subscribe to feed

Frequently Asked Questions

Permits

• How do I buy a permit?
  • You can buy a parking permit online from thepermitstore.com and pay for it there with your Discover, Mastercard, Visa or American Express card. You may also pay by check, but your permit can’t be mailed to you until thepermitstore.com has received your check. During the online registration/permit process, you can choose check as your method of payment and complete the process. thepermitstore.com imposes fees for failed or canceled credit card transactions or returned checks. In such cases, permits may be revoked by PSU University Police until disputes are resolved.
• I don't have a checking account or credit card. How do I buy a permit or pay my fines online?

  • If you don't have a debit card, credit card or checking account, you can pay for your permit or fines by obtaining a money order through the bank or the United States Post Office and mail it to:

    Plymouth State University Collection Authority
    PO Box 2358
    Santa Barbara, CA 93120-2358

    or bring your ticket and payment to the Bursars office as we do not accept payments at our office anymore.

• What is “activating” my permit?
  • This measure is for your protection. Once a permit has been received, you must go online to thepermitstore.com and activate your permit before it is placed on your vehicle. This is a security measure to assure that you are the person who received the permit assigned to your vehicle. Failure to activate your permit will result in a fine and is strictly enforced. Should you lose your permit or if your permit is stolen, you must report it immediately by going online to thepermitstore.com.
• Where should I put my permit?
  • The location of your permit on your vehicle is actually very important. Your permit must be applied to the rear door window on the driver’s side of your vehicle. If you have a pick-up truck, place the permit on the driver’s side window. Do not place your permit on the rear windshield, as was done in the past. Please be certain to apply your permit in the right place on your vehicle. Permits that are not applied properly are considered a “misuse of permit” violation.
• How long does my permit last?
  • The expiration date for student permits is May 31 of each academic year. New permits must be obtained each year. Permit fees are based on an academic year and are not prorated for permits purchased during the second semester, nor can we refund for permits that are used only during the first semester. Faculty/Staff permits are good for 10 years.
• I just got a new car. What should I do with my permit?
  • You may transfer your permit to another vehicle that you own by going online to thepermitstore.com and editing your vehicle information. You must change the vehicle information at thepermitstore.com before moving the permit, otherwise it will be a “misuse of permit” and be subject to a fine of $100.00.
• My car’s in the shop. What about the loaner?
  • If you are using a different vehicle for a short period of time, you have two options. You may obtain a temporary permit from the PSU University Police, or you may move your permit to that vehicle after making the change of vehicle information online. When you change vehicles again, you must go online again and change it back.
• I qualify for a commuter permit but the permitstore.com says I can only purchase a restricted permit. What can I do?
  • Contact University Police. If you do qualify for a different permit, we will make the change and you will then be allowed to obtain the correct permit. thepermitstore.com only allows you to purchase permits that PSU University Police pre-authorize. It is not thepermitstore.com's decision, so we have to make the adjustment.
• What if I order the wrong permit by mistake?
  • You can contact thepermitstore.com by e-mail at custserv@iparq.com or by calling (800) 676-1611. If it is determined that the permit was purchased in error, thepermitstore.com will arrange for an exchange of the permit.
• If I qualify for a residential permit in the spring semester, do I have to wait until next fall to get a residential permit?
  • If there are any residential permits available, we will consider allowing you to exchange your restricted for a residential permit for an administrative fee of $5.00. However, we cannot refund the difference between the restricted and the residential permit fees.
• Are there ever any exceptions to the pre-qualifications for residential permits?
  • If any permits are still available after everyone qualified has had a chance to get one, we will consider special requests for permits. Usually these requests are based on a specific need to have immediate access to a vehicle. Volunteer firefighters and emergency service workers, as well as on-call military personnel often make these requests, along with people who work out of town and return to campus late at night. Decisions will be made based on specific needs and all requests must be submitted to University Police in writing with documentation to support the need. Persons with medical conditions that require access to vehicles but are not severe enough to require a handicapped parking permit will be given priority.

