Parking in the Forrestal Garage

All vehicles parked in the Forrestal garage must display a valid, paid monthly or daily permit.  Violators will be tracked and subject to suspension of garage parking privileges.

Read the Parking and Transportation Services section in DOE's Energy Hub (DOE employee access only), for enhanced information about the DOE Forrestal parking garage.

The garage is available to DOE federal employees and contractors at no charge between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., a DOE badge is required for access.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Twelve (12) charging stations have been installed in the Forrestal garage, and there are three (3) charging stations at the Germantown facility.

Read the Headquarters Electric Vehicle Charging Stations page in DOE's Energy Hub (DOE employee access only) for details on the changing stations and their operations.

More Information

Setting Up An Account for Day Pass or Monthly Permit to the Forrestal Garage with the Online Pay-For-Parking System

Download these instructions on setting up an account to purchase a Daily or Monthly Parking Permit using DOE's online pay-for-parking system.

Before getting started you will need:

  • a personal credit card,
  • your vehicles' make, model and tag number (license plate)

Process:

  • With the Google Chrome web browser go to the online Pay-for-Parking website (only use Google Chrome, do not use Internet Explorer or any other web browser):           https://www.doeforrestalparking.com
  • Register for a New Account by clicking either the Register Day Pass Account module or the Register For New Parking Permit module.
  • Input the account information requested (Personal, Vehicle, Additional and Payment).  Fill out all of the information requested on the Account Registration page.  All fields marked with an asterisk indicate a required field.  When complete click on Register Profile at the bottom of the page.  You must read and accept the Terms of Service to complete the account registration.

You will receive a follow-up e-mail with your account credentials once your new account application has been reviewed and approved.

Unusual Hours Parking Permit Request Template

To apply for an Unusual Hours Parking Permit, please use the Unusual Hours Parking Permit Request Template and follow the guidance to document your needs and approvals.

  • Federal employees that want to apply for an Unusual Hours (UH) Parking Permit to park in the Forrestal garage need to request the Permit through the Parking Office.
  • The Unusual Hours Parking Permit Request Template has instructions on the information needed to request an Unusual Hours permit.
  • Please follow the guidelines, and use the template to document a work related justification to support an unusual hours parking permit request.
  • Make sure to include your 2-week pay period schedule indicating which days you will be working on site at the Forrestal building.
    • If you are teleworking in any capacity, this should be the telework schedule approved by your manager and Human Capital.
  • Once signed, the form may be scanned and e-mailed to ParkingManagementOffice@hq.doe.gov, or delivered to Forrestal room GE-140.

Unusual hours must be worked 50% to 75% of the time outside of the employee’s established regular workday duty hours each week to qualify for an Unusual Hours permit.

Employees who work off-site three (3) or more days per week are not eligible for Unusual Hours parking, though they are eligible for carpool parking.

Training Videos for Using the Online Pay-for-Parking System

Videos demonstrating how to use of the online pay-for-parking tool to purchase daily permits and monthly permits for the Forrestal garage are posted on the DOE Powerpedia, Parking at Forrestal page.  This is for DOE employees only, and you must be logged onto a DOE network to access the Powerpedia.

Monthly Parking Permits

The rate for a Monthly Forrestal Parking Permit is $55.80.

Daily Parking Permits

Forrestal Garage Daily Permits are $5.00 per day.

Federal Employees:

  • Federal employees may purchase parking permits through the online parking system at www.doeforrestalparking.com.
  • Daily permits for Federal employees will not be limited.
  • It is preferred that federal employees use the online system for daily permit purchases.
  • If a federal employees wants to purchase a daily permit at the Parking Management Office or at the attendant booth in the garage they may do so if they have an account in the online parking system, with a valid credit card in the system. Daily permit purchases will still be paid via the credit card in the online parking system even if the sale is processed with the assistance of parking office staff.
  • No refunds will be issued on daily permit purchases regardless of the method used to purchase the permit.

