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The following regulations have been formulated to:

• Familiarize users of campus facilities with the University’s expectations regarding parking
• Provide all participants of the University community with an explanation of the rules governing the registration and use of motor vehicles
• Assure that emergency vehicles will have unimpeded access to the campus at all times

Definitions

The following definitions are specifically for use with the ɬÀï·¬ parking regulations.

• Abandoned vehicles: Any motor vehicle that has not been driven for 10 consecutive days, and the owner of which cannot be immediately identified or contacted. Vehicles left abandoned will be impounded at the owner’s expense.
• Academic year: The period of time between the first day of Autumn Quarter and the last day of Spring Quarter.
• Emergency vehicles: Fire equipment, ambulances, paramedic vehicles, police vehicles, and Campus Security vehicles.
• Motor vehicles: All vehicles that are self-propelled (trucks, automobiles, motorcycles, motor scooters, and mopeds).
• Service vehicles: Commercial and University vehicles engaged in the service and maintenance of campus buildings or grounds.

Vehicle Registration and Parking Application

All students and employees who bring a car to campus must register their vehicle with the Office of Safety and Security regardless of whether the vehicle is parked on the street or in an SPU parking lot. SPU does not charge for vehicle registration, but SPU does charge for parking, and also issues fines for vehicles that are not registered. Vehicles must be registered within 10 business days of the start of a quarter (for students) or of the start of employment (for employees). If a student or employee wants to park on campus, they need to register their vehicle with the Wait times can vary for confirmations depending on the time of year. 

Parking Permits and Privileges

ɬÀï·¬’s updated parking system simplifies zone designations and expands access for all permit holders. The following parking area types are now in effect:

• Commuter Parking Lots: Open to all students and employees with valid permits. Any vehicle with a permit may park in unmarked and unreserved spaces in these lots—regardless of residency status.
• Residential Lots: No longer restricted to residents. Parking is first-come, first-served in unmarked/unreserved spaces. Gated access to Emerson, Wesley's, or Arnett is limited to residents of those buildings who have purchased a permit. There are no longer assigned stalls inside the garages. 
• Visitor and Timed Zones (30–60 minutes): Designated for guests and short-term parking only. Not for use by students or employees with permits.
• Service Vehicle, Fire Lane, and ADA Accessible Spaces: Reserved at all times for authorized vehicles only.
• Limited Reserved Faculty/Staff Stalls: A small number of individually reserved stalls are still available for faculty and staff in designated areas.

Please observe all posted signage, and refer to OSS maps for current lot designations. 

Carpool Parking

The designated permit for vehicles in carpool lots is “Carpool.” Faculty or staff participating in a carpool with three or more riders may receive a free reserved parking space by completing a Commute Trip Reduction form and registering their vehicle with the E-Permit Application form. Carpool groups need to have the primary driver register their vehicle and apply for all riders including their SPU ID numbers with the E-Permit Application form which is submitted through our

Those participating in a carpool with two riders may also receive a reserved parking space and will be charged half of the annual amount of a parking permit. For all carpools, participants will receive an E-Permit valid only in their space. In the event that one carpool member is unable to participate, he or she must park on the street. Parking in a lot, other than in the reserved carpool space, may result in a parking citation. All participants in carpools must register with the Office of Safety and Security to receive these preferred spaces. 

Guest Parking

All visitors are welcome to the campus and may park in the limited Visitor parking spaces in the lower Dravus lot. Visitors must register their vehicle using the . It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to properly read the regulations and register for a permit. Visitor permits are valid for 24 hours and are not required on weekends, holidays, during quarter breaks, and summer quarter. Visitors may not park in any reserved spaces. As noted below, there are also 30 minute parking spaces available on campus.

Accessibility 

Accessible parking areas are designated in each Commuter parking lot on the University campus. Accessibility areas within campus lots require a permit in addition to a State-Issued pass.

Service Zones

Service Zones are designated throughout the campus for use by any University department vehicle. Authorized, off-campus service vehicles are also permitted to use these specially designated areas.

Bookstore Parking

Customers of the campus bookstore may park in this parking area for a period not to exceed 30 minutes. No permit is necessary. Vehicles parked in these stalls longer than the allotted time period will be cited.

30-minute and 60-minute parking zones: There are several 30–60 minute parking zones located around campus. These locations may be used without a permit for up to the allotted time by any visitors, as well as students, faculty and staff. Vehicles parked in these stalls longer than the allotted time period will be cited.

Finals week: Parking rules and regulations are enforced during finals week.

Summer classes: During the summer, active visitors and students may park in any lot on campus, provided they park legally and do not park in any loading zone, reserved or an Accessible space (unless they have a state-issued permit), or in a fire lane. There is no long-term summer parking outside of the Car Watch program, as we do repaving, re-striping, and other construction during the summer. 

