Parking and Traffic Regulations
Section III Permits to Park
A. General Information
- Students, staff and faculty who wish to park a motor vehicle in a permit-controlled CU-Boulder parking lot must have a valid CU-Boulder campus parking permit affixed to or displayed in their vehicle(s) as stated in these Parking and Traffic Regulations.
- A permit does not guarantee the availability of a parking space, but it grants the privilege of parking in a specified area when space is available.
- It is the responsibility of the permit holder to ensure that the permit is properly displayed within the vehicle(s) to which it is registered with PTS.
- Hanging permits are to be displayed on the inside rearview mirror with lot number facing toward the front of the vehicle.
- Hanging permits may be transferred only between vehicles registered under the same permit. Hanging permits are not transferable between individuals unless such persons are co-owners of permitted vehicle(s) or registered members of a carpool.
- Only one hanging permit is issued to each permit holder or carpool group. It is the responsibility of the carpool driver to display the permit as required in these regulations.
- If the permit is lost or stolen, the permit holder must file a Permit Replacement Form to obtain a replacement permit. A small replacement charge is assessed by PTS. Alleged false reporting will be investigated as a criminal matter.
- Window permits are to be placed in the extreme lower right front windshield.
- Permits are valid only in parking areas specified on the face of the permit.
- When the primary lot is full, permit holders may park in their designated overflow lot. See Section II-B-1.
- Permits are valid through the expiration date printed on the front of the permit.
- Temporary parking permits may be purchased for certain permit-only lots. Temporary parking in areas not controlled by PTS must be arranged through the appropriate department.
- All permits must be removed upon date of expiration. All permits must be removed and returned to PTS upon cancellation if date on permit is not expired.
- Permit holders must return the permit and gate card to cancel a permit. Refunds of permit fees are made on a prorated basis. To cancel a permit, the permit holder must notify PTS before the first day of the month of effective cancellation and return the permit (and gate card, if any). Upon receipt of notification, payroll deduction is canceled. In the case of prior cash payment, the unused balance of the permit fee will be refunded. If using payroll deduction, failure to renew a permit will not be considered cancellation.
B. Student Parking Permits
- Parking permits for student automobile or motorcycle lots on the campus are sold to students on a space-available basis in the
following priority order:
a. Permanently disabled students as verified by a licensed
physician.
b. Temporarily disabled students as verified by a licensed
physician.
c. Boulder campus residence halls students.
d. All students on a first-come basis.
- Student permits are sold for the academic year (August–May) or by the semester on a first come basis. Fall and spring semesters are considered 16 weeks each; summer semester is considered 10 weeks.
- For academic year and for fall and spring semester, permit fees are attached to the student’s university bill.
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C. Faculty/Staff Parking Permits
- Faculty/staff parking permits may be purchased when authorized by the appropriate department Parking Liaison.
- Department Allocation System. PTS retains responsibility for the overall administration and allocation of parking assignments at the CU-Boulder campus but has delegated department-specific parking assignments to university departments to include reassignments within departments. Each CU-Boulder department is allocated a number of permits for use by its employees. Permits are issued when:
a. A permit is available in the appropriate department’s allocation.
b. The employee requesting a permit presents a written
authorization from the appropriate department’s parking liaison.
Department parking liaisons must notify PTS in writing of any
requested changes in departmental allocations.
- University Business Permits. Departments that require their employees to use personal vehicles to commute across campus to conduct departmental business may obtain University Business Permits (see III-F below).
- Payment for faculty/staff permits can be made as follows:
a. Payroll deduction. This method is available only to employees
paid through the university payroll system; the applicant must
authorize a payroll deduction on the permit application form.
Deductions will be made a month in advance until the permit is
canceled.
b. Cash payment. Cash payments must be made in advance for
the duration of the permit.
- Retirees. A standard retiree parking permit is available at no charge upon application to persons classified as retired employees of CU-Boulder by the university’s Human Resources department.
- Volunteers. Persons providing services for the benefit of the university at no charge when such services are otherwise compensable may apply for no charge parking permits useable in specific permit parking lots. Students, student interns, staff members, and employees of non-university agencies located on the Boulder campus are not eligible for this exemption.
D. Family Housing Resident Permits
Parking regulations affecting Family Housing residents are taken from the University of Colorado Family Housing Handbook of Information and are as follows:
- Parking Rules. Only one tenant-owned vehicle may be parked in the principal area adjacent to the tenant living area. Other tenant-owned vehicles must be parked in a prescribed alternate location. Trailers or non-motorized vehicles also must be parked in the alternate areas. Motorcycles may be parked only in the designated areas of the parking lots. Motorized vehicles are not to be taken into units or parked at entrances—use only established lots. Vehicles parked in the lots should be headed in, within the white lines and parked so that bumpers and fenders do not project over the sidewalk. Observe the “no parking” restrictions in all areas identified with yellow paint.
