FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

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Parking & Transportation Services is here to make navigating campus simpler. This FAQ covers common topics like permits, citations, alternative transportation, and payroll deductions. If your question isn’t answered here, our team is just a message away.

Need more details on a specific topic? Visit these pages for further information:

 

FAQs

Visitor Parking

Visitors can park in any garage or use hourly-pay lots via the Passport App. Permits are not available to visitors. For more information, visit Parking on Campus.

PTS reserves lots for events when needed, while striving to minimize disruptions. Affected permit holders are notified via email and provided with alternative parking. Contact transportation@arizona.edu if you're not receiving these alerts or visit Special/Athletic Events Parking for more information.

General Parking: Tyndall Ave or Main Gate Garages (fees may apply).

Accessible Parking: Lot next to Centennial Hall, entry from South Campus Dr. off Park Ave.

Contact Visitor Programs at (520) 621-3710 for arrangements and pricing.

Please contact Visitor Programs at (520) 621-3710 to make arrangements.

Garage Parking

Accepted payment methods include Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Pay stations and gates are card-only; no cash is accepted. You may also scan the QR code on the parking ticket and pay directly on your phone. For best results, disable Wi-Fi and use cellular data when completing the transaction.

To receive a receipt:

  • Choose the receipt option before processing your payment, or
  • Use your phone to scan the QR code on your paid parking ticket for a digital receipt link

Some departing vehicles belong to permit holders with reserved spaces. These spots remain unavailable to visitors. When the garage is full, entry is restricted to maintain those reservations. You can check real-time garage availability on the Garage Occupancy page.

Please have the department you are visiting contact Visitor Programs at (520) 621-3710.

No. A new parking ticket must be obtained each time you enter, and payment is required each time you exit. If you leave and return later, you will need to pay again.

Hourly Pay Parking

Yes, if push notifications are enabled, you’ll receive an alert or text message. Standard messaging rates may apply.

Yes. The app will send a notification before your time expires. Tap “Add Time,” select the additional duration, and complete payment within the app.

An email receipt option is available at the end of your parking session.

7a.m. - 9 p.m.: Paid parking. Pricing can be found on Passport Parking App.

Before 7 a.m. and after 9 p.m.: Free parking.

No, all university pay stations are cashless.

No. Parking in an hourly-pay space requires separate payment via Passport, even if you hold a University parking permit.

Permit Options, Registration & Waitlist

Students, employees and DCCs are eligible to apply for parking permits. The University of Arizona also has parking garages that accommodate visitors on an hourly basis, as well as hourly parking throughout campus.

Visit Parking Permits for more information. 

Permits are required year-round, including semester breaks and summer sessions.

Because demand is lower during summer, summer permits are typically not renewable. Annual permit waitlists are often in effect by spring.

 Yes. PTS offers flexible options including:

Yes! To carpool, the other person must add their license plate to the active permit. 

Visit the Carpool Parking Program for more information.

Note: The permit holder is responsible for any citations issued to that plate. To remove a plate, contact our office.

No, PTS permits are assigned to individuals, not vehicles. Only one permit per person is allowed.

Permit availability is limited. Assignments are made in the following order:

  1. Employees on Payroll Deduction
    Permits are automatically renewed unless cancelled. You may request a change in location by joining a waitlist once instructed in your renewal notice. Current permit holders receive priority for waitlist placement.
  2. Employees with Permits (not on Payroll Deduction)
    You’ll receive a renewal notice with a purchase deadline. If you want to change locations, you may join a waitlist during the renewal period.
     
  3. Students with Parking Permits
    Renewal notices are sent in May with a specific purchase deadline. Students may also join a waitlist for new locations, if space is available.
     
  4. New Permit Applicants
    Open sales begin in July and are on a first-come, first-served basis.
     
  5. Affiliates
    Affiliates can purchase permits during the July open sales at parking.arizona.edu.

Note: If any of the above groups fail to act by their assigned deadline, they lose their priority and must purchase permits during open sales.

You will remain on the waitlist until:

  • You’re assigned your desired location, or
  • The list is purged in April

You’ll receive an assignment email if selected. Check your official U of A email regularly (including junk mail). You may only be on one waitlist at a time. Changing your selection will remove you from your current list and place you at the bottom of the new one.

Renewal emails are sent in May. If you don’t purchase your permit by the deadline, it will be reassigned to someone on the waitlist. If you haven’t received your notice by mid-May, contact Customer Relations via email or at (520) 626-7275.

Log in to your Parking Account Portal or check your U of A email for updates.

Log into the Parking Account Portal and join a waitlist, if available. Permits are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis based on your request time.

Call (520) 626-7275 or email Customer Relations.

The waitlist allows customers to queue for sold-out permit locations via their Parking Account Portal. Assignment is not guaranteed. Waitlists reset each April. You will be notified by email if a space becomes available.

Highly limited permits may sell out and be removed from the list.

