Departmental Permits
Departments can use a FOAPAL to order permits for guests, vendors, or contractors.
Please Note: Per University of California regulations, departmental permits are for guests only and may not be used by UC Santa Cruz affiliates.* Failure to adhere to this regulation may result in the suspension of departmental permits for your unit.
*There are rare exceptions to this policy; contact the TAPS Sales Office to find out if an exception applies to your situation.
Please read all steps carefully before proceeding with your request. For assistance with this process, please email the TAPS Sales Office, or join our weekly drop-in office hours on Zoom on Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and Noon.
Setting up a Department Account
All departmental permit requests will require first setting up a Departmental Account.
- Send an email to tapssales@ucsc.edu with the following information:
- Request for a Departmental Account
- Name of the Department
- Name and UCSC email for the primary contact on the account
- Names and UCSC emails of other members who will be able to order permits (proxies)
- Employees may only be proxy and order permits for one department account
- The department’s primary contact will receive a confirmation email with the details and login information for the department account.
Go to the instructions for Bulk Permits if your department needs to purchase long-term permits for guests, vendors, or contractors
Go to the instructions for Individual Guest Permits if your department needs to purchase one or more short-term permits for guests, vendors, or contractors.
Bulk/Long Term Permits
If your department needs to purchase annual or quarterly permits for guests, vendors or contractors, use this process to order permits.
The permits are purchased in advance and then assigned to specific vehicles. Once the order is processed it will be recharged to the FOAPAL you specify.
Fill out one request per permit type AND start date. Once your request has been processed, you will receive an email with further instructions to assign license plates to each permit.
Bulk Permit Types
Departmental Annual A
Available for all week, or limited days. Valid from the designated start date through June 30th of the current fiscal year. Valid in lots that accept A Permits.
Cost: $900/year (total will be prorated based on the days valid and permit start date)
Departmental Quarterly A All Week
Available for all week, or limited days. Valid for 90 days from the designated start date. Valid in lots that accept A permits.
Cost: $259/quarter (total will be prorated for limited days)
Departmental Official Use Permit
Must be used in conjunction with a valid A or O permit. Valid in all lots that accept A permits as well as:
- University Vehicle Spaces (no personal electric vehicle charging)
- ParkMobile Spaces for the Maximum posted time (or 2 hours, whichever is shorter)
- For one hour in 10-, 15-, or 20-minute spaces
- Out of marked spaces for no more than 2 hours
Cost: $990/year (total will be prorated based on the permit start date)
University Vehicle Permits
Please Note: When parking out of marked spaces, blocking vehicles or obstructing traffic may result in a citation. Drivers of University vehicles who receive a parking citation are responsible for payment of the citation.
University vehicles that have been assessed annual parking fees may park only as follows:
- In A, B, or R parking lots
- In University Vehicle spaces
- In ParkMobile spaces without paying the fee for up to the maximum time posted
- In time zone spaces (e.g., 10-, 15-, or 20-minute spaces) for up to one hour
- Out of marked spaces for no more than two hours
- At loading docks for no more than 30 minutes
- In Commercial Vehicle zones
University vehicles that have been assessed annual parking fees may not park:
- In spaces within Lot 141, 157, 158 or 159
- In any Fire Lanes, Tow-Away, or No Parking spaces or zones.
- In transit stops (unless otherwise posted)
- In any spaces that are reserved for a specific individual or unit, except for the following:
- In Departmental reserved spaces only while displaying the appropriate, valid TAPS-issued “RESERVED” placard (Official Use placards cannot be used).
- In ADA/Accessible or medical spaces only while displaying the appropriate, valid placard or license plate.
- In Vanpool "reserved" spaces (TAPS Vanpool vehicles only).
Approved rates: $900.
University vehicles that have not been assessed annual parking fees, including those rented from Fleet Services or off-campus unit vehicles, may be parked at loading docks for no more than 30 minutes and in limited time zones for the maximum posted time. For all other parking, permits must be purchased from TAPS or through ParkMobile.
Individual Guest Permits
If your department needs to purchase one or more short-term permits for guests, vendors, or contractors, you will use this process to invite each individual to claim their permit.
Types of Individual Guest Permits
4-hour A Permits and Night Permits
Valid for 4 or 5 hours on the designated date only. Valid in lots that accept A Permits.
- Morning: Valid from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Mid-day: Valid from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Afternoon: Valid from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Guest Night Permit: Valid from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $5/permit
Department Guest Daily
Valid all day on the designated date only. Valid in lots that accept A Permits.
Cost: $10/permit
Department Guest Week (7 days)
Valid all day for 7 days from the designated start date. Valid in lots that accept A Permits.
Cost: $45/permit
Department Guest Month (30 days)
Valid all day for 30 days from the designated start date. Valid in lots that accept A Permits.
Cost: $150/permit
Ordering Individual Guest Permits with a FOAPAL
You will be recharged to the specified FOAPAL for each claimed permit only.
Fill out one request per permit type AND start date.
- Login to ucsc.aimsparking.com with your CruzID and Gold Password.
- From your dashboard, select “Department Login.”
- Select "Send New Permit Invites" icon
- Name the invitation batch. Use a name or code that will help you track your guest permit invites.
- Each batch should be for one permit type and the same start/end dates.
- Enter each guest/invitee’s email address on a separate line.
- If you would like to receive an email each time a guest claims a permit, check the box under “CC Email” and enter your email address. This will help you to track your permit invitations
- Select the permit type for this group of invitees.
- Enter the start/end date for these permits.
- Select "Confirm."
- Add any additional details about your invitation here.
- You will only be billed for permits that are claimed. To avoid invitees claiming permits without actually parking on campus, you may include a note here reminding them to wait until they are parked on campus to claim their permit.
- Select “Confirm.”
- Select “Bill the permit to a FOAPAL.”
- Enter the FOAPAL to use for payment.
- Select “Confirm.”
- You will see a screen with the permit details and each invitation. You do not need to take any further action.
Tracking your Individual Guest Permit Invitations
To track whether your individual guest permits have been claimed, or to make changes to the permits:
- Login to ucsc.aimsparking.com with your CruzID and Gold Password
- From your dashboard, select “Department Login”
- Enter your Department Account ID received during your account set-up
- From the left side, select “Bulk Permits”
- Select the batch name to see the permits in that batch
Add invitees
- Select “Send New Invites”
- Add the email address(es)
- Select “send”
Edit invitee email addresses
- Click the yellow pencil next to the invitee’s name to edit their email address
- After accepting the edit, click “Resend” next to their name to resend the invitation
Canceling permits
If your event is canceled or any of your invitees let you know they will not attend, you can also cancel their permits so they cannot be claimed.