You’ve got your San Diego Comic-Con badge, you’ve got your sights set on a hotel (or maybe you already booked one) – but what about parking? It’s a crucial piece of the puzzle for many attendees – although Comic-Con International offers a free shuttle to area hotels, and the city has the trolley and other public transportation options, the ability to have your own car in the vicinity, especially if you’re local, is crucial.

Ace Parking announced today that just like last year, parking lot assignments this year will utilize a lottery based system – and the lottery registration period is now open.

In order to be register, all you need to do is send an e-mail to cci-2016@aceparking.com (one entry per e-mail address) between now and April 24. After that, a random drawing will be done to select the winners, who will then be divided into six groups.

The first group will be allowed to purchase their parking space beginning May 2 (and will have a week to purchase), with each subsequent group getting a chance to purchase the following week. At the end of the six week period, the system will be opened to the general public. Last year, parking did not sell out before it went on sale to the general public – so if you aren’t selected, don’t fear.

No word yet on which lots will be available in the sale, but last year’s lots included the Convention Center, Hilton Bayfront Garage, Tailgate Park, MTS Lot, 707 Broadway, Padres Parkade, Diamond View Towers, and Horton Plaza. We’ll update as we get more information.

Ace answered some common questions about how the lottery will be run:

Q: If I send in multiple entries from multiple email accounts that I own and win one of them, can I purchase my permit with any of the emails I registered with or only the one that won?
A: Only the one that won. Your winning email address must be registered in the account you are going to use to purchase the permits. The purchase process will require you to log into your account first and will validate your email address. If your email address matches one on the selected list, you will be given the option to purchase a permit at the lot your name was drawn for. If there is no match, the option to purchase a permit will not be available to you.

Q: Can I register for the drawing with an email address that I haven’t registered an account with in the permit system?
A: Yes. Accounts in the permit system are separate from the registration emails. If one of the email accounts you entered from is selected to purchase a permit, you have the option to create an account for that email address, or update your existing account with that email address to qualify for the purchase option.

Q: If my entry is selected for a lot, can I purchase a permit for multiple days, or just a single day?
A: When you enter the system to purchase your permit, you will have the option to purchase permits for all five days during the show (preview night and four show days.)

Q: Can I register multiple times for the lottery?
A: Yes and no, the system will accept your entries, but the drawing will be restricted to one entry per email address.

You can find more information on Ace Parking’s website.

What do you think of Ace Parking’s new system? Let us know in the comments.