Business Services Policies

BS04 Student Parking Rules and Regulations

Policy Status: 

Active

Policy Steward: 

Associate Vice President for Auxiliary & Business Services

Contents:

PURPOSE:

To set forth the current policy regarding parking privileges for students in University parking areas.

POLICY:

All students wishing to use parking facilities operated by the University Parking Office on the University Park campus, or any property owned or leased by The Pennsylvania State University, must register their vehicle with the Parking Office and, while parked, properly display an authorized parking permit.

ELIGIBILITY:

Any student (undergraduate, graduate, continuing education, part-time, full-time, or adjunct) with at least 28 approved credits completed (excluding commuters) is eligible for campus parking privileges, unless privileges have been revoked.

VEHICLE REGISTRATION:

Vehicle registration and payment of permit fees are processed at the Parking Office, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck. All permits remain the property of Penn State and must be returned upon request. Permits may not be transferred, sold or duplicated. Violators will incur a fine, be referred to Student Conduct Standards, and have their parking privileges revoked.

Vehicles must be registered by the first day of class each semester or by the first business day following arrival on campus.

Students may only register vehicles owned by them or by a member of their immediate family (parents or siblings).

Providing false or misleading information on permit application will result in immediate revocation of parking privileges and forfeiture of all fees paid.

Lost/Stolen Permits:

A non-refundable processing fee of $25 will be assessed for all lost or stolen permits. This is not a replacement fee. The fee must be paid regardless of whether or not a new permit is issued.

Address and License Plate Changes:

Permit-holders are responsible for reporting address and license plate changes to the Parking Office.

Failure to report these changes may result in tickets being processed to the District Justice, at which time additional fees are assessed by the courts.

PARKING LOT / PERMIT CLASSIFICATIONS:

Commuter (Red permit; Lots 44, Stadium West and Porter North):

The student commuter permit is the only student permit valid in the commuter lots between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. Commuter permits are not valid from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. in any campus parking lot, seven days a week.

Access to central campus is available via the campus bus service (See Loop and Link schedules for times and stops).

For home football games, Lot 44 (Jordan East), Stadium West, Porter North, Porter South, Orange L East, Orange A West OPP, Orange B Softball, Orange O, Yellow H Shields, Yellow H Wagner, Yellow H South (Pegula) and Yellow H Intramural Building are restricted from all parking from midnight Friday until the resumption of normal traffic patterns after the game. Any vehicle that remains in the lot after midnight will be towed.

Student permits are honored in the Commuter lots (Lot 44, Stadium West and Porter North) for most events at the Bryce Jordan Center and Pegula Ice Arena.  Select sections of these lots may be reserved for VIP parking for select events.

Resident (Blue permits):

Blue permits are restricted to students living on campus. Eastview Terrace (Blue 22), South/Pollock Halls (Blue 81), East Halls (Blue 82), and remote resident storage (Blue 83) are restricted to resident students living in the specific area and parking in the designated lot. Each permit group is specific to a designated lot or group of lots and is not valid in any other student lot. All permits are sold on a first come, first served basis. Resident student permit holders are not permitted to park in the parking decks between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Nittany Apartments Complex (Silver 42 permit):

Permits are restricted to residents of Nittany Apartment complex. Silver 42 permits are not valid in any other student lot. All permits are sold on a first come, first served basis. Resident student permit holders are not permitted to park in the parking decks between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Off Campus Storage (Purple 43 permit):

Use is restricted to students residing in off-campus housing. A purple student permit is required. All permits are sold on a first come, first served basis. Lot 43 permit holders must park in Lot 43 between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

White Course Apartments (Brown 11 permit):

Brown 11 permits are restricted to residents of White Course Apartment complex. Brown 11 permits are not permitted in any other student lot. All permits are sold on a first come, first served basis. Brown 11 permit holders must park in Lot Brown 11 between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Evening/Weekend Permit:

This permit is only available to graduate student enrolled in the “Ride for Five” mass transit program and graduate students not enrolled in any courses or earning any credits. The Evening/Weekend permit is valid for campus parking only AFTER 4PM weekdays and on the weekend.

REGULATIONS:

A detailed copy of parking rules and regulations is offered to each student upon registering for a parking permit.  Students are responsible for obtaining a copy for their review.

General Information

Parking is authorized only in student lots corresponding to the color and number of the assigned parking permit and designated as student parking on this map. All parking regulations remain in effect, regardless of whether or not classes are in session. Vehicles parked in violation will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.