- Vehicle Identification. Parking permits are issued by the Family Housing office at the time the lease is signed and remain in effect to the end of that year. New permits are distributed to residents prior to the start of each spring semester. Each vehicle, trailer, or motorcycle owned by a resident of Family Housing and parked on university property must display a prescribed and current parking permit. Transfer of parking permits from one vehicle to another is
prohibited. Parking privileges automatically cease upon termination of occupancy. All parking permits must be returned to the Family Housing office. The parking permit for motorized vehicles, excluding motorcycles, identifies the living area of the owner. All window permits must be totally attached with the supplied adhesive. Such permits should be placed on the extreme lower right front windshield (passenger’s side). Hang all hanging permits on the inside rearview mirror with lot number facing toward the front of the vehicle. Place permits for motorcycles and trailers on the rear fender and rear of the body, respectively. All additional
vehicles owned by the same family must bear a permit that indicates the specific lot number for that particular vehicle.
- Parking Fees. Payment of any monthly parking fee parallels the system prescribed for payment of rent. Parking fees are as follows:
a. Principal vehicle (motorized or non-motorized), trailers, camper
cabs—only one per family—no fee.
b. Motorized or non-motorized vehicles in excess of one per
family—$3 each per month.
c. Bicycles—registration is required for main campus usage.
Registration is strongly recommended for all bicycles in order to
provide ownership records and theft prevention.
- Vehicle Requirements. Each vehicle/trailer/motorcycle must be currently licensed and operational at all times in addition to being registered with the university. The vehicle must have a current parking permit for the area in which it is parked. Violators will be ticketed by the University of Colorado Police Department and the vehicle may be towed under these regulations and/or the university Parking and Traffic Regulations.
- Visitor Parking. Guests of tenants may park in designated two-hour visitor spaces. For longer visits a visitor permit should be obtained from any student manager or from the Family Housing office. Since visits are limited to one week (see the lease), visitor permits are issued for a maximum one-week period. Contact the manager of Family Housing for approval of any visit of more than one week. Visitors driving motorcycles should park in visitor spaces rather than permit-controlled motorcycle spaces. Family Housing residents with parking permits issued by Family Housing may not park in visitor spaces within their principal parking areas. They may park in visitor spaces away from their principal area. A Newton Court resident, for example, may park in visitor parking in Smiley Court but not in Newton Court.
- Traffic and Safety. Since there are children living in all housing areas, exercise extreme caution around parking lots and playgrounds.
a. No driving is permitted on sidewalks or grass areas for any
purpose including moving or avoidance of speed bumps.
b. Speed limits are strictly enforced.
c. Family Housing parking lots are not to be used for storage of
private property or inoperable vehicles. Mechanical work such
as changing oil, engine work, etc., is also prohibited.
d. Posted “one-way” traffic on Grandview (moving east) and on
21st Street (moving north) must be strictly adhered to by
Athens Court and Marine Court tenants and visitors.
- Violations. A vehicle improperly operated, identified, or parked
constitutes a violation and is subject to these regulations and the university Parking and Traffic Regulations.
a. Repeated violations may result in vehicles being towed and/or
in lease cancellation.
b. Tenants are encouraged to report incidents of reckless driving
or other unsafe condition to the university police immediately.
- Non-Family Housing Parking Areas. Residents of university Family Housing areas are eligible for parking privileges within main campus lots controlled by PTS only as parking space is available. Priority is given to commuting and residence hall students. A permit fee is required of Family Housing residents.
E. Visitor Parking
- Visitors to the CU-Boulder campus may park for a fee in meter spaces, in lots with payment mechanisms, in the Euclid AutoPark or by temporary permit.
F. Business Permits
- Business Permits may be purchased by university departments and non-affiliated agencies whose employees require regular parking access on campus away from the primary workplace to conduct official departmental or company business with university departments.
- Business Permits authorize parking in CU-Boulder certain permit lots, meters, and service vehicle zones. A University Business Permit can be used in combination with a disability permit, placard or license plate to allow parking in accessible spaces. Conditions for use of both Business and Accessible Permits must be met to use the permits in combination. A parker using both permits to park at a blue meter is not required to pay the meter but must
adhere to the time limits of that meter.
- Types
a. Campus Department Business Permit. Departments that
require their employees to use personal vehicles to commute
on campus while conducting departmental business away from
the primary workplace may purchase Campus Department
Business Permits from PTS. For the purposes of this section
only, the definition of primary permit is expanded to include
valid parking permits issued by the other CU campuses.