Contractor Employees:

  • There are a limited amount of contractor permits, and will be sold on a first-come first-serve basis.
  • The number of passes available for purchase will vary by day of the week and is subject to change.
  • Contractors may purchase a pass for any or all of the available days in the weekly purchase window.
  • Only one permit may be purchased for a specific day, the purchasing of multiple permits for the same day is not allowed (i.e. purchasing permits for other Contractors).

Visitor Parking

The Forrestal Parking Facility has 24 available visitor parking spaces. These spaces are available to any person visiting the Department of Energy Headquarters on official business, employees assigned to the Forrestal and L'Enfant Plaza Buildings excluded. These spaces are booked a day in advance. Visitors do not have to pay for parking.

Only employees of the Department of Energy, Headquarters may reserve visitor parking.  To reserve a space call (202) 586-4271. Please call one day in advance, giving every visitor a fair opportunity to receive a parking space. Note that due to the limited amount of available visitor parking spaces, reservations are made on a first come first serve basis. When calling you must have the following information:

  • visitor's name
  • type of car they are driving
  • their license tag number and State
  • time they will be arriving and departing DOE
  • name and extension of the person they are visiting

When you provide this information, you will be given a confirmation number.

DOE contract employees are prohibited from requesting visitor parking in the Forrestal garage. If additional information is needed, please contact Parking Management on (202) 586-4271.

Parking Notice for Germantown Employees Parking in the Forrestal Garage

Germantown employees requesting all day parking (4 hours or more) in the Forrestal garage will be required to purchase a Daily Permit.

Forrestal Garage Permit Holder Responsibilities

  • DOE employees driving into the Forrestal garage must have a valid DOE security badge and a valid parking permit.  The parking permit must be displayed in their vehicles between the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  • The 9th street garage entrance will be limited to DOE employees with a valid security badge and a valid parking permit.
  • The 12th Street entrance can be used by any DOE employee, visitors, and employees who have forgotten or lost their security badge.
  • Visitors must provide a DOE parking confirmation number and have their vehicle inspected before they will be permitted to enter the garage.  Parking attendants will direct visitors to their designated parking area.
  • To ensure the safety of Protective Force officers at the entrances, all permit holders should prominently display their parking permits on the right side (passenger side) of the vehicle’s front window.  This will allow the officers to inspect the parking permit without crossing in front of or behind vehicles entering the garage.
  • If personal vehicles are found parked in the Forrestal garage not displaying a valid parking permit, Parking Office staff will issue a Notice of Infraction.  Repeated instances of vehicles being parked in the garage without a valid parking permit displayed may result in ticketing and/or towing by the Federal Protective Service. 

Your cooperation is appreciated.  Please contact the Parking Office on (202) 586-5235 if you have any questions or need further assistance.

Parking Permit Rules and Guidelines

Car and Van Pool Qualifications

  • The primary permit holder must be a DOE employee stationed at the Forrestal Building.
  • At least two of the regular car pool or van pool members, including the primary permit holder, must be a DOE employee (contractors included) and be stationed at the Forrestal Building.
  • Van pools must have at least 8 members transported by a vehicle, which is designed to carry 10 or more passengers.
  • All applications must have the original signatures of all members of the car/van pool.
  • Applicant and carpool / van pool members must not be participating in Federal Metro or Mass Transit Subsidy Program.

SEET and Carpool Membership

The following represents the general rules and procedures which govern application for membership in the Parking Management and SEET programs:

  • The Parking Management and SEET databases are linked. Thus, membership in a DOE car pool, whether permit owner or rider, will result in a SEET database "block" on a SEET application. Likewise, membership in SEET will result in a Parking Management database "block" on a DOE parking permit application.
  • Deletion from either the Parking Management database or the SEET database must be requested in writing by the member/applicant. Requests for deletion from either program must be finalized prior to the submission of a Parking Management or SEET application.
  • Requests for deletion from the SEET database or questions regarding the SEET program, should be submitted to HQ Employee/Labor Management Relations.
  • Requests for deletion from the Parking Management database should be made by e-mail to ParkingManagementOffice@hq.doe.gov, or delivered to Forrestal room GE-140.  Every effort will be made to process such requests within a day of receipt.

