Custom Parking Passes: Design, Security and Best Uses for Schools, Businesses and Events

Whether you’re overseeing a school campus, hospital lot, residential community or corporate office park, parking is often a major undertaking. Custom-designed parking passes are more than just a way to claim a spot; they offer a way to stay organized, streamline parking lot management and enhance security for your lots and the buildings they serve.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at custom parking passes, including:

What they’re used for
How to customize them to meet your needs
Why they’re worth investing in

What Are Custom Parking Passes?

Parking passes come in many forms, from window stickers to hang tags to RFID cards that allow lot or garage access. At the core, a parking pass is a tag, card or decal that grants access to park in a designated lot or garage.

What makes them custom is the ability to tailor passes to your specific needs. This might include designing hang tags to match the theme of an event, issuing barcode-enabled parking passes for easy tracking and enforcement, or adding RFID technology for automated access control.

No matter the format, the purpose remains the same: to clearly and reliably identify vehicles that are permitted in your lot or garage, and to help keep parking organized and secure.

Why Custom Parking Passes Matter

Unidentifiable vehicles, unauthorized guests and limited spaces can turn your parking lot into more of a free-for-all than a carefully managed space. Without a system in place, parking order can quickly break down and you’re at risk of not having enough spots for those who need to access your facility — like students, staff and visitors.

Well-designed, durable parking permits can help maintain order and ensure there are enough spaces to go around.

What Makes a Good Parking Pass?

A good parking pass should incorporate elements that make it secure, effective and easy to manage for both the user and attendants. These elements should include:

Quality Materials

An effective parking pass starts with durable materials meant to withstand environmental conditions. Even if the pass is hanging inside a car, it’s bound to be exposed to heat, sun, moisture and daily handling. Custom hang tags for parking are often removed when not in use and stored elsewhere in the vehicle. Even with regular use, parking passes should not tear, crack or peel.

Clear Design

For a parking pass to do its job, it needs to be legible from a distance. Whether you consult with an expert for design advice or make your own, be sure you’re using design best practices for clarity, legibility and fast recognition — especially for security or lot staff doing visual checks.

Go for high contrast. Use color wisely. If your background is white, choose black or another dark color. If you opt for a dark colored background, go for a contrasting lighter color for the print. Colors that are too similar are hard to read and can look muddy rather than crisp.
Use color wisely. You may also choose to use color to differentiate among parking levels, such as resident, guest or VIP. Opt for a color bar or border matched to signage in the lot to make it instantly apparent whether someone is in the right spot.
Make it clear. The most important information should be the most prominent. This may be a permit number, expiration date or barcode. Make sure your attendants can clearly see the info needed without getting out of the booth.
Make it yours. Branding is important even in the parking lot. Incorporate your logos, colors and branding for event parking passes, school hang tags or corporate passes — it helps prevent counterfeiting too.

Security

One of the primary uses for parking passes is safe access to secure lots or garages. When designed thoughtfully, a parking pass can act as both a visual identifier and a gatekeeper, helping prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering your space.

Design for security. Include hard-to-replicate features like holograms, barcodes or RFID technology to prevent counterfeiting.
Individual IDs. Ensure each tag has a unique serial number or code for easy tracking and verification.
Gated entry. Use RFID technology to ensure only authorized vehicles can access lots or garages. This is especially useful for hospitals, corporate campuses or high-traffic event venues that need added control.

Ways to Use Custom Parking Passes

Parking passes aren’t one-size-fits-all. Industries, schools and event managers use them in different ways, but the goals are the same: Maintain control, improve security and make parking more efficient. Here are some common applications across industries and facilities.

Schools

From preschool school pick-up lines to university campuses, faculty, students, staff, parents and visitors all benefit from clearly marked parking. Custom passes help reduce chaos, prevent unauthorized parking and keep traffic flowing during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

Color-coded passes for different parking zones or payment tiers (e.g., student vs. faculty; gold vs. green lots).
Branded passes with academic year or semester expiration dates.
Hang tags with space to write a student’s name — especially useful in the pick-up lines.

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities

Hospital staff, patients and visitors rely on predictable access to parking. Custom passes help ensure priority spaces are available when and where they’re needed most — especially for emergency departments and staff during high-volume shifts.

RFID-enabled passes for gated access to employee lots, ensuring plenty of space for staff.
Visitor decals issued at check-in to indicate lot permissions and time limits.
Temporary hang tags for patients with recurring appointments or extended stays to prevent ticketing or towing.

Corporate Offices

Keep your workplace running smoothly by managing parking for employees, vendors and guests. Custom passes give facilities teams better control over space allocation and help visitors feel welcomed with clear, branded credentials.

Branded passes with company logo for employees.
Reserved pass types for VIP or executive parking.
Time-limited passes for contractors, interview candidates or clients.

Event Parking

The success of any event starts in the parking lot. It shouldn’t be a hassle to attend the event. Parking passes streamline the process and keep cars secure while attendees, vendors and presenters are inside.

Temporary window decals for event dates only.
Color-coded permits for different access zones.
Custom branded designs that match the event’s theme.
Sponsor branded tags to highlight event VIPs.

Residential Communities

HOAs, apartment complexes and gated neighborhoods use custom passes to keep lots reserved for residents and make visitor tracking simple. Passes can reduce unauthorized use of limited parking spaces and help enforce policies consistently.

Permanent hang tags or decals for residents.
Guest decals for daytime or overnight visitors.
Color coding for building or lot designation.

Local Governments and Municipalities

City- and county-managed facilities use parking passes to control access to government buildings, public employee lots and restricted use areas.

Government employee permits for city hall, courthouses and public works facilities.
Law enforcement or emergency vehicle decals for reserved zones.
Temporary permits for contractors or citizens visiting government buildings.
Neighborhood resident parking passes in mixed-use areas.

Small Tags With Big Impact

Parking passes may seem like a small detail, but they play a big role in keeping your lot secure, organized and easy to manage. Whether in a school lot, workplace or event venue, the right design and functionality can make a big difference.