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Parking and Transportation Services

First Year Resident Student Parking Program

Beginning in the Fall 2026 semester, first-year Clemson University and Bridge students residing on campus cannot park a personal vehicle on campus during the Fall and Spring semesters of their first year.

WHO IS A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT

A first-year student is defined as anyone whose academic classification is ‘first-time freshman’. Most often, this means students who have graduated from high school within one calendar year and are arriving at Clemson for the first time. This designation includes students who have accumulated enough credits to be considered upperclassmen at any time during their first year.

A Bridge student is defined as anyone who is in their initial Bridge year, taking classes at Tri- County Technical College and residing on Clemson’s campus.

ON AND OFF-CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Clemson provides a host of sustainable mobility options to allow students to take advantage of the many activities available off campus. The Tigers Commute app provides real-time mobility information, including:

Other local mobility options include:

  • Uber/Lyft
  • Zipcar Car Rentals on Campus
  • Amtrack

Download Tigers Commute

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PROGRAM EXCEPTIONS AND WAIVERS

A limited number of spaces have been allocated to accommodate students who demonstrate a compelling need or who would suffer undue hardship under the First-Year Resident Parking Program.

The link to the exception application will be posted beginning June 5, 2026. Students must first be assigned an on-campus housing assignment at the University before submitting an application. The application deadline will close June 21, 2026. Waiver request will be reviewed June 22 - June 26, 2026. Decisions will be made the week of June 29, 2026. The permit sales window will be open July 6 - July 17, 2026 for qualifying students.

Exception requests require appropriate justification for approval. Exceptions will be considered by the First-Year Parking Committee, comprised of university representatives from across the student experience, including students. All decisions are final.

Exception requests must be approved before a student brings a vehicle to campus.

Approved exception requests may be revisited in the Spring semester if a student’s academic or personal circumstances change.

Students who obtain a parking permit by providing falsified information, as well as upperclassmen who attempt to purchase a permit for a first-year student, will have future parking privileges revoked and may face student conduct action.

Details related to specific exception requests are included below.

  • Personal Medical Exceptions

    First-year students who have a temporary disability or medical condition that necessitates the use of a vehicle, but do not qualify for a handicapped placard, must contact Student Accessibility Services who will review the medical need, along with any supporting medical documentation to determine if a waiver should be granted. If granted, Student Accessibility Services will communicate that decision to the First-Year Parking and Transportation Committee. The decision of the Office of Student Accessibility Services is final.

    If you have a permanent disability or medical condition that necessitates the use of a vehicle, and do not have an accessibility permit or license plate registered to you, we suggest you apply for an accessibility placard or license plate from your home state or from the South Carolina DMV.

    First-year students with a current temporary or permanent placard or a state issued handicapped plate can contact Parking and Transportation Services directly and they will be approved for a vehicle to park on campus.

    Medical documentation should not be submitted to the First-Year Parking and Transportation committee.

  • Military Service Exceptions

    If residential military-affiliated students are required to complete training off-campus for Army ROTC, Air Force ROTC, or other military service, and do not have other transportation service available to them, they may be eligible to receive a parking permit waiver.

    Specific Academic or Athletic Obligations that Necessitate Traveling to Off-Campus Locations

    Certain classes require students to travel off Clemson University’s main campus to meet essential academic or athletic obligations, with no reasonable public transportation or University-provided transportation alternative available. This includes participation on athletic teams that practice or compete at off-campus locations, as well as academic classes, laboratories, clinical placements, internships, or other required academic activities conducted off campus..

  • Specific Academic or Athletic Obligations that Necessitate Traveling to Off-Campus Locations

    Certain classes require students to travel off Clemson University’s main campus to meet essential academic or athletic obligations, with no reasonable public transportation or University-provided transportation alternative available. This includes participation on athletic teams that practice or compete at off-campus locations, as well as academic classes, laboratories, clinical placements, internships, or other required academic activities conducted off campus..

  • Off Campus Employment

    If students have off-campus employment with no public transportation service available to them, they may submit a waiver application. A letter from the employer must be submitted with the application.

  • Housing Waivers

    This program does not apply to first-time freshman or Bridge students who have been exempted from the on-campus requirement, live off-campus and commute.

  • Other

    Students are welcome to petition for other needs that may not be explicitly detailed on this webpage. Applications should include as many details as possible, including any necessary documentation.