No. Waitlists are cleared annually in April and new lists are created for the upcoming permit year.

Permit Locations & Vehicles

Start by signing in to the Parking Account Portal with your NetID. Select Vehicles and follow instructions below. The portal will allow up to three license plates under one permit. However, only one vehicle may be parked on campus at a time under that permit.

  • To add
    Vehicles> Add new vehicle to permit> Select your active permit > Add the vehicle information > Confirm
  • To remove
    Email us or call (520) 626-7275 to remove or if you no longer OWN the vehicle.

Rentals: Rentals are considered temporary vehicles, and you don't need to add them to your Parking Account. Call Dispatch at (520) 621-1108 and provide your rental license plate to avoid receiving a citation. For gated garage permit holders, you are able to utilize your CatCard as a backup credential for access.

You must update your vehicle information in the Parking Account Portal as soon as changes occur. Updates take effect immediately.

Omit any special characters when entering your plate information (ex. stars, hearts, etc.).

Enter the temporary plate information into your Parking Account Portal until you receive your permanent plate.

Vehicle information is required to complete your permit purchase. If you haven’t obtained the vehicle yet, please contact the PTS office for assistance.

Yes, motorcycles are included. Be sure to enter your motorcycle plate in the Parking Account Portal to associate it with your permit.

You do not need to add a rental car to your Parking Account. Instead, call Dispatch at (520) 621-1108 with the rental’s plate number to avoid receiving a citation. Garage permit holders can use their CatCard for backup permit access.

Car covers are permitted, as long as the license plates are visible from the driving lane.

Departments & Employees

Deductions begin in September:

  • 26 pay periods for fiscal employees
  • 20 pay periods for academic employees

Payroll deductions typically begin within four weeks of your purchase, depending on the day of the week the transaction is completed. Please plan accordingly, as there may be a delay before the first deduction appears on your paycheck.

Payroll deduction is a convenient way to pay for your permit or bus pass through automatic paycheck deductions—26 pay periods for fiscal employees and 20 for academic employees. An added benefit: customers who choose payroll deduction receive first priority for permit renewal.

If you prefer not to use payroll deduction, you can pay with a credit or debit card instead. Just be sure to complete your payment before the renewal deadline to avoid losing your permit.

They are pre-tax deductions. On December 20, 2019, Congress repealed a section of the 2017 tax law (Public Law PL 115-97). This means employers can once again offer qualified transportation fringe benefits (e.g. parking, transportation and vanpooling) without a taxation penalty.

Yes, employees can pay for permits and transit passes in-office or phone by credit or debit card. Please contact us at (520) 626-7275. Paying the permit in full will require you to renew your parking permit annually.

You can reserve spaces through two primary methods:

  1. Garage Reservations - Departments can reserve parking spaces for visitors in available garages. Reservations guarantee a parking spot, even if the garage shows full at the time of arrival.
  2. Garage Validation Program - Departments can also purchase garage validations to cover visitor parking costs. Unlike reservations, validations do not reserve a space. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more details on reservation options visit Department Reservations & Validations.
 

PTS can include extra guests on a space-available basis, but if the garage is full, guests will be redirected. Contact transportation@arizona.edu to transfer the reservation and ensure no charges are incurred by the guest.

Guests should press the ‘Help’ button at the gate and identify themselves as having a reservation. They’ll need to repeat this step at exit for validation.

Let PTS know the number of spaces needed so we can arrange barricades, and signage. Vehicle information is required, and flyers may need to be posted.

Cancellations must be made by the day prior to the reservation, or by Friday for reservations scheduled the following Monday.

PTS recommends using the Cat Tran shuttle to travel to different locations on campus. University departments may also purchase Department Service Permits used in service vehicle spaces around campus.

Student Payment Options

Permits can be paid online using a credit card or transferred to your Bursar account.

Yes. Open sale permits appear in your Bursar account in August; other purchases take up to two weeks to post.

By the deadline provided in your confirmation email.

Yes. Contact Customer Relations. No late cancellation penalties apply.

Lost or Stolen Permits

Lost or stolen permits may be replaced at the PTS office. If the permit was stolen and a police report is filed, a replacement may be issued at no charge. Only one replacement is allowed free of charge per academic year. Any additional replacements will incur a fee.

Once a permit is reported as lost or stolen, it is flagged in the PTS system. If the permit is found in use on campus, the vehicle displaying it will be impounded. The replacement fee covers the administrative costs of managing the lost/stolen permit process.

Do not use the permit. Contact PTS Customer Relations at (520) 626-7275 for return instructions. Reusing a permit that has been reported lost or stolen may result in vehicle impoundment and a minimum fee of $400, along with potential legal or administrative penalties.

Returns, Cancellations & Exchanges

Permit refunds are available year-round and are prorated on a bi-weekly basis. Contact PTS Customer Relations for assistance with initiating a refund.