Where to Park

• Can I park in visitor or other designated parking spaces?
  • There are several types of designated parking spaces on campus. Misusing these spaces will result in fines and towing.
    • Visitor spaces are provided in lots throughout the campus. These spaces are short-term parking for persons visiting Plymouth State University. These spaces are not for student, faculty or staff use.
    • The 15-minute spaces provided in key areas are for those times when students, faculty and staff need very short-term parking, such as loading and unloading a vehicle.
    • Spaces marked “physical plant parking only” or “food service parking only” are just that. They are for use only by those entities because they need immediate access to certain areas to provide services to the community.
• I paid for a permit to park in my lot, but when I got there no spaces were available. Can I park in a different lot?
  • Sorry, no. From time to time lots get filled with vehicles that don’t belong there. While we sympathize with the situation, and take measures to enforce parking rules by issuing citations to those who illegally take up spaces in lots, we can’t allow you to park in another lot because there is no space available there either. Logically, if you park illegally in another lot, you will displace someone else from their own lot. Then that person may choose to park illegally in yet another lot, causing three violations instead of just one. Lack of available space is not an acceptable excuse to park inappropriately. If you find that there are vehicles in your designated lot that are not supposed to be there, contact University Police and we will send an officer to issue citations or possibly tow the vehicles involved.
• I have a restricted permit but I sometimes have to load or unload my car at my residence hall. I can't carry all that stuff up from Facilities Services.
  • Although vehicles with restricted permits cannot park on the main campus, we do allow for those times when a vehicle has to be on campus to load or unload. Examples include when you return after being gone for the weekend or holiday or even when you do laundry or have groceries. You may park in a 15- or 30-minute space near your residence hall or campus apartment for this purpose. If none of these spaces are available, just leave a note on your vehicle (including the time you parked it) and University Police will allow a reasonable amount of time for you to park while unloading.

Violations and Fines

• What are the parking violations?
  • Read about violations on the Fines & Appeals page.
• How do I pay my fine for this ticket?

  • The ticket itself gives instructions for payment or appeal; the back of the violation slip has specific instructions. The fastest way to pay or appeal is to go online to www.scapay.com, or just place a check in the envelope along with the violation slip and mail it to:

    Plymouth State University Collection Authority
    PO Box 2358
    Santa Barbara, CA 93120-2358

• What is scapay.com? Who am I sending my money to?
  • Scapay.com stands for State Collection Authority Payment. This is a Web site operated through Iparq and thepermitstore.com to collect parking citation fines from all locations they serve. Your money for fines ends up back at Plymouth State University eventually; scapay just keeps track of the collections and credits your account at thepermitstore.com for any unpaid citations.
• Why do my fines or appeal requests go to Santa Barbara?
  • PSU Police contracts with Iparq, the parent company of thepermitstore.com, to manage permit sales, tracking and parking citations. Iparq is used at UNH, Keene State and many other colleges and universities in New Hampshire and across the country. Appeals and administrative review of parking permit requests are done on campus, by a hearings officer at University Police, using the Iparq system. So even though your appeal is done online, it is actually reviewed and decided on campus. Iparq collects the fines, sells and distributes the permits in cooperation with Plymouth State University. Parking rules and regulations, as well as enforcement of parking, is decided at PSU. Iparq just provides the system that we use.
• What if I don't pay my fines?
  • If the fines go unpaid for 30 days they will double and then be billed through the Bursar's Office. Unpaid fines will be treated like any other charge on your Bursar bill and must be paid subject to the same policies as other charges, which may include being dropped from classes or not being allowed to register for classes or obtain transcripts.
• Oops! I didn’t pay my tickets!
  • Any vehicle with three or more unpaid citations or five citations (paid or unpaid) during an academic year is subject to being towed or “booted” (University Police will apply an immobilizing device commonly known as the “boot”). Immobilization devices are kept on the vehicle for not more than 24 hours. After that, the vehicle will be towed at the owner's expense and will not be released until the issues are resolved with University Police. The owner is responsible for all costs associated with towing and storage of the vehicle. There is also a fee of $60.00 for the immobilization device in addition to any other violations or towing and storage fees.
• This ticket wasn’t fair!

  • There is a citation appeal process that is done online at www.scapay.com. There is a $50.00 fine for appeals that are deemed to be inappropriate (due to language, etc.) or frivolous in nature. Once your appeal is decided, you will be notified by e-mail. If your appeal is denied, you have the right to a personal appeal, which can be arranged through University Police. It is important that you clearly state your reasons for the appeal so that the PSU officer who decides your appeal online can make a reasonable decision. The decision resulting from the personal appeal is final.

    Citations must be appealed within 10 days of being issued, and fines that are not paid within 30 days of the date the citation is issued will be doubled. After 30 days, the fines for citations are sent to the Plymouth State University Bursar's Office for billing, at which point fines can only be paid at the PSU Bursar's Office. The Bursar's Office cannot adjust or waive fines. Questions regarding fines can only be addressed through University Police. Appeals must be submitted online at www.scapay.com.

