The Zipcar Program at UCSC

Effective 8/1/2023: Per the UC systemwide contract with Zipcar, affiliate memberships will increase from $15 to $20 per year, and rental rates will increase by $0.50 per hour ($4 per day).

Zipcar for Personal Use
Wish you had a car to get your surfboard to the surf? Need a vehicle to get you and your friends off campus or to go shopping? Want to go hiking at a local park? Happy to ride the bus or your bike, but sometimes need access to a car? Zipcar is the answer. Zipcar is a membership-based car rental program providing self-service access to vehicles on campus, 24/7. At UCSC, all UCSC students 18 years of age and older, and staff and faculty, are eligible to join Zipcar for affordable, convenient access to a car when needed, for personal use. Reserve a car online by the hour or day - just pay as you go. Avoid all the hassles and costs of car ownership. Prices from $10.50 per hour - includes all vehicle fees, gas, insurance, mileage and parking in marked spaces at UCSC. Learn more from Zipcar.

Parking Zipcars On Campus
Zipcars may park in any marked, non-reserved parking space on campus without an additional UCSC parking permit. Each Zipcar is assigned a specific parking space which is reserved for that car at all times.

UCSC Department Accounts for Zipcar Use for Short-term Business-related Travel
Please note: Student employees 18 years of age and older are now eligible to drive Zipcars for UC-related short-term business travel. All business travel through Zipcar MUST be made on a departmental Zipcar account for insurance reasons.

After a department establishes a Zipcar account, individual staff business accounts for each potential traveler in the department can be set up. The process for setting up a departmental account with individual user accounts is explained in the attached PDF.

Once an account has been set up and individual users have been approved for Zipcar use for business travel, short-term trips (up to 24 hours) that are 180 miles or less roundtrip are allowed. If department business travel needs exceed either or both of these restrictions, Zipcar should not be used; instead, rental cars may be obtained through UCSC Fleet Services or the UC rental car contract agencies - National/Enterprise or Hertz.

The purpose of the UC business trip must be documented at the time of your Zipcar reservation. A departmental business Zipcar account may not be used for personal travel. Only staff approved for membership by Zipcar may drive Zipcars.

Zipcar for Community Members
Santa Cruz Community residents 21 years of age and older can also join Zipcar.

Check the Zipcar app or website for current Zipcar Locations

Note that vehicle availability may fluctuate at some locations at certain times of the year.