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Parking and Program Rules

General Information

  • Purchase of a permit does not guarantee a parking space in a specific parking lot.
  • Inability to find a parking space is not justification to park illegally.
    Parking out of marked spaces, outside of lines, on dirt, landscaping, walkways, or pathways is prohibited. Exceptions may be considered through prior approval by TAPS.
  • All TAPS policies are subject to change without notice. TAPS reserves the right to deny service when activity indicates the circumvention of TAPS policies.
  • All vehicles must possess a valid virtual permit to park on campus during posted enforcement hours. Notes left on vehicles do not constitute permission to violate parking regulations.
  • All vehicles added to virtual permits will require proof of ownership (registration or title) by the student, employee, or an immediate family member who is not a UCSC affiliate.
  • Only one valid permit per person may be held at any given time with the exception of night permits or hourly parking via ParkMobile.
  • For vehicles that do not have a permanent license plate, a VIN may be used in lieu of the license plate on the permit.
  • A maximum of four license plates may be included on one account.
  • Permits are only valid when the license plate(s) on the vehicle matches the license plate(s) on the account. It is the customer’s responsibility to make sure they match.
  • Parking to load and unload a vehicle outside of a marked space requires prior approval by TAPS.
  • Resale or transfer of a parking permit, bus pass, or ParkMobile receipt is prohibited and will result in the loss of privileges for students and disciplinary action up to termination for employees.
  • Altering, counterfeiting, or intentionally obscuring vehicle license plates or ID numbers is prohibited and will result in the loss of privileges for students and disciplinary action up to termination for employees.
  • Customers are responsible for the cost of their long-term permits or bus passes until expiration is requested or they are returned to TAPS, regardless of original expiration date or whether or not the product was used. This includes a break in employment status, leave of absence, or sabbatical.
  • Each scratch-off permit is valid for one day parking and may not be reused. TAPS cannot replace incorrectly validated, damaged, lost, or stolen scratch-off permits. Unused scratch-off permits are nonrefundable.
  • Vehicles may not be repaired on campus.
  • Oversized vehicles (buses, RVs, limousines, etc) are not authorized to park on campus without prior approval from TAPS.
    Sleeping in vehicles is a violation of campus policy.
  • Parking permits (both physical and virtual) and bus passes are the property of the University and may be recalled, revoked and/or withheld at the discretion of TAPS.
  • Campus units or departments are not permitted to pay student or employee parking fees with state funds, per UCOP policy. This includes prepaid permits.

Refunds

  • A prorated refund may be generated if expiration has been requested for the parking permit and a refund is due. The amount of the refund will be based on the date the expiration was requested.
  • No refunds are available during the last month of any quarterly or annual permit which has been paid in full at the time of the purchase.
  • Any active bus pass that is issued is non-refundable unless returned to TAPS. Payroll deductions will remain in place for bus passes unless the pass is returned or reported as lost or stolen.
  • Refunds will be withheld if individuals fail to comply with written or verbal requests for permit return and/or a University Police Officer or a Parking Enforcement Representative removes the permit.
  • You must return your physical parking permit to the TAPS Sales Office or request expiration of virtual permits regardless of the permit's expiration date to stop charges from accruing. Charges accrue even if the permit is not in use or is expired. TAPS cannot refund charges for permits that were not returned or expired, even if the permit was not used.

Lost or Stolen Long-Term Permits

If your permit has been stolen, please report the theft to the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction where the theft occurred. You must have a police report number before a replacement virtual permit can be issued. Your stolen permit will be added to a Lost/Stolen list. If a stolen permit is used at a later date, the vehicle will be cited.

If your permit is lost, please come to the TAPS Sales Office to fill out a Lost Report and replace it with a virtual permit. The lost permit will be added to a Lost/Stolen List. If the lost permit is used at a later date, the vehicle will be cited.

TAPS will not replace short-term permits and scratch-off permits that have been damaged, mis-scratched, lost, or stolen.

Infractions and Consequences

  • Infractions (e.g., displaying or possessing a permit which has been reported as lost or stolen, alteration, or counterfeiting of a permit or bus pass, improper display or transfer of a permit) will result in the loss of the privilege to purchase a parking permit or a bus pass as applicable. A first violation will result in a six-month suspension of privileges, and a second violation will result in an indefinite suspension. In order to reinstate privileges, an appeal will be necessary. Possession of stolen property may result in criminal liability.
  • Infractions by students will also be referred to the Dean of Students for potential, additional disciplinary action.
  • Additional loss of privileges for those students who are currently without parking privileges will begin at the time the student regains their parking privileges.
  • Permanent revocation of parking privileges may be enforced for repeated willful failure to comply with written correspondence between TAPS staff and the customer in violation of policy.
  • Regardless of the circumstances, the parking privileges or restrictions on student parking permits will apply to all vehicles registered to the student or their immediate family should they request parking for a member of their household. The only exceptions that may be granted are when the registered owner or other member of the student's immediate family visits the campus in that vehicle.
  • Outstanding fees must be paid in full before a parking permit or bus pass will be issued, or enrollment in any transportation program is processed. Where applicable, fees may be recovered through payment methods such as payroll deduction, direct billing, or a collections agency.
  • Infractions of campus parking codes may face monetary fines in addition to loss of parking or program privileges.
  • Those found in possession of a permit or bus pass which has been altered, counterfeited, or reported lost or stolen by another individual may be billed for the full value of said permit or pass, regardless of use.
  • Repairing vehicles (including trailers, boats, etc.) or storing oversized vehicles in university parking areas may have their permit revoked, and/or their vehicle may be removed.

Administrative Fees

  • Fee to replace bus pass: $20 (Annual limit: one time)

Authority

Both UCSC Parking Regulations and the California Vehicle Code are applicable on the UCSC campus. UCSC is authorized through the California Vehicle Code Section 21113(a) to establish independent parking regulations.

Under the authority delegated to Transportation and Parking Services by the Chancellor, no individual or department other than Transportation and Parking Services may grant parking privileges on UC Santa Cruz-owned properties located in the City of Santa Cruz, including properties at 2300 Delaware and the Coastal Science Campus. All parking permits are issued solely by the authority of Transportation and Parking Services, or their designees, and are non-transferable.

The establishment, creation or discontinuation of parking permits, permit types, lot designations/uses and parking eligibilities shall be determined by Transportation and Parking Services, or their designees, as permissible by applicable state and federal law (e.g. - California Vehicle Code and/or Americans with Disabilities Act). Determining factors will be TAPS operational feasibility, reasonable and changing access requirements of the campus community and/or its members, and/or at the sole discretion of TAPS.