit holder;
- Third Violation: Suspension of parking privileges for thirty (30) days. The employing authority may not issue this permit to another employee during the suspension.
- Fourth Violation: Suspension of parking privileges for sixty (60) days. The employing authority may not issue this permit to another employee during the suspension.
- Fifth Violation: Suspension of parking privileges for the remainder of the Congress or 180 days (whichever is greater). The employing authority may not issue this permit to another employee for 90 days.
Certain violations, e.g., repeat violators of the Rayburn Garage G3/Member level restrictions, parking in a reserved space belonging to another, will result in immediate suspension of parking privileges for thirty (30) days. The employing authority may not issue this permit to another employee during the suspension.
Members and staff who are habitual Parking Policy violators may be towed and potentially banned from parking on the House Campus permanently, subject to the direction of the Committee on House Administration.
Employees who are in violation of the parking policy and have had their parking privileges suspended may not circumvent the suspension by obtaining a parking permit from another office for which they are employed.
Any non-temporary permit user on the mass transit list with a vehicle in permit- only areas will have their permit immediately removed from their vehicle.
Vehicles that are determined to be a security risk or create a hazard as determined by the Capitol Police, will be immediately towed.
Return to Top - Right to Waive
- The Committee on House Administration may waive any provision or part of this policy. Return to Top