Let’s be honest, parking on campus is not always an easy task.

Do you buy a permit? What lots can you park in? What’s the time period for meters?

If these questions remain unanswered, the result is often a small yellow envelope tucked under the windshield wiper. Mark Miller, program manager of public safety at the Iowa State Parking Division, gives these tips for navigating the campus parking lots:

If you’re living in a residence hall and have a car, purchase a parking permit for your according lot. For Richardson Court students, the best lot would be Lot 63, whereas if you’re in Union Drive, you should purchase permits for either the Towers Lot, 61A and 61B, or for Jack Trice Stadium.

Students commuting to school have the option of buying a permit for Lot 29, an area north of the Molecular Biology building. However, Miller said the best choice is to park at the Iowa State Center and take CyRide’s Orange Route into campus.

Meters on campus generally allow you to park there for at least two hours, sometimes up to four. Watch out for the meters by dining halls, with areas that have a significant amount of traffic, as the meters only run for 30 minutes to allow students to get in and out of the building.

Read the signs on the lots, they typically show the rules of parking in that particular lot. Most lots on campus require permits Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Visitors are able to obtain three-day visitor permits from either the parking division, police dispatch or at the informational booth by Jack Trice. Also, on the weekends any car may park in spots normally designated “Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.”

If you do receive a ticket, there are multiple methods of payment. You may take the payment directly to the Armory or pay it online through AccessPlus.

When a parking ticket seems unfair or unjustified, take the time to appeal it. Go online to download the appeal form from the parking division’s website, parking.iastate.edu, or fill out the appeal at the Armory.

The parking division will notify students of the appeal status within a couple of weeks. If denied, students still have the option of filing another administrative appeal, for which the directions are on the appeal card.

Miller’s best advice: Take CyRide when at all possible.

“CyRide does a great job getting around town,” he said.