Parking and Transportation's mission is to serve the campus community, and to ensure that parking rules and regulations are obeyed for the safety and convenience of all commuters. When parking or permit infringements are ascertained, appropriate enforcement action is taken.
Parking Citations
The issuance of Parking Citations is a universally accepted method of imposing authorized parking. At UC Berkeley, the display of the appropriate campus permit designates the authorization of a vehicle parking on University property. If a vehicle fails to display a valid permit, the registered owner will be cited, and required to pay a fine to discourage future violation.
Citations are also issued for parking in areas not designated for parking, and for other violations such as the illegal use of disabled parking spaces, blocking access, etc.
Towing/Vehicle Immobilization
If you impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic, University parking regulations require that your vehicle be towed. Vehicles may also be towed or immobilized (also known as booting) for repeatedly violating University parking regulations, or for five or more unpaid citations. Vehicles will be released when the citations and a boot-release fee are paid in full. Booted vehicles will be towed after 48 hours. Pay your parking tickets and avoid getting the boot!
Enabling Access to Those Who Need It
Parking Citations discourage illegal parking so that those who legitimately need it have better access. Parking operations on UC campuses are run as business enterprises (like housing and athletics), charged with recovering the costs of operations, capital development, and debt service from those who use the services. Without parking enforcement and citation issuance, parking on the Berkeley campus would be monopolized by non-contributing parties, and the already limited space would be even less accessible.
Use of Citation Revenues
The use of revenues from Parking Citations on UC campuses is governed under the State educational code. These funds cannot be used to build parking, but they can cover the costs of enforcement. Residual funds may be used to advance alternate transportation use. The Berkeley campus uses its citation revenue to fund the operation of the campus shuttle bus operations that connect BART and the downtown bus services to the campus.