Business permits are not authorized for use:
i. As a replacement for primary parking permits
ii. At red service meters
iii. At gray meters with signs prohibiting their use
iv. For any parking in violation of these regulations
v. For personal parking
vi. Beyond posted time limits
b. Vendor Business Permit. Companies or agencies not
affiliated with the university whose employees require campus
parking in order to conduct business with CU-Boulder
departments may purchase Vendor Business Permits from PTS.
Vendor Business Permits authorize temporary parking on
campus for the purpose of conducting business with university
departments. Vehicles displaying Vendor Business Permits are
restricted to parking within time limits and in areas specified on
the permit. No other parking permit is required with the Vendor
Business Permit.
c. Work Site Permit. Non-affiliated companies and agencies
conducting official business with CU-Boulder and departments
on campus may purchase worksite permits to carry out work
on campus sidewalks. Worksite permits allow:
i. Parking in all permit parking areas except Euclid AutoPark and
where prohibited by sign.
ii. Parking, without charge, at most gray campus meters for
the time period listed on the meter.
iii. Parking on sidewalks, in areas not otherwise assigned for
parking or at yellow curbs only when necessary to actively
load or unload heavy or unwieldy items at a worksite.
While parked in such a manner the vehicle must be parked
to:
a. Leave at least three feet of the available width of the
walkway for pedestrian passage
b. Not be obscured from the view of vehicles, cyclists or
pedestrians, who traveling at a reasonable speed, cannot
see it or stop safely
c. Not impede access of emergency or public transportation
vehicles or park in a fire lane or otherwise present a
safety hazard
d. Not cause damage to campus landscaping or other
property
e. Not block access to accessibility curb cuts or parking
spaces
Work site permits do not allow driving on sidewalks during class
change or driving or parking in areas prohibited by sign.
G. CU-Boulder Owned Vehicles
Vehicles within this category are authorized to park free of charge in CU-Boulder permit parking zones, service vehicle spaces, red service metered spaces and at loading docks up to 15 minutes. Vehicles in this category must pay at all gray meters and may not park at curb cuts or
parking access points adjacent to spaces marked with the universal accessibility symbol or where signs prohibit parking.
H. Motorcycle Permits
- Motorcycle parking is restricted to motorcycle lots. Parking in automobile spaces is prohibited in all areas except time zones and metered spaces.
a. Motorcycles may park in time zones and metered spaces for
the authorized time period of the zone or meter by paying the
required fee.
b. When parking in time zones and metered spaces, the
motorcycle shall park so as to be centered in the space.
c. Motorcycles shall not occupy a space where another motor
vehicle is already parked. - Any commuter student or employee holder of an automobile parking permit may be issued a motorcycle permit for no additional fee provided that both vehicles are not parked on the campus at the same time.
- Motorcycle permits must be in a readily visible location as close to the vehicle’s license plate as practical.
- A specifically designated permit is required for motorcycle lots 232, 233, 326, 398, 399, 445 and 456. General motorcycle parking is available in parking areas designated as “M” lots.
I. Multiple Vehicle Permits
- Carpool. Each vehicle in a carpool is allowed to park as designated by PTS. It is the responsibility of carpoolers using a hanging permit to transfer that permit only between vehicles registered under that permit with PTS. There is one permit number, one permit fee, and one gate card (if necessary), and only one car may be parked on campus at a time. All members of the carpool must register their vehicles with PTS.
- Additional motor vehicles
a. Hanging Permits: Only one hanging permit is issued per permit
holder or carpool. Hanging permits may be displayed only on
those vehicles registered under the permit with PTS. Permit
holders are responsible for registering their additional personally
owned vehicles that may be parked on campus under the
permit. The permit holder is responsible for transferring the
permit between registered vehicles.
b. Window Permits: Only one window permit is issued per permit
holder. Duplicate or “second car” permits are not issued to
window permit users.
J. Accessibility Permits
- Vehicles parked in accessible parking spaces must display a state-issued disability license plate, permit, decal, or placard at all times. Violators are subject to immediate tow. Accessible parking in “permit only” lots requires display of a CU-Boulder parking permit and state issued disability license plate, permit, decal, or placard. Time limits and other conditions required by posted sign must be observed.
- Proximate parking may be made available to faculty, staff, or students with a disability. Eligibility is contingent upon the following:
a. Written verification from a licensed physician stating the type
of disability, the expected duration, and the distance the
person is able to walk shall be submitted upon application for,
or renewal of, Accessibility Permits.
b. PTS reserves the right to request a second physician’s opinion
regarding an applicant’s medical condition and/or mobility
before permit issuance.
c. Permits will be issued for parking areas as close to the
applicant’s preference as possible based on space availability.
