Parking at Academic Building One in Alexandria, Virginia

New parking gates at Academic Building One (AB1) in Alexandria will become fully operational on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. For more information, read the full notice here.

All vehicles, including state vehicles and those rented through Fleet Services, are required to pay for parking at the Alexandria campus.

Parking operations at Academic Building One are active 24/7. A valid parking permit or payment is required at all times for both the parking garage and surface lots. Overnight parking is not allowed.

Parking Permits

Permits are available on the Virginia Tech Parking Services Parking Portal with the following payment options:

Credit Card: Pay the full permit cost at the time of purchase.
Monthly Permits: Available for eligible permit holders who prefer to purchase parking monthly.
Bursar Account: Eligible students may charge parking permit costs to their Bursar account.

The deadline for faculty and staff to enroll in annual permit payroll deductions for the 2026–27 permit year was October 23, 2026. After this deadline, employees must pay the permit fee in full or select an available monthly permit option.

Faculty and staff with an active annual or monthly Alexandria parking permit should use their Hokie Passport to enter and exit the facility. Permit holders must scan their Hokie Passport at both the entry and exit kiosks. The system will verify that an active parking permit is associated with the individual’s account.

Short-Term Parking Options

Parking regulations are enforced 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Overnight parking is not permitted.

Daily and hourly parking options are available. The hourly rate is $4 per hour for up to four hours, or you can park for $20 per day. Visitors are responsible for paying the applicable parking fee unless their department has provided an authorized parking validation.

ParkMobile will no longer be an option at Academic Building One once the gates are operational. Visitors and customers without an active Alexandria parking permit should:

Pull a parking ticket at the entry kiosk to open the gate.
Keep the ticket while visiting AB1.
Scan the ticket at the exit kiosk and pay the applicable parking fee before exiting.
Pull a new ticket and pay a new parking fee each time they re-enter the facility.

If you do not have a credit card available at the exit kiosk, you may pay using your phone:

Locate the QR code on the back of your entry ticket.
Scan the QR code using your phone.
Follow the instructions to pay your parking fee.
After payment is completed, you have 15 minutes to exit the parking facility.

Parking Garage and Surface Lots

The parking garage and surface lots will use gates beginning Nov. 2, 2026. ParkMobile will be discontinued.

Parking Garage

The parking garage opens at 5:00 a.m.
An active Alexandria parking permit or payment through the gated system is required.
ParkMobile is no longer accepted.
Overnight parking is not permitted.

Reed Lot and University Lot

Both surface parking lots are gated.
An active Alexandria parking permit or payment through the gated system is required.
ParkMobile is no longer accepted.
Overnight parking is not permitted.

Department Visitor Parking

Departments and event organizers should request validations from Parking Services in advance. Please allow 7-10 business days for processing. See more information on the Departmental Event Parking Options page.

Gate Assistance and Common Questions

Customers who need assistance may press the help button on any entry or exit kiosk. During regular business hours (7 a.m.-5 p.m., M-F), calls will be directed to Parking Services. After hours, calls will be routed to the Security Center for assistance.

Lost Parking Tickets

Customers who cannot locate the parking ticket received upon entry must select the LOST TICKET button at the exit kiosk.
A standard $20 lost-ticket fee will apply.
The lost-ticket function cannot determine the amount of time a vehicle has been parked without the original entry ticket. Therefore, the $20 daily rate applies regardless of the length of the visit.
The lost-ticket fee is non-negotiable and must be paid before exiting.

Gate Assistance and Troubleshooting

If you experience difficulty entering or exiting a parking facility, press the HELP button on the gate kiosk. The HELP button connects customers to assistance personnel in Blacksburg, Virginia. When requesting assistance, please identify:

Your location as Academic Building One (AB1).
The parking area: Reed Lot, University Lot, or Parking Garage.
Whether you are at the entry or exit gate.
The issue you are experiencing.

Important Note: Parking permits for the Blacksburg Campus and the Alexandria Campus are not interchangeable. Permits purchased for one campus cannot be used at the other.