Occupation · SOC 53-6021
Parking Attendants
Park vehicles or issue tickets for customers in a parking lot or garage. May park or tend vehicles in environments such as a car dealership or rental car facility. May collect fee.
Median wage
$34,600
$24,960–$43,840
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
134,650
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
1 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingService OrientationActive ListeningSocial Perceptiveness
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageTransportation
Technology & tools
Point of sale POS softwareElectronic mail softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareWord processing software
Representative tasks
Take numbered tags from customers, locate vehicles, and deliver vehicles, or provide customers with instructions for locating vehicles.Inspect vehicles to detect any damage.Greet customers and open their car doors.Issue ticket stubs or place numbered tags on windshields, log tags or attach tag to customers' keys, and give customers matching tags for locating parked vehicles.Perform cash handling tasks, such as making change, balancing and recording cash drawer, or distributing tips.Explain and calculate parking charges, collect fees from customers, and respond to customer complaints.Park and retrieve automobiles for customers in parking lots, storage garages, or new car lots.Provide customer assistance and information, such as giving directions or handling wheelchairs.Keep parking areas clean and orderly to ensure that space usage is maximized.Call emergency responders or the proper authorities and provide motorist assistance, such as giving directions or helping jump start a stalled vehicle.Patrol parking areas to prevent vehicle damage and vehicle or property thefts.Direct motorists to parking areas or parking spaces, using hand signals or flashlights as necessary.Escort customers to their vehicles to ensure their safety.Perform maintenance on cars in storage to protect tires, batteries, or exteriors from deterioration.Lift, position, and remove barricades to open or close parking areas.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Numbered tags and ticket stubs — issue and match to customers' keys under direct supervision in a managed parking facility.Customer vehicles — greet arriving drivers and open car doors following established service protocols on a first shift.Parked vehicles — locate and retrieve using numbered tag system with guidance from an experienced attendant.Vehicle condition — inspect for visible damage at drop-off by following a basic checklist provided by the facility.Parking charges — explain standard rate structures to customers using posted signage and scripted responses.Cash drawer — collect fees and make change for straightforward transactions under supervisor observation at a POS terminal.Customer directions — provide basic location information such as exits and restrooms using facility maps and posted guides.Automobiles — park in designated spaces at low speed following lane markings and supervisor instructions in a surface lot.Customer complaints — recognize and escalate unresolved service issues to a shift supervisor in a timely manner.Spoken instructions — listen and respond to customer requests using clear, polite language at a facility entrance or booth.
developing
Customer vehicles — park and retrieve efficiently and safely across multiple sections of a structured parking garage with minimal oversight.Windshield tags and key logs — manage the full tagging and logging process independently during moderate-volume shifts at a valet station.Vehicle damage inspections — document pre-existing damage accurately on intake forms and communicate findings to customers before accepting keys.Cash drawer — balance and record daily cash totals at shift end using POS software in a standard parking operation.Parking fees — calculate charges for varied rate categories including hourly, daily, and monthly accounts and resolve routine billing discrepancies.Customer complaints — handle common service objections such as lost ticket disputes by applying facility policy without escalating unnecessarily.Wheelchair and mobility assistance — provide safe, courteous physical assistance to customers with special needs in a busy urban parking facility.New car lot inventory — retrieve and stage vehicles in correct positions following lot management instructions with consistent accuracy.Verbal communication — relay parking instructions and facility rules clearly to a diverse customer base using active listening and plain language.Tip distribution — track and distribute shared gratuities among attendants accurately using established shift-end procedures.
proficient
High-volume vehicle flow — manage parking and retrieval operations autonomously during peak-demand periods at a large urban garage or event venue.Damage liability documentation — assess and record vehicle condition thoroughly at intake and return, reducing disputes and protecting facility liability.POS and payment systems — process all payment types, reconcile cash drawers, and troubleshoot common transaction errors without supervisory support.Complex customer situations — resolve escalated complaints, fee disputes, and service failures independently using sound judgment and facility policy.Spatial traffic management — organize vehicle placement to maximize capacity and retrieval speed across a multi-level or overflow parking facility.Customer service quality — model and demonstrate service standards including greeting, assistance, and communication that consistently exceed guest expectations.Electronic records — maintain accurate daily logs, incident reports, and cash records using spreadsheet or office suite software for management review.Safety compliance — identify and respond to vehicle or facility safety hazards, reporting and mitigating risks in line with operational protocols.New staff orientation — guide newly hired attendants through daily procedures and customer interaction expectations during on-site training shifts.Interdepartmental coordination — communicate vehicle status, customer needs, and operational issues to hotel, venue, or facility staff across departments.
advanced
Facility-wide service standards — establish and enforce customer service protocols that define the guest experience across all shifts and staff levels.Staff development — design and lead on-the-job training programs that build competency in vehicle handling, cash management, and customer service for all attendants.Operational workflow — redesign vehicle intake, storage, and retrieval processes to reduce wait times and increase throughput at a multi-site parking operation.Revenue accountability — oversee cash handling controls, POS reconciliation, and loss-prevention measures across an entire parking facility or network.Performance standards — set measurable benchmarks for accuracy, speed, and customer satisfaction and evaluate team performance against those targets.Technology adoption — evaluate and implement POS, ticketing, and vehicle management software solutions to modernize facility operations.Policy development — author and update facility policies covering damage liability, fee structures, accessibility accommodations, and service escalation procedures.Vendor and partner relations — negotiate agreements with towing services, equipment suppliers, and client organizations on behalf of the parking operation.Customer escalation resolution — resolve high-stakes complaints involving damage claims, safety incidents, or significant billing errors with authority and professionalism.Strategic capacity planning — analyze occupancy trends and forecast staffing, space, and equipment needs to align facility resources with demand cycles.
Also known as
52 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Ramp JockeyNight AttendantValet AttendantValetLot AttendantAuto ParkerAuto Lot Attendant (Automotive Lot Attendant)Lot PorterGround Transportation Apprentice (Air Force 2T131)Hospital Valet AttendantCar HopperValet Parking AttendantHikerCar ChaserParking Lot SpotterOutside Service AttendantValet DriverCar ShaggerParking Ramp AttendantCar HostlerUtility ClerkAuto HikerGround Transportation Superintendent (Air Force 2T191)Ground Transportation Helper (Air Force 2T111)Service AttendantService ValetValet RunnerTruck SpotterService Lot AttendantCar RunnerParking CashierGround Transportation (Air Force 2T1X1)Valet ParkerParking-Lot AttendantParking Lot SignalerParking AttendantCustomer Service AttendantParking Lot LaborerHotel Valet AttendantCar Parker