Vehicles with a service/delivery permit are required to park in service/delivery spaces.These spaces are designated by signs and/or yellow painted lines and are reserved twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Only authorized service/delivery companies can purchase these permits.

Each lot entrance is signed, listing specific hours of reservation and restrictions.

After 4 p.m., most faculty/staff surface lots are open to students displaying a valid permit. See map for specific restrictions. Resident student permit holders must be back in their assigned lot by 7:30 a.m. the following business day (no parking in campus parking decks between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.).

There are specific parking restrictions that are active between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. Resident student permit holders (blue, silver and brown) are not permitted to park in parking decks during this two-hour window. Commuter permits are not permitted in any campus parking lots during this two-hour window. Lot 43 permit holders must park in Lot 43 during this two-hour window. These restrictions are enforced seven days a week.

Vehicles parked on campus are at the owner’s risk. The University assumes no liability for vehicles parked on Penn State property.

The Parking Office reserves the right to change lot usage to accommodate special circumstances or events.

Rules and regulations are subject to change. Permit holders are responsible for all regulations currently in effect.

Single-Space Meters and Multi-Space Pay Stations

Meters and pay stations are available for short-term parking provided time is purchased by the customer. Meters accept U.S. quarters only, while pay stations accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), LionCash+, and U.S. quarters, dimes, nickels and $1 coins. Use of flashers at meter and pay station spaces is not permitted at any time. Hours of operation are posted on the back of the single space meter head or on each multi-space meter machine. All meters must be paid during the posted hours of reservation on the lot entrance sign.

Flasher Rules for Student Vehicles:

Students with a valid student parking permit are permitted to park in posted short term parking spaces, providing flashers are operating. Signage is posted indicating the requirement of flashers. Students without valid student parking permits are not permitted to park with or without flashers at any time, for any reason. Permits are required twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Flashers must be used to drop-off children at Bennett, Henderson and Hort Woods child care facilities (with valid child care facility permit).

If loading or unloading in residence hall reserved lots is needed, parking is only authorized for 15 minutes with flashers operating and a resident student permit must be displayed. Vehicles must be parked in a legal non-reserved space or in the loading dock. This time is allotted for things such as unloading groceries, laundry, etc.

Flashers are never valid at single/multi-space meters or along curbs or on sidewalks. They also do not authorize parking while a vehicle is hindering/damaging university operations or property, obstructing roadways or designated handicap spaces, wheelchair ramp laydown (hashed out) areas, or reserved spaces. Violators will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.

Student Floating Permits:

Valid only on vehicles displaying current student permits. Use is limited to 30 minutes with flashers operating. Student Floating permits are sold to departments only. A base student permit must be displayed with the student floater permit, and flashers must be operating. Faculty/Staff floating permits are not valid with student permits.

Permit Display

Parking permits must be properly displayed while parked:

  • Motorcycles: Permit (sticker) must be clearly visible from the front or rear of the motorcycle.
  • Automobiles: Hang permit from rearview mirror, facing forward. Permit must be clearly visible. If windshield tint strip prevents clear display, permit hangers are available from the Parking Office.

Exceptions must be approved by the Parking Office in advance.

Vehicle covers are strictly prohibited, unless the permit and license plate can be clearly seen without removing the cover. No exceptions.

Parking Spaces

All parts of the vehicle (not just the tires) must be inside the designated parking space; generally indicated by two white lines. Note: Some spaces also include a back line. Parking in grassed areas is not permitted unless at the direction of event parking staff.

Motorcycles with motorcycle permits must be parked in designated student motorcycle spaces. After 4 p.m. and on weekends, most faculty/staff motorcycle spaces are available for parking. See map for specific restrictions. Any vehicle not parked in a designated legal space is subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner's expense.

Any vehicle parked along curbs or on sidewalks, hindering/damaging university operations or property, or obstructing roadways, designated handicap spaces, wheelchair ramp laydown (hashed out) areas, and reserved spaces is subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner’s expense. Vehicles are not permitted to park in any space that may have any type of obstruction. This includes, but is not limited to, snow piles.

Parking is not permitted in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) spaces without a state-issued handicap placard and a PSU parking permit for the designated lot (additional fees may be assessed). The ramp laydown (hashed out) area adjacent to the space is considered part of the space and will be enforced accordingly.