Unusual Hours Qualifications

  • Permit holders must have a letter signed by their Administrative Officer and Immediate Supervisor, verifying that they work unusual hours 50 to 75 percent of the time.
  • Unusual Hours Definition - Work hours that are frequently required to be varied and do not coincide with any regular work schedule. Unusual Hours do not include shift workers or those granted exceptions to the normal work schedule (e.g., alternate work schedule).

Disabled Employees

The Office of Human Capital’s (HC) Employee and Labor Relations (E&LR) Division is the point-of-contact (POC) for reviewing requests for handicap parking permits.  Please contact the servicing E&LR Specialist for your organization. HC will then make a recommendation to the Parking Management Office regarding the disabled employee's parking permit request.

The roster of the Office of Human Capital's Labor Management/Employee Relation (E&LR) contacts for each organization is available through the following link:
https://hcnet.doe.gov/documents/labor-managementemployee-relations-contacts

Note: the roster of the E&LR contacts is only available to devices attached (logged on) to the DOE Network.  Any device not on the DOE Network will get an error message when trying to access the document.

Permit Holders Responsibilities

The employee to whom the parking permit is issued (i.e., the principal member in a car pool or van pool) must ensure that all information on the parking permit application is accurate and current. Employees must submit a new application to the Parking Management Office within 15 calendar days to register any change in unusual hours or car pool membership. Permits may be canceled if employees fail to resubmit their application.

Parking permits must be displayed on the driver's side of the dashboard. The parking permit must be fully and clearly visible and include the names and current office telephone numbers (not voice mail number) of all permit holders in the garage. Vehicles that do not display a monthly parking permit are subject to an irrevocable parking ticket issued by the Federal Protective Service and/or a notice of violation issued by the Parking Management Office.

DOE employees issued parking permits must park their vehicles in accordance with the procedures established in the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf) available through this link, those instructions may be given by the parking attendant. Employees will comply with all posted directional signs and observe safety and traffic regulations while operating a vehicle in the parking facility. It is expected that all drivers will be courteous to other drivers, pedestrians, and attendants. The Parking Committee may suspend for 1 month the permits of individuals who fail to follow directions provided by the parking attendants.

Any falsification or misrepresentation of the information furnished on a parking permit application will result in 1 year revocation of parking privileges for the first violation and permanent termination upon a second violation. In addition, employees may be subject to disciplinary action for such falsification or evasion. Suspended employees cannot join other car pools/ van pools while they are suspended.

Car Searches

All vehicles entering the Forrestal garage are subject to search. Our heightened security can be an incentive to clean your trunk and car; you will have a cleaner vehicle and help to expedite the screening process.

Suspension, Violation and Appeals

Pursuant to the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf) available through this link:

Revocation/Termination of Parking Privileges, contains the following regulation:
"Failure to comply with the specified operating procedures, or other oral or written parking instructions provided by the Parking Management Office, will result in a Notice of Violation. The first parking violation is a warning. The second violation will result in a 1-month suspension of parking privileges. The third violation will result in a 6-month revocation, and the fourth violation will result in permanent termination of parking privileges. Each violation will be removed from the file after twelve months."

Appeals Process, contains the following regulation:
"Should parking permit holders wish to appeal any action taken by the Parking Management Office, they must do so in writing to the Parking Committee within 15 days of the action. The permit holder must explain fully and clearly the basis for the appeal."

Send all appeals to the Parking Management Office:
Parking Management Office
MA-42, Forrestal Room GE-140

Forrestal Garage Parking Guidelines

The Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf), define policies and procedures governing the assignment, use, and management of parking spaces controlled by DOE in the Forrestal facility. Before applying for a parking permit please review the Order to be sure you meet the requirements to park in the Forrestal garage.