License plate and address changes: These must be updated by submitting a Parking Account Change form.

Vehicles sold or traded: If a registered vehicle is sold or traded, the owner is responsible to update their permit or vehicle status accordingly.

Falsification or forgery: Any falsification of information renders the permit invalid and subjects the offender to disciplinary action from the University. Any falsification, forgery, or alteration of any permit issued by the University also subjects the offender to disciplinary action from the University.

Unattended vehicles/engine running: Vehicles may not be left unattended while the engine is running. The ignition key must be removed from all unattended vehicles.

Open parking: Open parking, except for reserved and Accessible spaces, is allowed in the Dravus, Crawford, Ross, OMH, McKenna, and Sixth Avenue West lots (Commuter lots) between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. Persons living off campus but attending night classes at SPU, either for credit or for audit, are permitted to park in these lots during these times as long as their vehicle is registered with the Office of Safety and Security, which is free of charge using the Street Parking option.

Places on campus to never park

Illegal parking: Any vehicle or any part of a vehicle that is not authorized to park in a fire lane, loading zone, service zone, reserved space, visitor parking, or on a lawn or sidewalk will be subject to fines, towing, or both. Any vehicle that is double-parked or outside the parking stall is subject to a citation. Any vehicle that is parked in a manner which obstructs the flow of traffic or is parked in an unmarked space or alleyway will be subject to towing.

Towing policy: The owner of a vehicle that receives three parking violations will receive a 24 hour tow warning that the next citation will result in the immediate impoundment of the vehicle, without further warning at the owner's risk and expense. A courtesy phone call, email, and or text may be sent if the vehicle owner can be immediately identified. Under the following circumstances, owners of vehicles will not receive a letter of warning:

• Fire lane: Any unattended vehicle parked with any part of the vehicle extending into a fire lane area will be impounded if not moved within one hour from the time the citation is issued.
• Service zone: Service areas are designated as 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week tow-away zones, and are restricted to vehicles with special designations or authorization. Any unauthorized vehicle in a service zone may be towed or impounded at any time.
• Accessible spaces: Accessible spaces are designated as 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week tow-away zones, and are restricted to vehicles with special State decals and valid purchased Accessible permits. Any unauthorized vehicle in an accessible space may be towed or impounded at any time.
• Reserved spaces: Those with a assigned spaces may, through complaint to the Office of Safety and Security, arrange to have violators parked in their assigned spaces either ticketed or towed at the expense of the owner of the vehicle. Any vehicle parked in a reserved space without authorization may be towed or impounded at any time.
• Obstructing: Any vehicle which is obstructing an access route to a parking lot or building shall be impounded if not moved within one half hour from the time the citation is issued. 
• Ignoring direct warning: If the owner or driver of a vehicle ignores a request to move the vehicle by a Campus Security officer, the vehicle may be towed or impounded without further warning. Emergency Situations: Any vehicle which experiences parking brake failure, thus posing a hazard to vehicles and to ɬÀï·¬ in the vicinity, or any vehicle which is leaking gasoline, may be towed immediately, unless the owner can be located to assist in the situation.
• Special events or construction areas: Occasionally, there may be the need to have vehicles cleared from an area of campus in order to prepare for a special event or to secure a construction area to provide access for construction vehicles. In such a situation, all attempts will be made to locate the vehicle's owner. If signs were posted, and if the owner is not located, the vehicle will be impounded at the owner's expense. If circumstances require that cars must be towed without warning, towing will take place at the University's expense.

What happens if I violate parking regulations?

Responsibility for citations

Students, faculty, and staff are responsible for any citations issued to their vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle is registered with the Office of Safety and Security. If a visitor receives a citation in a vehicle registered to a person affiliated with the University, the person to whom the vehicle is registered is responsible for the citation. It is the responsibility of the students or faculty/staff members to instruct others who drive their vehicle as to where they may park.

Parking citations

Citations will be issued to any vehicle parked on University property that is in violation of the Parking Regulations. All vehicles must be registered. If you receive a citation for being unregistered, and you then register within 3 days of receiving the initial citation, that citation will be voided on the first offense only. If someone parks in someone's assigned parking space, they will be subject to impoundment at the owner’s risk and expense, without further warning and without a waiting period. 

If, after the Office of Safety and Security has issued 3 citations and a warning, a vehicle is found again in violation of the Parking Regulations, it will be subject to impoundment at the owner’s risk and expense, without further warning and without a waiting period. Payment of any towing and storage fees does not preclude the payment of the citation for failure to register or of any monies due on the issued citations.

Failure to register

A failure to register fee may be imposed in addition to any citation issued for other violations, such as operating an unregistered vehicle. This fee will be applied to the vehicle owner if they are identified by the Office of Safety and Security. The fee is associated with mandatory registration under the Street Parking program, a free permit option, to ensure that accurate contact information is included in the vehicle's registration records.