All reserved spaces are reserved twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week unless otherwise noted on the sign. This includes holidays and times when the University is not in full operation.

Parking in East, Eisenhower, and Nittany Decks is head in only. Lot entrance signs and multiple signs throughout these facilities clearly indicate this restriction. Vehicles backed into spaces are subject to ticketing and/or towing at the owner’s expense. Most end spaces and compact spaces are also signed “Vehicle Must Be Within All Lines.” Violators will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.

Disabled Vehicles

If a vehicle is disabled, the permit holder must notify University Police (863-1111) immediately, with their name, the vehicle's license plate number, and location.

A grace period of up to 12 hours may be allowed. No extensions will be granted.  A lost/broken vehicle key is considered disabled and falls under this policy.  If 12 hours is not sufficient time to remove the vehicle, the owner is required to contact a towing company to have the vehicle removed at their expense.

This grace period does not automatically exempt your vehicle from being ticketed; however, it may be used as an appeal aid.

Notes left on a vehicle stating that the vehicle is mechanically disabled are given no consideration by enforcement personnel. Vehicles not properly reported to University Police may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner's expense.

Semester/University Holidays, Arrival, and Departures

During the first week of each semester, finals week, and University holiday breaks, student or parent vehicles are authorized temporary (15 minutes) parking in faculty/staff lots to facilitate moving in or out of residence halls. Vehicles must be moved to an appropriate parking area immediately upon completion of the act of loading or unloading. All parking regulations remain in effect, regardless of whether or not classes are in session.

Resident students may be asked to use alternate parking areas during the move in period.

Midnight Clear/Winter Parking

Resident students are to remain in their assigned parking lot during a Midnight Clear. No parking is allowed in any faculty/staff surface lot on nights of announced "Midnight Clear" activity. The snow restriction hours are midnight to 7 a.m. in most lots. Check lot entry signs for specifics. Midnight Clear activity is announced over local radio, television stations, the L-PSUPARK listserv, and the department’s website and social media pages.

Due to the difficulty of removing snow around vehicles, only the service drives and parking lot aisles are plowed in resident student lots and the student storage lot. Students should be aware that snow will likely pile around their vehicles. Each permit holder is responsible for clearing snow from around their vehicle. Parking Office staff cannot shovel out any vehicles. All resident (blue, brown, and silver) and Purple off campus storage lot permit holders must remain in their assigned student lots during a Midnight Clear.

Individuals With Disabilities (Temporary or Permanent)

Transportation Services offers a campus-wide, ADA compliant, mass transit system. In most cases, transit services will provide closer access to destinations than available parking spaces. Schedules are available at the Parking Office and from our website: www.parking.psu.edu

Individuals who require access to marked handicap accessible parking spaces must apply for a state-issued handicap parking placard. Applications for Pennsylvania ADA placards and information for obtaining the placard are available from the Parking Office, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck. Penn State is not authorized to issue handicap parking placards. All handicap parking placards must be obtained through the state. An additional fee may be charged for the ADA upgrade permit. Students must display all three permits together. (ADA placard, PSU base student permit and ADA upgrade permit). More information on temporary impairments is available.

PARKING TICKETS:

Tickets issued to vehicles properly registered with the Parking Office are the responsibility of the permit holder, regardless of who drives the vehicle. Tickets issued to vehicles not registered with the Parking Office are held 30 days for payment. After 30 days, tickets become citations and are sent to the District Justice where additional court fees will be assessed.

Payment

Tickets may be paid by major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) or LionCash+ card on the Parking Office website: www.parking.psu.edu.  Payment may also be submitted by check or money order payable to: The Pennsylvania State University. Cash is accepted in person. Do not send cash through the mail.

If payment is not received within thirty (30) calendar days from date of violation the penalty will be increased by $3.00 and a hold may be placed on registration and transcript for current permit holders. Please note that the ticket date is counted as day one.

Tickets not paid within 30 days can be assessed to student accounts if prior written authorization is provided to the Parking Office. Please note that any parking charges that are not paid on the Bursar account will be sent to collections.

All payments are processed through the Parking Office, 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck, University Park, PA 16802-2116.

The Parking Office is not responsible for payments or correspondence lost in the mail.

Appeals Policy

Parking violations may be appealed by using the online appeals link at www.parking.psu.edu, or by submitting a written appeal to the Parking Office. Frivolous appeals will not be accepted. Not all tickets can be appealed online.

