All Residence Halls close on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at Noon
Students eligible to participate in Graduation ceremonies will be permitted to stay until
Sunday, May 17, at 10:00 a.m., with approval from Residence Life
If you have any questions about the move-out process, please call our office directly
Follow the instructions for properly checking out of your room to avoid an improper check-out and/or lock change charge
Students in Non-Greek Housing:
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Check-Out envelopes should be available outside your hall office
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After you have removed all belongings, please place your key in the Check-Out envelope and note your name, room, and the date on the envelope
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Drop off the Check-Out envelope (with your key in it) at your hall office and slide it under the hall office door.
Students in Greek Housing:
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Notify your House Manager of your checkout
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Remove all of your belongings from your room
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Turn your key in to your House Manager
Driving Directions & Parking Info
Important General Notes
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Thursday (5/14) will be the busiest day for move-out
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If you can move out before Thursday, you are strongly encouraged to do so to make your move-out process easier
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Please be completely packed up and ready to load your vehicle before moving the vehicle close to the residence hall and relocate the vehicle as soon as you are done loading
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Families can park in nearby parking lots for as long as needed before and after loading the car, but the actual loading should be done as quickly as possible so that others have a chance to get close to the buildings
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Trailers and U-Hauls are strongly discouraged
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It is likely that anyone bringing a trailer or U-Haul will have to park a greater distance away from their residence hall because the amount of space surrounding most residence halls simply does not allow for the presence of a vehicle with an attachment
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Depending on the intensity of move-out traffic, vehicles with trailers may be instructed to detach and leave the trailer in a remote lot
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General Information & FAQs
Annual Reminder of Parking Impact on Campus
On Wednesday (5/13) and Thursday (5/14), Champions Drive will convert to one-way traffic during the day in order to park vehicles in the outbound lane as families pick up students and move out.
- The Champions Drive Parking Deck will still be accessible, but all vehicles exiting from the Champions Deck or Champions Drive, including those leaving F Lot via the south exit (directed out via Lakeside Service Drive)
Parking and Transit Services will continue to enforce all Fire Lanes and accessible spaces.
- It is never acceptable for drivers to park in these areas to move out for any length of time.
- Pay station spaces will also be enforced at all times.
Vehicles should never block other vehicles for any length of time.
- Such vehicles may be issued parking citations.
Bookstore buybacks and rental returns will add increased traffic congestion to the area as well.
- Depending on the intensity of traffic, JMU Police has occasionally elected to temporarily close the G Lot entrance across from Carrier Drive to prevent traffic gridlock, until some vehicles exit the lot.
- G Lot remains a faculty/staff lot on these days, so students returning books should be parking in regular student parking if the pay station spaces in front of the bookstore are full.
Some space in F Lot will be reserved for vehicles arriving for move-out.
- We expect a minimum amount of impact on faculty and staff, but we still recommend that faculty/staff allow a little extra time to find a parking space and be prepared to park in G or P Lots if there is no space available in F.
Any and all parking-related questions or concerns should be directed to Parking and Transit Services.
General Information
Wood and/or cinder blocks must be removed from your room. Any building materials not being kept should be placed next to your hall dumpster (not inside it).
Yes! To keep useful items out of the landfill, you can donate them in the Why Wait Donate areas in each residence hall! Donation areas will be set up in each hall at the end of the academic year - if you are moving out of your room at another time of the year, we still encourage you to donate your items to other locations!
Acceptable Items to Donate
- Unbroken furniture
- Clean clothing
- School supplies
- Unopened personal hygiene products
- Functional appliances
- Functional electronic equipment
- Books (no textbooks) and games
- Bikes (remove from bike racks and leave in TV lounge)
Fact: JMU students sent 65 tons of trash to the landfill during check-out in 2025
The rolling bins from Move In will most likely not be available at your hall for Move Out.
It is recommended to bring a handcart to assist in moving your belongings.
Please enter your forwarding address into your MyMadison account.
JMU will forward your mail to that address.
If students accidentally forget to turn in their key, please mail it back to the Residence Life. Please place it in an envelope and ensure it is well secured (i.e., taped to a piece of cardboard, index card or wrapped up as well to prevent the key from falling out during mail transit).
Keys need to be received by Friday, May 22, 2026
Return Address:
James Madison University
200 Huffman Service Drive
MSC 2401 Huffman Hall B-101
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
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