Guide to Custom Printed Parking Permits

Custom printed parking permits are a great security measure for property management professionals.  Parking permits promote company branding and they go hand in hand with employee identification.  A parking permit shows who’s vehicle should be on your property visually at a distance with a glance of an eye. 

 
So now that you are ready to start shopping you need to narrow your choices down for the parking permit you need.  The main questions to ask are: 1. What type of parking permit do you want or require? 2. What information needs to be on the parking permit? 

1.What type of parking permit do you want or require?  This question can be answered by where you want the parking permit displayed.  A rearview mirror, on the inside of a windshield, an exterior bumper or windshield.  Easy viewing is the main factor in this decision.  If security for the parking permit itself is a concern an inside installation may be preferable although destructive materials are available that make it impossible to remove the parking permit without destroying it.  The following is an example of materials paired with their respective installations.·    

Rearview mirror -  Polyethylene Mirror Hang Tag·       
Inside of a windshield – Static Cling Vinyl or Adhesive Face Vinyl
Exterior bumper or Windshield – Adhesive Back Vinyl 

2. What information needs to be on the parking permit?  A custom printed parking permit can have anything you want printed on one or both sides in the case of a mirror hang tag.  For starters you want some company branding by putting your company logo on the front.  Add a sequential number if it will help in the organization of your parking control program.  Most parking permit printers offer this service reasonably and some offer it for free.  An expiration date is desirable in many cases for time sensitive situations and security measures. 


So there you have it.  The benefits of security, company branding, and identification are all there in your soon to be fresh off the press parking permits.  Armed with a little knowledge and some preparation your next custom printed parking permit buying experience should be a most productive one.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• More is less. Most minimum quantities are around 100 pieces. If you can justify buying 250+ pieces the prices take a nose dive just due to the nature of printing. Remember, it takes just as much setup and preparation to print 100 parking permits as it does to print 1000 parking permits. Do the math, it pays to buy as much as you will use at one time.·
• Unless you are getting a four color process parking permit for a set price per piece, additional colors cost more per permit.
• Usually the price listed for a custom printed parking permit is for one color and additional colors are a set amount more per parking permit.
• You can do a lot with one color! Not only can you have positive images and letters printed on the parking permit, but you can also have negative images and lettering that show the white background of the material. Get creative...
• Watch out for hidden artwork and setup fees. It is always best if you have what is called "vector artwork". If you have a marketing department or firm that that your company uses they will have this type of artwork on file for company logos. If you do not have access to vector artwork for you logo then use the highest resolution JPEG or GIF you can get you hands on. A 72dpi logo form the company website does not work very well and may add to your cost with artwork fees.·
• Stick with stock colors used by your parking permit printer. If your company is a stickler about using Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors for their logo your hands are tied. But, be aware there are extra fees for matching PMS colors. Most parking permit printers have stock colors that are probably very close to the color you need and it will save money.·
• Keep your artwork as solid as possible. Avoid artwork that has fading colors that go from solid to light or translucent. This effect can be reproduced on a parking permit, but here again extra "screen" charges will usually apply.