Appeals must be received within twenty (20) calendar days from the date of the violation in order to be accepted and processed to the Appeals Committee.

Payment in full must accompany all appeals. If the appeal is decided in favor of the appellant, the full amount of the ticket will be refunded. If the appeal decision is in favor of the University, the matter is considered paid in full.

The Parking Office submits appeals to the appropriate Appeals Committee for independent review. The appellant is notified of the committee's decision.

Note: The ticket history (if any) is attached to the appeals form for the committee's consideration.

Appeals Committee decisions are final.

Abuse of Parking Privileges

Warnings are sent by email to permit holders after two tickets are written against his/her permit in any semester or during summer session.

If four (4) or more tickets are issued during a semester, the assigned permit is revoked for fifteen (15) active class weeks. No parking is permitted on campus at any time, for any reason if parking privileges are revoked.

All tickets written for fraudulent/altered/unauthorized use of a permit carry severe penalties that include, but are not limited to, a large fine, referral to the Office of Conduct Standards, and revocation of parking privileges. It is also possible that charges of theft of service will be filed by University Police. These matters are not taken lightly and are immediately addressed.

Failure to follow direction of Parking Office personnel or blatant disregard of parking policies will result in immediate revocation of parking privileges.

There are no refunds of money paid for a revoked permit.

All revoked permits must be returned immediately to the Parking Office.

Additional tickets received while under revocation will result in these actions: an automatic extension of the revocation period, an additional fine, referral to the Office of Conduct Standards, and/or towing of the vehicle at the owner's expense. A transcript and registration hold will be placed on the student account until all fines are paid and all permits returned.

Appeals for revocations will not be accepted.

VISITOR PARKING:

  • Overnight: Overnight guests must obtain a permit from the Parking Office to park on campus Monday-Friday. Guests of the Nittany Lion Inn may park in the Nittany Deck with an "Overnight Guest" pass issued by the Inn.
  • Weekdays: Visitors may use metered or pay station parking or obtain a visitor parking permit from a Parking Information Kiosk, the Visitor Center or the Parking Office. Hourly parking is available in the East, HUB, and Nittany Parking Decks. Overnight parking is by permit only.
  • Weekends: Most lots are open to visitors on weekends. Check individual lot restrictions posted on lot entrance signs. Parking is not permitted in 24/7 reserved lots.
  • Recreational Vehicles: RV parking is not permitted on campus. Special parking facilities are available near Beaver Stadium during home football weekends. For more information, please contact the Athletic Ticket Office at (814) 863-1000 or 1-800-NITTANY.

Students and employees of any Penn State location or campus are not considered visitors at any time. Non-University Park student permits are not valid in any University Park lot during the hours of reservation posted at lot entrances.

STUDENTS NOT ASSIGNED TO THE UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS:

Students assigned away from the University Park Campus are issued parking permits by their respective college or campus.

Non-University Park Penn State student permits are not valid at University Park until after 4:00 p.m. during the week and on weekends. A University Park permit must be purchased for daytime parking.

On select event weekends, including but not limited to home football games and the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, non-University Park student permits are not valid for overnight parking.  A weekend event permit must be purchased for overnight parking.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

For questions, additional detail, or to request changes to this policy, please contact the Office of the Associate Vice President, Auxiliary & Business Services.

Effective Date: February 13, 2015

Date Approved: February 8, 2015

Date Published: February 13, 2015

 

Most Recent Changes:

  • February 8, 2015- Major revisions have been made to the entire policy to reflect current operations.

Revision History (and effective dates):

  • June 14, 2006 - Revision History added.
  • July 12, 2000 - Major revisions. Policy wording suggested that unpermitted vehicles may not be driven on campus; wording clarified that is it parking that is disallowed. References to 'Department of Safety' changed to University Police. References to 'District Magistrate' changed to 'District Justice'. Changed parking lot reserved times from 7am - 5pm to 7:30am - 4pm. Under Parking Lot Classifications, several lots where no permits were required on certain days now requires permits. 'Registration hold, graduation hold or diploma hold' changed to 'registration and transcript hold'.
  • March 10, 1998 - Relocated and renumbered from SY14.
  • August 11, 1993 - Office address changes
  • August 30, 1985 - Revisions to "Registration and Fee Schedule" and "Penalties" section.
  • August 15, 1983 - Office address changes. Changed bumper sticker references to window sticker. Revised "Penalties" section.
  • June 1, 1982 - Entire Policy revised.