Permit Types vs. Registration Settings

Permit Types and Registration Settings are both used to configure parking rules in Offstreet.

They are built on the same rules engine, but take different approaches to how those rules are set up and managed.

Permit Types introduce a more structured, guided way to configure permits—making it easier to create consistent, reliable setups across locations.

Key Difference

The difference comes down to **how rules are created and managed**.

• Permit Types define rules together in a single, guided setup
• Registration Settings configure rules individually, often across multiple areas

With Permit Types, rules are defined in one place, making them:

• Easier to understand
• Easier to maintain
• Less prone to misconfiguration

Registration Settings provide more direct control over individual rules—but require more coordination to ensure everything works together correctly.

A More Structured Approach

Permit Types are designed to simplify setup without reducing flexibility.

They provide:

• A guided configuration experience that helps prevent invalid or conflicting rules
• A single place to define how a permit behaves
• A consistent way to manage permits across locations

Today, Permit Types support a set of Common Rules, covering the majority of everyday parking scenarios.

This means most use cases—like employee permits, visitor parking, or time-based access—can be set up quickly, without deep rules-engine knowledge.

Flexibility, Without the Complexity

Permit Types are still powered by the same rules engine as Registration Settings.

• You’re not losing flexibility
• You’re gaining a clearer way to apply it

Support for more advanced scenarios will continue to expand over time.

For more detail on rule capabilities, see:

[**Rule Engine Overview**]

Breakdown

When Should I Use Each?

Use Permit Types when:

• You are creating standard permits (employee, student, contractor, etc.)
• You want a more guided and predictable setup experience
• You need to manage permits across multiple locations
• You want to reduce ongoing maintenance and duplication

Use Registration Settings when:

• You need to support a highly specific or uncommon rule
• You are working with an existing setup that relies on advanced configurations

What This Means for You

If you're setting up new permits, Permit Types are the best place to start.

They are designed to handle the majority of parking use cases today, while making setup faster, clearer, and easier to manage over time.

What’s Next?

• Compare Permit Types with Events
• Learn more about rules: Rule Engine Overview
• Get started: Create your first Permit Type