Move-Out Parking

Students are not required to remove all of their belongings for winter break unless they are moving out.

Important: We do NOT close the streets for move-out like we do for move-in.

Stopping on the street or parking anywhere besides at metered spaces will be ticketed by the College of Charleston or the City of Charleston. Parking on streets in areas not designated for parking restricts traffic flow and poses safety risks to pedestrians and other vehicles. Leaving someone to stand guard at a vehicle parked on the street will not prevent that vehicle from being ticketed. 

Reminder: Bring hand trucks or dollies for move-out. Only a limited number of rolling bins will be available upon request at the residence halls.

Surface Lot Availability - Fall 2026

The following surface lots will be available for move-out during the dates and times listed below. These are the only surface lots that will be available, and they will only be available during the timeframes listed.

  • BS Lot - close to Bull Street historic houses; do not park in a space marked RHD
  • I Lot - close to McConnell; CofC-marked spaces only
  • P Lot - close to McConnell and Wentworth St. historic houses
  • PL Lot - adjacent to 99 St. Philip and close to Kelly House and McAlister; do not park in any space with a reserved sign
  • W Lot - behind 298 & 300 Meeting St.; do not park in a space marked RHD or Faculty/Staff, which is marked with a red bumper blocker
  • WP Lot - close to Warren Place and Kelly House; do not park in a space marked Service Vehicle or RHD

Dates and Times

Dec. 2, 2026

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Dec. 3, 2026

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Dec. 4, 2026

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Dec. 5, 2026

Noon - 5 p.m.

Dec. 6, 2026

1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Dec. 7, 2026

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Dec. 8, 2026

5 p.m. - 9 p.m.


For exact locations of available surface parking lots, please consult the College of Charleston Parking Map. 

Exams do not end until December 8, 2026; students and employees with permits for these lots will still need access to their spaces while other students move out. Even if a lot has empty spaces, you will be ticketed unless you are in these specified lots during these specified timeframes.

If your move-out appointment doesn’t coincide with the available times of the closest surface lot, you can take advantage of free garage parking (see below) or you may park at a metered space. Your move-out appointment time DOES NOT include parking in the closest surface lot unless you have a permit for that lot.

Garage Parking

For students who are moving out when the surface lots are not available, or for students whose residence halls are close to the PG garage, we will offer complimentary two-hour garage parking for one vehicle per student. Please read the following information very carefully:

  • Upon request, students will be provided with one two-hour parking voucher for PG Garage. PG is convenient to 99 St. Philip, Berry and McAlister, and is reasonably close to Warren Place and Kelly House. 
  • Garage parking vouchers will be available at Campus Services HQ beginning Tuesday, December 1, and must be picked up during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.). A valid Cougar Card must be presented to receive your voucher.
  • Garage vouchers for PG may only be redeemed when a cashier is on duty December 2-9, 2026.
    • Cashier hours are weekdays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • If you will be leaving campus when the cashier is not on duty, we recommend you park at a metered space or at one of the surface lots listed above in order to avoid normal exit fees for two hours of parking.
  • PG Garage vouchers are the only parking option for students who plan to move out on a weekday prior to 5 p.m., with the exception of students who are parking in their permit-assigned surface lot.
  • There is a strict two-hour time limit on the PG Garage vouchers, so please have all belongings packed and ready to go before you begin moving them out. If time parked exceeds two hours, you will be responsible for paying the additional fees.
  • You must retain the ticket that you pulled upon entering the garage, and you must give both the ticket and the voucher to the cashier in order to be eligible for the two hours of free parking.

FAQs

Contact Campus Services HQ if you have any questions after reviewing our FAQs.
  • Why can’t you close the streets for move-out?

    Because the College of Charleston is in an urban area, it is very difficult to coordinate street closures with the City of Charleston. We can do this for move-in because we are only doing it during off-peak traffic times and only for a few days, and because we are able to assign strict move-in timeframes to each student. We cannot enforce strict timeframes for move-out because exams stretch out over an entire week, and students are free to leave after their last exam when it’s convenient for them.

  • Can I pull up on the street in front of my student's residence just for loading?

    No. Not only do vehicles parked in the street create a hazard for pedestrians and passing vehicles, but parking in a designated “no parking” zone is a ticketable offense. You cannot stop your vehicle on the street for any reason, even if your hazard lights are on. We provide two-hour garage parking vouchers to students for move-out to discourage street parking for any length of time. Please read above for how a student can obtain a voucher. Additionally, Public Safety Officers may have some on hand.

  • Why don’t you have designated move-out times?

    We cannot enforce strict timeframes for move-out because exams stretch out over an entire week, and students are free to leave after their last exam when it’s convenient for them.

  • Why can’t we park in any College of Charleston lot for move-out?

    Even though a student may be finished with their exams and ready to move out, the College of Charleston is still in session and other students are still taking exams. We must ensure that the permit-only lots are available to permit holders during regular business hours. Some of these lots ARE available (please read the section: Surface Lot Availability), if you park during the times outlined above. If these times are inconvenient for when you would like to move out, you may take advantage of the two-hour garage voucher and park in one of the garages on campus, or you may pay to park in a metered space on the street.