Students must obtain a parking decal, which must be properly displayed on their vehicle. Their tuition and fees statement will include a $25 parking and safety fee per semester. Parking on campus without a permit will result in a ticket and subsequent fine. Fines must be paid at the Business Services Office in the Penland Building and not at the University Police Department. There are four parking lots on campus that students can use. Parking lots 'A' and 'B' are in front of campus, and parking lots 'C' and 'D' are on either side of the Etherredge Center. Students may park in any of the spaces marked with white lines. The yellow-marked spaces are reserved for faculty and staff year-round until 2 p.m. Parking in spaces other than those designated for students will result in a ticket and subsequent fine. Students who live in university housing will be issued a special parking permit to park in the housing parking lots.
NOTE: Students with resident decals cannot park in lots A through D, until after 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students who do not live in campus housing and do not have a Resident decal are not permitted to park in the housing parking lots and are subject to fines, booting of their vehicle, and towing if they do so.
Parking and Traffic Regulations
A. Rules and regulations for parking and traffic control at the USCA campus are indicated by printed guides, campus maps, signs, and street curb markings.
- A yellow curb indicates no parking. In addition, parking is prohibited at fireplugs, fire lanes, sidewalks, walkways, grass, lawns, intersections, driveways, or alleyways unless indicated by signs. At no time should service drives and trash pickup areas be blocked.
- Yellow lines indicate faculty/staff parking spaces; white lines indicate student parking spaces.
- The campus speed limit is 14 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. However, everyone is expected to operate vehicles safely commensurate with road and weather conditions.
- If a vehicle becomes inoperable on campus, University Police should be notified immediately. Steps should be taken to move the vehicle from the street or other hazardous position to a parking space. If the vehicle is not moved within a reasonable amount of time, the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense. Jumper cables are supplied by University Police 24 hours a day.
- All parked vehicles should be locked, and no valuables should be left in unoccupied vehicles at any time. Report thefts or damage to University Police (x6111) for investigation or other action.
- Vehicles are not allowed on the quad. This is reserved for pedestrian traffic and emergency vehicles only.
B. Booting, Towing and/or Impounding Vehicles
According to state law, the appropriate campus official responsible for law enforcement and public safety or designee shall have the power to have a vehicle impounded, towed and stored at the owner’s expense and risk under the following conditions.
If the motor vehicle is:
- parked in a fire lane.
- parked in a handicapped space without the benefit of a handicapped permit or is parked in such a way as to block a curb cut for the handicapped.
- parked on a yellow curb or in such a way as to block a driveway, block a service entrance, or create a hazard to safety.
- parked in a parking by-permit-only area without the benefit of a permit; no parking after midnight without a permit - towing is enforced in all lots.
- the subject of three or more traffic violations in one academic year.
C. Violations, Penalties, and Bonds
The driver and/or owner or person whose name a vehicle is registered shall be responsible for all violations incurred by the vehicle. Fines are payable in person or by mail at the Finance Office during regular working hours, Monday through Friday. DO NOT SEND CASH.
The mailing address is:
University of South Carolina Aiken
Attn: Business Office
471 University Parkway
Aiken, SC 29801
Schedule of penalties: Fines
- Parking Improperly - $20
- Parking Permit Improperly displayed - $10
- Parking in No Parking Area - $50
- Parking in Service or Loading Zone - $25
- Blocking sidewalks and Driveways - $25
- Parking in Reserved Space - $25
- Parking in a no parking safety zone or fire lane/blocking fire hydrant - $50
- Parking on Grass - $25
- Parking on sidewalk - $25
- Parked on Yellow Curb - $50
- Failure to register vehicle - $20
- Parking in a University Housing lot by a non-resident - $25
- Housing residents improperly parking in main lots 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday - $25
- Parking in space for people with disabilities or blocking space or curb cut - $50
- Speeding on campus - $40
- Booting of a vehicle - $50
- First offense driving in an unsafe manner / obstructing campus operations - $25
- Second offense driving in an unsafe manner / obstructing campus operations - $50
- Failure to obey Police Officers’ instructions - $50
D. Appeals
Legitimate appeals may be submitted within 72 hours after issuance (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted); otherwise, the right to appeal is forfeited. Appeals will be presented before the Citation Appeals Committee for consideration. Each case is presented, and a final determination is made on the merit of the appeal and the infraction. Upon the committee's finding, a notification will be made via email as to the final results. The appeals form can be located in the University Police Department. You may download, print, and complete this form (USC Aiken Citation Appeal Form) and bring it along with your original citation to the University Police Department.