Valet parking: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering valet parking
You run valet parking for events, from the entrance greeting to the car's return. Clients trust you to protect their guests' cars, keep traffic moving and leave the site clean at the end.
What customers ask
- What insurance covers my guests' cars?
- How many attendants do you need for my guest count?
- Do you handle the permits?
- How do you track each car and its key?
- What happens if the lot is full?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask for the venue, the guest count, the arrival window and the parking layout
- Visit the site, or review a map and photos, before you quote, and check the entrance and the drop off area
- Confirm the permit and approval status with the client and the venue in writing
- Put in the quote the attendant count, the hours, the equipment, the insurance and the permit responsibility
- Show the tagging system you use to track each car and key
- Send the traffic plan and the stand layout to the client for approval
- Plan a peak arrival and a departure plan, and assign staff to each
What to put on your profile
- Post photos of your valet stand, signs and attendants in uniform
- List the event types you serve, such as weddings, galas and corporate events
- Show your insurance certificate and your key tracking process
- Describe your traffic plan and how you handle peak arrivals
- Add the venues you have worked and the site types you handle
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer a repeat booking for the client's annual event
- Suggest a shuttle or a second valet lane for a larger event
- Recommend a parking plan for the client's next venue
- Share a summary of the arrival and departure times for the client's records
Licenses and permits
Many places require a permit to run valet parking on public streets or some private lots, and the rules vary by place. Confirm the permit and the approved parking area before every event, carry insurance that covers the cars you park, and follow the venue's traffic rules.
Questions
What insurance do I need for valet?
Carry the coverage that applies to the cars you park and the work you do. Many venues ask for a certificate before the event, so keep one ready.
What if a guest's car is damaged?
Photograph the car at intake and at return, follow your claims process and notify the client and your insurer at once.
Can we park cars on a street near the venue?
Only if the local office allows it for valet. Check the permit rules and the approved area before you plan the traffic route.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
More events and rentals guides for pros
Start here
About this guide
Get valet parking requests
Customers pick you by name. Signup is free, and you pay only for leads you accept.
Join as a pro