Frequently Asked Questions
Permits and Parking Zones
Can freshmen bring a car to campus?
Yes. Freshmen who park a car on campus must obtain a parking permit from Parking Services and park in designated areas for the permit that is issued. Freshmen who plan to live on campus must know their housing assignment before applying for a parking permit.
I have invited someone to visit who is driving to campus. Do they need a parking permit? If so, where can they get one?
Your visitor should obtain a parking permit immediately upon arriving on campus. For the convenience of campus guests, permits are available in several locations:
Monday–Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Weekends, holidays and after 4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday
What do I need to do when I drive a different vehicle to campus for a few days?
All vehicles operated on campus must display a current parking permit.
If you have a current decal (sticker) on your vehicle and must temporarily drive another vehicle, you may request a temporary parking permit from Parking Services. Students with decal permits are entitled to 4 one week temporary permits per semester at no charge. If you have a repositional (commuters and employees), you may request a 1 day temporary parking permit from Parking Services.
What do I need to do if I get a new car or move to a location requiring a different parking permit?
If you are changing vehicles permanently or have moved and must display a different parking permit, you should remove your current decal and save the pieces by applying them on a sheet of paper. You must bring a sufficient portion of your current decal to allow identification, even though it is pieces, to Parking Services when you apply for a replacement decal in order to obtain the replacement decal at a reduced rate. Parking Services charges $6.00 per replacement decal.
Where am I supposed to park when the lot I usually park in is full?
Parking for Commuting students is most likely to be available in C-01, P-03, P-04 and streets in the vicinity of Littlejohn Coliseum.
Resident students should be able to find parking in the R-01, R-02 or R-03 parking lots, however students parked in residential lots must move their vehicle 12 hours prior to all home football games.
The Park-N-Ride ("P" prefix) Lots are designated for any valid permit to park in them, but they are not intended for storage of resident student vehicles.
Parking is prohibited between 2AM and 4AM in P-01, P-03 and all commuting parking spaces except C-04 and C-05
Where can I park to load/unload?
Timed spaces are strategically located throughout campus. You can come to Parking Services and receive a two hour Loading/Unloading zone permit.
Timed spaces are not provided for students for attending class, rather they are intended for brief business in inner campus areas and for loading/unloading materials and supplies.
Unloading permits are available at Parking Services or you may obtain temporary permission from the University Police Department by calling 864-656-2222
Can students or employees park in visitor spaces?
Visitor spaces are reserved for visitor use between 7 AM and 9 PM. Students and employees may not park in visitor spaces except from 9 PM to 7 AM.
When does the time limit apply in timed spaces?
The time limit is applicable between the hours of 7 AM and 2 AM. The time limit does not apply from 2 AM until 7 AM. Stalls controlled by parking meters have the following time limits:
- Visitor stalls have a 3-hour maximum from 7 AM until 2 AM, free parking from 2 AM until 7 AM
- Timed stalls have a 1 hour or 3 hour limit. Free parking is from 2 AM until 7 AM
What areas are reserved for athletic events?
All spaces identified with a 4-digit number are reserved parking starting 12 hours prior to a home football game. There are additional parking spaces in areas posted as reserved parking for home football games that are not numbered.
For specific information and details regarding reserved parking areas for home football and basketball games, see Parking Areas Reserved for Special Events .
Citations and Appeals
What payment methods are available for me to purchase parking permits or pay for parking citations?
In-person payments at Parking Services may be made with cash, checks, Tiger Stripe card, Master Card, Visa, Discover or American Express. On-line transactions require payment with a Master Card, Visa, Discover or American Express card.
Are parking regulations still in effect after business offices close? Are parking regulations enforced differently between semesters and during holidays?
Parking Regulations remain in effect at all times, including holidays, between semesters, and after business hours. After business hours, parking regulations provide for student parking in employee areas as follows:
- Student vehicles displaying a valid commuting parking permit are allowed to park in employee spaces (except those posted as "reserved for employees 24 hours") from 4:30 p.m. until 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 4:30 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Monday.
- Vehicles displaying one of the valid resident parking permits are allowed to park in the following employee spaces from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 a.m.:
- Employee Lot E-05, north of the Motor Pool;
- Employee Lot E-04, west of Sirrine Hall;
- Employee Lot E-01, east of Newman Hall; and
- Employee spaces on Cherry Road between the intersection of Highway SC 93 and McMillan Road intersection.
- Vehicles displaying one of the valid resident parking permits are also allowed to park in employee spaces (except spaces posted as "reserved for employee 24 hours") from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 4:30 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Monday.
- Vehicles displaying a valid Clemson House permit may park in employee parking spaces on North Palmetto Boulevard and Daniel Drive (except spaces posted as "reserved for employee 24 hours") from 4:30 p.m. until 7 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 4:30 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Monday.
What violations may result in my vehicle being towed?
If you park your vehicle in a manner that creates a hazardous situation, the vehicle will be towed to restore a safe situation. Motor vehicles may be towed, impounded and stored at the owner’s expense and risk under the following conditions:
- If it is illegally parked.
- If it is presumed to be abandoned.
- If it is not properly registered to include proper license plates and current parking permit.
- If it is parked in such a manner as to constitute a serious hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, obstructing movement of operation of emergency equipment, obstruction the collections of trash at established locations, or parked in a fire lane.
- If three or more unpaid parking citations issued against an operator, owner or vehicle are past due. A citation becomes "past due" when it is not paid within fifteen days of issue.
- If a vehicle is parked in a reserved space/area without an appropriate parking permit.
My vehicle has been towed and impounded. How do I retrieve it?
All unpaid parking citations must be paid before impounded vehicles will be released.