• What is “Misuse of Permit”?
  • Before obtaining a permit, it is your responsibility to read and understand the rules and regulations of parking at PSU. Anyone who provides false information to obtain a permit, obtains a permit for another person who is not qualified for a permit, alters, transfers or duplicates any permit or facsimile, or who knowingly obtains a permit for which he or she does not qualify, is subject to a fine of $100.00 and possible disciplinary action through the Office of Student Conduct and Judicial Programs, and may lose the privilege of bringing a vehicle onto PSU property. Duplication and sale or transfer of a permit may also result in arrest and prosecution. If you have a question about which permit you are qualified for, contact University Police before obtaining a permit to ensure that you receive the appropriate one. Other “misuse of permit” violations include applying your permit in the wrong place on your vehicle or failing to update your information on thepermitstore.com when you change vehicles.
• If I never register my car with thepermitstore.com, they won't know who owns the car and won’t be able to bill me for any tickets I receive, right?
  • Wrong. Of course we know who owns the car. University Police can identify cited vehicles through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicles that park without a permit will be fined $100.00 per violation. Once the vehicle is identified it will be on the "boot" list and the citations will be submitted by thepermitstore.com to the PSU Bursar's Office for billing. By then, fines will have doubled. Failure to obtain a permit won’t get you free parking. In fact, it will end up costing you much more in fines and you could end up unable to bring your vehicle to campus at all.
• I don't have a car, but my roommate does. I qualify for a residential permit and he does not. Can I register his car under my name and let him use my permit?
  • No way. If you register your car under someone else's name or allow them to register their car under your name, you are subject to a “misuse of permit” fine of $100.00, your permit will be revoked and your parking privileges suspended. You may also face further disciplinary action through the PSU Office of Student Conduct and Judicial Programs.
• I just got billed for a bunch of tickets from the Bursar's Office. I never received any tickets on my car. How can this be?
  • University Police issues a significant number of citations each day and the overwhelming majority of them remain on the windshield of the vehicle and the owners find the ticket. Once in a great while due to weather conditions a ticket may be swept away from the vehicle or perhaps someone comes along and removes it from the windshield, but these are rare cases. If the ticket was issued, you more than likely knew that it was there. Regardless, you still have to pay it.
• PSU gives too many tickets. This is just a way to get more money out of the students!

  • To the person who gets citations for parking contrary to PSU rules, this may seem to be the case. But not to the person who can’t park in his or her own lot because somebody else parked there illegally.

    Parking enforcement is something we have to do, not something we do to generate funding for the University. Clearly, parking is a problem everywhere. In order to be fair to everyone, enforcement is the only reasonable option. If everyone had the proper permit and parked in the appropriate lot, we would not have to issue parking citations. Unfortunately some people choose, for whatever reason, to violate the rules and this complicates the parking situation for everyone. Ask the student or faculty/staff member whose lot was so full of violators that they could not find a space this morning if University Police is enforcing parking regulations too strictly. You will get a much different answer than you will from the person who has received citations for parking illegally.

Miscellaneous

• I get home late at night because I work, and the shuttle is not running. I don't feel comfortable walking up from Facilities Services by myself, what can I do?
  • Don’t worry. If the shuttle is not running, PSU University Police will give you a ride back to campus. There are phones located at the shuttle stops, call and then wait in your vehicle until the police arrive.
• Who makes all these parking rules?
  • University Police doesn’t make the parking rules—we just enforce them. Parking issues are addressed by the PSU Parking Committee, which is made up of students, faculty and staff. The committee meets several times throughout the year. When parking concerns and issues are brought to the committee, they recommend changes in policy and rules to the administration.
• Dude! Where’s my car?
  • There are several reasons cars may towed on campus:
    • Illegally Parked Cars: Plymouth State has the right to remove any vehicle parked contrary to rules and regulations, or causing a safety hazard or inconvenience. Towing in these situations is at the owner’s expense. The University accepts no financial liability for any costs or damages resulting from vehicles being towed from PSU property.
    • Flooding: Vehicles in East Side Parking sometimes have to be moved because of the threat of high water or flooding. Usually University Police has some warning and can take steps to notify people to move their vehicles onto the main campus. However, from time to time we've been surprised with rapidly rising river waters and have had very little time for notification. After making notification as best we can, we sometimes have to call in a wrecker to remove vehicles to avoid damage from the high water. Vehicles that do not have a permit or are parked illegally in those lots will be removed at the owner's expense. Owners of permitted vehicles with appropriate current student information on file will be notified, usually by e-mail which is sent out to all permit holders, telling them to move.
    • Construction or Special Circumstances: Sometimes vehicles are legally parked, but may be in a situation where they are causing a problem for construction or maintenance. In these cases we may need to have them removed by calling a wrecker. Be sure your vehicle is permitted and your current correct information on file with Iparq so we can reach you to deal with a situation with your vehicle.