- Fees for Accessibility Permits
a. Fees for permits issued to persons with permanent disabilities
are assessed at one-half the maximum rate of regular permit
for access in up to two lots.
b. The maximum faculty/staff parking permit rate applies for
access to more than two parking lots.
c. Fees for permits issued to persons with temporary disabilities
are assessed at regular permit rates.
K. PM (Evening) Permits
- “Off peak” PM permits may be issued for lots in which “all times” parking restrictions apply. PM permits allow for parking outside the normal business day.
- Fees are related to the starting and ending times for the specific PM permit.
- Applicants must provide valid vehicle registration information at the time the PM parking permit application is made.
- PM permits are not counted against departmental faculty/staff allocations.
L. Other Permits
- Parking permits may be sold to employees of agencies located on the Boulder campus with cash payments in accordance with these regulations unless such agencies provide parking for their employees as part of existing space-lease agreements.
- Under the Reciprocal Parking agreement, students and staff of the other CU campuses may park vehicles bearing valid parking permits from those campuses in lots 308 and 436 on Main Campus and lot 560 on East Campus. Parking in other lots requires a fee.
- Members of the van pools may park their personal vehicle on an occasional one-day basis by purchasing a temporary parking permit through PTS.
M. Gate Cards
- Only one gate card for the operation of parking gates is issued per primary permit.
- A deposit is charged for the issuance of a gate card to any person or organization with the exception of staff members requiring the gate card for use with their primary permit. The deposit is refunded when the gate card is returned; a fee is charged for the loss of any gate card.
- Gate cards issued by PTS may not be loaned, given, or made available to any other person.
N. X Permits
- “X” permits authorize parking in all CU-Boulder permit-controlled lots.
- Notwithstanding the “X” permit’s authorization for parking in all CU-Boulder permit parking lots, “X” permit holders are expected to park in their assigned primary parking lots except when conducting university business away from their workplace.
- “X” permits do NOT authorize parking at CU-Boulder parking meters, service vehicle parking zones, pay-as-you-park zones, the Euclid AutoPark (lot 205), in areas not designated as
parking spaces, or in areas where parking or permit use is prohibited by sign. - “X” permits are generally issued to officers of the university, department chairs, or department directors and only upon written approval of the vice chancellor for administration.
- Applicants for “X” permits must demonstrate regular and ongoing job duties requiring mobility between various CU-Boulder facilities that cannot be reasonably accommodated by walking, transit, telecommuting, or other means.
- Retiree applicants for “X” permits must demonstrate an ongoing relationship with, and service to, the university from which arises a regular and ongoing requirement for mobility between various CU-Boulder facilities that cannot be reasonably accommodated by walking, transit, telecommuting, or other means.
- “X” permits and job or duty changes:
a. “X” permits are issued based upon job duties and related
mobility requirements. “X” permits must be relinquished in the
event of a job change.
b. Persons relinquishing “X” permits because of job changes may
reapply provided their new positions meet the eligibility
requirements outlined in this section.
c. “X” permit privileges may be terminated upon review based on
changes in job duties and mobility requirements. - Fees for “X” permits are assessed at the maximum faculty/staff parking rate for all current and retired assignees.
O. Regent Permits
Regent permits are issued only to current members of the University of Colorado’s Board of Regents. Regent permits authorize parking in any designated vehicular parking stall on the CU-Boulder campus, with the exception of disability parking spaces and reserved spaces. Vehicles
parked in disability parking spaces must display a state issued disability license plate, placard, decal, or permit.
P. Lost/Stolen Permits
- A lost or stolen parking permit may be replaced for an administrative fee upon the permit holder’s submission of a completed Parking Permit Replacement Application, available at PTS.
a. Stolen parking permits should be reported to the appropriate
police jurisdiction.
b. Criminal charges may be filed against any person in possession
of a stolen parking permit. - Permits that have been reported lost or stolen are invalid for use at CU-Boulder.
- Any vehicle displaying a parking permit that has been reported lost or stolen is subject to a parking citation and may be towed and impounded at the owner’s expense.
- Recovered lost or stolen permits must be returned to PTS.
Q. Oversized Vehicle Permits
- Vehicles greater than 18 feet in length or 8 feet in width are considered oversized vehicles and must make special arrangements with PTS to park on campus.
- Parking permit rates for oversized vehicles shall be assessed based upon the number of standard parking spaces the vehicle requires. The fee assessed shall equal the prevailing rate of the permit type requested multiplied by the number of spaces the vehicle occupies.