Obeying the "Stop" Signs!

We are concerned about employees who are not stopping at the posted “Stop” signs in the Forrestal Garage. We have the signs posted so that no one is hit, whether it be a pedestrian or vehicle. We have also noticed that some of the permit holders are not observing the posted speed limit in the garage. The posted speed limit is 5 mph. Their are permit holders that are driving through the garage doing up to 35 mph. The Federal Protective Service officers come in the garage and issue tickets to permit holders not adhering to the rules. They issue out tickets that are $50 and up, depending on the circumstance. Therefore, we ask that everyone observe the stop signs and speed limit in the garage so that we will not have any accidents.

Obey the Speed Limits!

The speed limit in the garage is 5 mph. Some of our customers are speeding through the garage as if the speed limit is 35 mph. The speed limit is there for your own protection whether walking to your car or driving. If a ticket is received from the Federal Protective Service, a monetary fine will be assessed and can only be appealed in Federal Traffic Court. Please drive carefully and responsibly.

Heed Directional Signs

It has been brought to the attention of the Parking Management Office that permit holders are not heeding the posted directional signs in the garage. The garage only has one lane and vehicles are to be driven in one direction. It has been reported that people are exiting the garage from their lane and going immediately up the ramp. But they are driving in the opposite direction of the posted directional signs to avoid having to drive around the garage when necessary. According to the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf) available through this link, Parking/Traffic Operating Procedures, DOE employees issued parking permits must park their vehicles in accordance with the procedures established in this Order and those instructions that may be given by the parking attendant. Employees will comply with all posted directional signs and observe safety and traffic regulations while operating a vehicle at the parking facility. Moreover, it is expected that drivers will be courteous to other drivers, pedestrians, and attendants. The Parking Committee may suspend for 1 month the permit of individuals who fail to follow directions provided by the parking attendants.

Departure Procedures

As stated in the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf) available through this link, "At the end of the workday, all vehicles must be moved by the posted lane departure time. Employees who fail to move their vehicles within 15 minutes of the posted departure times or when asked to do so by another employee will receive a violation notice and may be towed; parking privileges for such employees may be suspended and/or terminated.”

Permit holders who are blocked may call the permit holder blocking them and ask that they move their vehicle in order that they may leave the garage. If the vehicle has not been moved within 15 minutes of the posted lane departure time, notify an attendant so that the vehicle may be ticketed. If an attendant is not available take down the appropriate information and turn it into the Parking Management Office the next day - a ticket will be issued.

Guidelines for Leaving Early

Pursuant to the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf) available through this link, Employees who intend to leave during the workday should park in lanes designated for such access and egress if available. If such parking is not available, a parking attendant should be asked to provide assistance.

What To Do When Issued A Ticket

If you receive a ticket and want to appeal it, these are the steps to take. You must write an appeal letter. You must provide detailed explanation of the circumstances surrounding the violation or suspension. The appeal letter should also include the ticket number and the permit number that the violation was written on. Send your appeal letter to the Parking Management Office, located at GG-031 or by email. The appeal letter will be reviewed by the Parking Committee. The Committee will decide on sustaining or waiving the violation. The Parking Committee meets once a month, near the end of the month. Appeals received after the Parking Committee meeting will be reviewed at the subsequent meeting. Notification of the judgment will be sent through inter-office mail. This appeal process is for the DOE Forrestal garage issued ticket only. Federal Protective Services issued tickets are to be appealed in Federal Court.

After Hours Parking

The Forrestal Parking Garage is available for parking for ALL DOE employees with a valid DOE badge after 5:00 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays. Prior to 5:00 pm on weekdays, only permit holders are allowed in the garage.

