13-448 The Secretary of State presents his compliments to their

13-448

The Secretary of State presents his compliments to their Excellencies

and Messieurs and Mesdames the Chiefs of Mission, and referring to the

Department’s note No. 95-312, dated October 18, 1995, wishes to remind

them of the reserved diplomatic parking policies which are in effect at

Washington, D.C. area airports.

Chiefs of Mission are informed that the Metropolitan Washington

Airports Authority make special parking arrangements available at Ronald

Reagan Washington National (DCA) and Washington Dulles International

(IAD) airports for authorized diplomatic personnel through the use of

“Diplomatic Parking” placards produced by the Metropolitan Washington

Airports Authority and issued to the foreign mission community by the

Department’s Office of Foreign Missions (OFM). Due to the high demand

for parking at the reserved areas and the limited number of spaces available,

the Department maintains a policy of issuing a maximum of two airport

“Diplomatic Parking” placards per diplomatic mission. Placards should be

displayed inside the windshield or on the visor where clearly visible.

Use of the restricted parking areas at these two airports is provided

solely for business purposes and may only be used by mission members

whose vehicles bear diplomatic “D” license plates and display placards

issued by OFM. Vehicles of staff members with “S” license plates will not

be admitted into reserved lots. If a placard is lost, Embassies are reminded

to notify OFM as soon as possible in writing on mission letterhead with the

number of the lost placard so that a replacement can be issued. OFM will

notify the airport to treat the lost placard as stolen if someone attempts to use

it to gain unauthorized access to restricted parking areas.

At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), there is a

limited restricted lot adjacent to the South Metrofare Plaza and directly

across the street from Public Parking Garage A marked “Reserved for

Congressional, Supreme Court and Diplomatic Corps” (see enclosed map).

If the restricted parking lot is full, vehicles bearing diplomatic “D” license

plates and displaying placards may also use any public parking facility.

Upon exiting, diplomats are required to sign parking tickets and present their

diplomatic identification cards to the parking attendant to be exempt from

payment.

At Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), there are special

reserved and marked rows available to diplomatic personnel in the short-

term parking areas near the terminal (see enclosed map). Vehicles bearing

diplomatic “D” license plates and displaying placards may also use any

public parking facility at the airport. Upon exiting the latter, diplomats must

sign parking tickets and present their diplomatic identification cards to the

parking attendant to be exempt from payment.

At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

(BWI), due to limited facilities, only Chiefs of Mission in possession of a

diplomatic identification card which lists their ‘Title’ as “Ambassador” are

eligible for free “VIP” parking. There is no need to display the

aforementioned airport parking placards at BWI. Chiefs of Mission may

park at the Express Service Parking (ESP) lot located on Terminal Road and

Aviation Boulevard (MD 170) (see enclosed map). After taking a parking

ticket to enter this parking area, Chiefs of Mission are allowed to park in

reserved parking spaces numbered 28 through 47 along the right side of the

lot. If none of these spaces are available, Chiefs of Mission are permitted to

park in any available space. An Express Service Parking van will transport

VIPs from their vehicles to the terminal at the lower level designated bus

stops (Pier A, C, D, & E). A ticket with the parking space number will be

provided by the van operator to present upon return so that Chiefs of

Mission can be taken directly to their vehicles. Upon departure, Chiefs of

Mission are required to sign parking tickets and present their diplomatic

identification cards to the parking attendant to be exempt from payment.

Missions further are informed that, at BWI, Chiefs of Mission may

also park in the Daily Garage across the street from the Express Service

Parking lot. This option is available at any time and may be preferred during

inclement weather. However, there are no designated VIP reserved parking

spaces in the Daily Parking garage and VIP transportation is not provided to

the terminal. Guests must board buses at one of four enclosed bus stops on

level two of the garage. Please note that BWI’s diplomatic parking policy

applies only to Chiefs of Mission in possession of a diplomatic identification

card which lists their ‘Title’ as Ambassador. Other diplomats, (including

those with the diplomatic ‘rank’ of ambassador but not currently serving in

the role of Chief of Mission and possessing a diplomatic identification card

with a ‘Title’ of Ambassador), staff, and family members are not eligible.

Inquiries regarding diplomatic airport parking may be directed to the

Office of Foreign Missions at 202-895-3500 or at

OFMCustomerService@state.gov.

Enclosure: As Stated.

Department of State,

Washington, May 31, 2013.

CONGRESSIONAL, SUPREME COURT and DIPLOMANTIC PARKING at

RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT

There are three Restricted Parking Lots available for use by authorized Congressional, Supreme Court, and Diplomatic Corp members. The

following rules apply for use of the Restricted Parking areas.

Restricted Parking areas:

•

There is a Restricted Lot located directly across the street from Public Parking Garage A (see map). Requirements for use of the lot are

as follows:

o Members of Congress

: display a current Congressional

vehicle plate issued by the Sergeants-at-Arms for the

House or Senate.

o Members of the Supreme Court

: display a vehicle

dashboard-parking placard issued by the Marshal of the

Supreme Court.

o Members of the Diplomatic Corps

: display a “D” license

plate affixed to the vehicle and their Diplomatic Parking

placard issued by the U.S. Department of State on the

vehicle dashboard.

These items must be shown to the security guard when entering the lot

and continue to be displayed and visible while the vehicle is parked.

There are two other Restricted Parking areas that are not attended

(see map). Authorized users must display the official plate and / or

placard as described above while parked in these Restricted Parking

areas.

When the Restricted Lots are full, authorized users may use the public lots as follows.

All Public Parking Lots / Garages:

• Entering: Take a parking lot ticket

from the machine at the entrance to the lot.

• Exiting: Present the parking lot ticket

and the official government identification card to the cashier and you will be allowed to exit

without payment. If your official identification card is not presented, the cashier will record your official placard and you will be allowed

to exit without payment.

NOTE: Diplomats must display their “D” license plate affixed to the vehicle and present their Diplomatic Parking placard to the cashier to be

allowed to exit without payment.

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