Penalties may be paid the following ways:
- At Parking Services during regular business hours (cash, check, credit card and Tiger Stripe accepted)
- At the Police Department during non-business hours (only check, exact cash amount and credit cards accepted)
- Online on our website. If choose to pay online, you must pay all outstanding citations and print your receipt. Then, you will need take your receipt to Parking Services (during regular office hours) or the Police Department if our office is closed for an escort to the impound lot.
Will I lose my parking privileges if I get too many citations?
As part of a recommendation to reduce the number of parking violations, violators who receive excessive citations are subject to additional penalties which include loss of parking privileges. A $50 surcharge will be added to the penalty for the seventh and subsequent parking citations issued to a person or vehicle and the citation penalty will not be discounted for on-time payment.
Violators who receive ten or more parking citations during the parking year (the period of time that annual parking permits are valid) will have their parking privileges suspended for the remainder of the parking year.
How do I appeal a citation and follow up on the appeal?
Parking citation appeals are conducted by Parking Review Boards who report to the Parking Review Judicial Officer in the Municipal Court. Parking Services is not involved with the appeals process. Parking citation appeals must be made within 15 calendar days of citation issue.
To appeal a citation, you must enter the appeal online on our website. To appeal a citation you may click here. Appeal results will be emailed to you.
Miscellaneous
Where can I get information about campus bus routes and schedules?
Bus route and schedule information is available on the Clemson Area Transit (CAT) website.
Why isn’t parking on campus more convenient?
Satisfaction with the convenience of parking on campus stems from expectations. If you expect "convenient parking" where everyone parks at the door to his or her destination, Clemson’s parking will disappoint you.
If, however, you are familiar with urban or campus parking environments, parking at Clemson compares favorably with most cities and universities because destinations are within a ten minute walk or bus ride and parking fees are reasonable.
Why can’t more parking spaces be built near campus buildings?
Clemson is master planned to be a walking campus. As such, parking in the inner campus area is limited and inner campus is populated with academic buildings accented by green space. Future classrooms and academic buildings are planned to replace existing inner campus parking. Additional parking facilities will be constructed on the campus perimeter. Reasons for building parking on the perimeter include:
- Minimize the time between classes by building classrooms reasonably close together, thus allowing more class periods to be available during the day.
- Enhance safety by avoiding pedestrian/vehicle conflicts in the interior of campus.
- Save money when building additional buildings. The infrastructure, including utilities, required to support buildings on campus would be significantly more expensive if buildings were more distant from each other.
- Of course, one or more parking decks could be constructed on the perimeter of inner campus, (it would take several to house the current inventory of over 13,000 spaces). Costs for construction and maintenance are four-or-more times greater than for surface parking. There are also additional costs related to lighting, cleaning and security.
Are students represented when decisions are made about parking?
Yes, the sincere input and suggestions of parking patrons are valued and considered when decisions are made.
Major decisions involving parking are discussed with the Parking Advisory Committee as well as being approved by University Administration. Parking Advisory Committee representatives include undergraduate and graduate students as well as representatives from Faculty Senate and Classified Staff Commission.
Some decisions that affect parking negatively are made because they enhance other, more important aspects of campus life. For more information, see Parking Advisory Committee .
How is money collected for parking permits and parking citations spent?
All persons who park or let stand a vehicle on campus must immediately obtain and display a valid permit. When all students and employees who park on campus purchase and display a permit, everyone is paying their "fair share" toward the provision of parking services.
Parking Services operating expenditures are not supplemented with any State money allocated for Education and General expenses of the university. The primary source of funds for Parking Services comes from parking permit sales and the collection of parking citation penalties. The revenue is returned to campus users in the provision of the following services:
- The construction and maintenance of parking facilities. Recurring maintenance costs include landscaping, lawn mowing and tree pruning, lighting repairs, litter removal, sign replacement, paint striping and pavement surface maintenance.
- To supplement operating and capital equipment funding for Clemson Area Transit.
- To reimburse the Police Department for costs associated with providing parking enforcement including costs for labor, uniforms, transportation, etc.
- To pay for the costs associated with the provision for parking citation appeals.
- To provide labor, rent, utilities, supplies and other costs associated with the administration of parking services.
Students purchase approximately 75% of the annual parking permits sold which accounts for approximately 75% of permit revenue. 74% of campus parking spaces are allocated for student use. Permit fees and parking spaces are fairly allocated. Clemson also compares favorably with our peer institutions regarding permit fees and the ratio of parking spaces to student enrollment.
For more information, see Statistics .
What is Parking Services planning for the future?
Parking Services is also collaborating with Campus Master Planning and parking consultants to review the demand for parking in the future and to investigate the feasibility of constructing and operating several parking structures in sites identified in the campus master plan for future parking structures.
How are parking responsibilities delegated?
Parking responsibilities are delegated among three University Municipal Services departments as follows:
- Parking Services is responsible for issuing parking permits, maintaining parking citation records, identifying violators and collecting parking citation penalties. Parking Services is also responsible for the maintenance and construction of campus parking facilities. Both present and future locations for parking facilities are established in accordance with the Campus Master Plan.
- The Parking Review Official, located in the University Municipal Court, decides appeals from the Review Board and hears appeals involving revocation of parking privileges. Appeals of parking citations are heard by a Parking Review Board, comprised of student, faculty and staff representatives.
- The University Police Department is responsible for enforcing both State and University traffic and parking regulations.
- Parking citations are issued by Parking Enforcement Officers who are Parking Services employees.
Organizationally, to whom does Parking Services report?
Parking Services is a department within Campus Life, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs.
- The Interim Director of Parking Services is Vanessa Weston
- The Associate Vice President for Campus Life is George Smith, PHD
- The Vice President for Student Affairs is Gail DiSabatino, PHD