Parking at Meters and Pay Stations

Parking Meters

For short stays, meters are available for $.25 per 10 minutes. Meters have varying time limits, from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the location. Maps that indicate meter locations can be obtained at the Main Entrance Kiosk and the TAPS Sales Office. A downloadable pdf of the campus parking map with meter locations is also available.

Pay Station Parking Information

Short-term parking is available at Pay Station spaces in Hahn Lot 101, East Field House Lot 103, Oakes/College Eight Lot 162, OPERS Lot 103, the Core West Parking Lot 112, and Performing Arts Lot 126. Pay stations accept coins, dollar bills, credit cards, and the UCSC ParkCard; the cost is $1.50/hour during business hours (7:00am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday). To use the paystations, note the number of the parking stall where you park and enter it into the machine. Then follow the on-screen instructions to pay for the permit, and place the permit on the driver's side dashboard of your car.

During business hours (7:00am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday), most paystations have a two-hour time limit. (The Hahn Pay Station has a one-hour limit.) After 4:30pm, all pay stations offer a flat rate of $3/evening.

Paystation permits are valid only in the lot where they are purchased.

Please note: The paystations in Performing Arts Lot 126 have two operating modes: one for weekday parking before 4:30pm (when parkers pay by the hour, and only for certain numbered paystalls), and one for evenings and weekends (when parkers pay a flat rate and can park anywhere in the lot).

ParkCards for Meter and Pay Station Parking

The UCSC ParkCard is designed specifically for use at all campus parking meters and paystations. The ParkCard is the size of a credit card, and is a convenient way to pay for metered parking without coins. ParkCards do not have an expiration date; more time can be easily added at campus parking paystations by using a Visa or MasterCard, or at the TAPS Sales Office during business hours.

ParkCards are available for purchase at the TAPS Parking Sales Office (Monday through Friday, 7:00am - 5:00pm). Cards must be purchased in person, paid for with cash, check, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard).

The minimum initial cost is $25; a one-time fee of $5.00 per card, and a value of $20 in parking meter/paystation time. More parking time may be purchased and added to the ParkCard if desired.

Anyone can purchase a ParkCard. Participants can use the card to park at campus meters and paystations as much or as little as they need. There is an added benefit of obtaining credit for unused time at meters by inserting the card into the meter before leaving the parking space. (Regrettably, paystations cannot be programmed to provide credit for unused time in paystation parking stalls).

Once purchased, time can be added to the card at any campus paystation; paystations are located at OPERS, Hahn Student Services, Performing Arts, the Core West Parking Structure, and the lower College Eight lot. Additional time can also be purchased at the TAPS Parking Sales Office in H Barn. Adding time must be paid for with a Visa or MasterCard.

ParkCards are not refundable even if lost, stolen, or damaged. Please treat your ParkCard like cash.

ParkCards are transferable. The initial purchaser may make their own transaction to sell or gift their ParkCard to another individual when they no longer need it.