Permit Holders Responsibilities

The employee to whom the parking permit is issued (i.e., the principal member in a car pool or van pool) must ensure that all information on the parking permit application is accurate and current. Employees must submit a new application to the Parking Management Office within 15 calendar days to register any change in unusual hours or car pool membership. Permits may be canceled if employees fail to resubmit their application

Parking permits must be displayed on the driver's side of the dashboard. The parking permit must be fully and clearly visible and include the names and current office telephone numbers (not voice mail number) of all permit holders in the garage. Vehicles that do not display a monthly parking permit are subject to an irrevocable parking ticket issued by the Federal Protective Service and/or a notice of violation issued by the Parking Management Office.

DOE employees issued parking permits must park their vehicles in accordance with the procedures established in the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures (pdf) available through this link, those instructions may be given by the parking attendant. Employees will comply with all posted directional signs and observe safety and traffic regulations while operating a vehicle in the parking facility. It is expected that all drivers will be courteous to other drivers, pedestrians, and attendants. The Parking Committee may suspend for 1 month the permits of individuals who fail to follow directions provided by the parking attendants.

Any falsification or misrepresentation of the information furnished on a parking permit application will result in 1 year revocation of parking privileges for the first violation and permanent termination upon a second violation. In addition, employees may be subject to disciplinary action for such falsification or evasion. Suspended employees cannot join other car pools/ van pools while they are suspended.

Pop Up Barriers

Caution should be used when approaching vehicle entrances and exits to the Forrestal Building. Be sure you present your badge and clearly display your parking permit on the driver's side dashboard. Establish eye to eye contact with the security officer on duty. Gain the security officer's acknowledgment to halt or proceed and follow admittance and exit with caution.

Procedures for Reporting Damages

If a driver accidentally strikes another vehicle in the parking facility, the driver must stop and check for any damages to either vehicle. If the other vehicle is damaged, the driver must notify the owner/driver immediately. The driver must also provide pertinent information about the accident to the security office and the parking attendant on duty. The parking attendant will notify the Federal Protective Service and Headquarters Security Office. In the event the parking office is closed at the time of the accident, or the discovery of the accident, these notifications should be accomplished at the first opportunity when the parking office is open for business.

What To Do When On Travel

Many permit holders are required to travel around the country on official business. As a courtesy to our customers, the Forrestal garage is available for permit holders to park their car for the duration of their trip. The following are guidelines that you should take if you wish to leave your car in the Forrestal garage.

  • The car must be parked against the wall.
  • Have your valid monthly permit displayed in the parked car for the duration of your trip.
  • Notify the parking attendants of your desire to leave the vehicle in the garage.
  • Notify the attendants of the lane the car is parked in to avoid any confusion.
  • Make sure your vehicle is locked. Do not leave your keys with anyone. The parking attendants are not responsible for moving your car.

Forrestal Garage Vehicle Transportation System (GoJak Caster System)

The Forrestal Garage Vehicle Transportation System (also referred to as the “GoJak Caster System” and “multi-jack”) will be used by authorized Parking Services employees to move vehicles in the Forrestal garage that are disabled, unauthorized, or otherwise meet the criteria for needing to be relocated per the approved actions in the Forrestal Garage Vehicle Transport System Terms of Use in the Forrestal Garage Parking Procedures, Appendix A.  Please refer to Appendix A for the vehicle relocation policy and procedures.

Use this link to go to the Parking and Garage FAQs

Open or download the Unusual Hours Parking Pass Request Template

The Unusual Hours Parking Pass Request Template is posted on the Department's internal information system, the Powerpedia, and can only be accessed if you are actively logged onto a DOE network.  This is done for consistency, so that there is only one template being referenced, and general security of resources that are to used/accessed only by DOE employees.

Use this link to directly access the Unusual Hours Parking Pass Request Template, a Word file (DOENet Access only).

If your browser has problems with the above link, please use this link to access the Template's hosting page and download/open it from there (DOENet Access Only)