Yes. Because refunds are prorated bi-weekly, the amount refunded will depend on when the permit was purchased and when the return is processed. Contact Customer Relations for specific refund calculations.

A full refund is only available until 4:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the permit’s effective date. After that, prorated refunds apply.

Yes. Refunds are prorated bi-weekly. To process your cancellation, email Customer Relations and include "Parking Permit Cancellation Request" in the subject line. For an exact refund amount, contact Customer Service at (520) 621-7276 or email transportation@arizona.edu.

Returned permits are reassigned to the next individual on the waitlist. PTS cannot hold a space without payment, as that space may be needed by another customer. To secure a location:

  • Check the Parking Account Portal for available permits.
  • If unavailable, join the waitlist for your desired location (opens in October).

PTS is committed to equitable permit distribution for the entire campus community.

You must cancel your permit through the PTS office. PTS does not receive automatic notifications of payroll changes, so charges may continue to accrue unless canceled. You are responsible for all charges incurred until the permit is officially canceled or expires. If you're going on leave, call (520) 626-7275 for assistance.

No. Returned permits are reassigned on a first-come, first-served basis. If you cancel your permit, it will be offered to the next person on the waitlist. You may rejoin the waitlist or purchase any available permit through the Parking Account Portal.

Alternative Transportation

Bikes not picked up will be moved to a secure location and may be subject to an overnight storage fee. Call (520) 621-1108 after 6PM to secure release of your bicycle. Parking and Transportation is not responsible for theft or damage to bicycles left at the Bike Valet after hours.

Yes. However orange routes do not run.

No. There are some private, local shuttle providers that service both the Tucson and Phoenix airports on an hourly schedule.

Transit service schedules are published online. Each route is timed and each is defined by color or name. Selected major stops are shown with printed departure times. With a service schedule, you can easily determine when the transit bus will depart from any stop on any route. Cat Tran can be tracked via TransLoc, UArrive and the Arizona Mobile app.

You may call Sun Tran at (520) 792-9222. Please have the following information ready when you call:

  • Where are you going? (nearest intersection)
  • What time would you like to be there?
  • Where will you be catching the bus (nearest intersection)?

Please visit Cat Tran Charter Service for more information

For more information on the University of Arizona carpool program, please visit the Carpool Parking Program page or call (520) 626-7275 and a customer service representative will assist you.

No. These spaces are only for charging electric vehicles - they are not priority parking for electric vehicles. Violators will be subject to citation for parking a non-electric vehicle or unplugged electric vehicle in this space.

Citations & Appeals

Yes, we enforce the parking rules and regulations on the weekend with no specific enforcement schedule.

When our Parking Service officers observe a violation, they place a parking citation on the vehicle's windshield. This constitutes a lawful delivery of the citation. Once the citation is placed, it becomes the responsibility of the driver or owner of the vehicle. This is the same standard that applies to law enforcement agencies when they issue parking citations. Citation notifications are also sent via email or by US mail. You may check the status of your account by logging into your Parking Account Portal.

When you file a web appeal through your Parking Account Portal, the system will email you an appeal receipt confirmation. Please call the Appeals Division at (520) 621-0162 if you have any questions. Visit Citations and Appeals for more information about please

As soon as your appeal is received, the citation is placed on a hold status to prevent late fees from accruing. Paying the citation waives the right to appeal.

The Diversion Program is an educational opportunity offered by Parking & Transportation Services to have a citation waived or reduced. It’s designed to help you better understand campus parking rules and the range of services we provide.

Please note:

  • The Diversion Program only applies to one citation.
  • It is offered once per customer during your time affiliated with the university.

 

The program includes a short online quiz that takes about 60 minutes or less to complete. You’ll have 72 hours (3 days) to finish it once you start. To successfully complete the program, you must score at least 80 out of 100.

Any active employee collecting a paycheck can put a citation on payroll, but it is a post-tax deduction. Payroll deductions typically begin within four weeks of the addition, depending on the day of the week the transaction is completed. Please plan accordingly, as there may be a delay before the first deduction appears on your paycheck.

General

The figure on your paycheck is for a calendar year (January - December). Permits and bus passes are issued in August and the deductions are collected over two calendar years.

If you do not have a parking permit and find that you need a ride home in an emergency situation, call the Emergency Ride Home line at (520) 621-1108. This is a resource for U of A affiliates who use alternative transportation to work or school but an emergency arises and you need to get home. We will arrange for Lyft to pick you up and transport you where you need to go, free of charge! Parking and Transportation Services will pay the Lyft fare, including tip. If you use a wheelchair or must transport a child, please notify us so we can notify  Lyft of your special needs. Please visit the Emergency Ride Home Program for more information.

You may check the status anytime via the Parking Account Portal. All guidelines and  permit assignments from the waitlist are sent by email in alignment with the universities’ communication policies. Free computer access is available throughout the university  campus for your convenience.

All contact and mailing address updates must be made through UAccess, the University’s official records system.

Parking program changes can be found on the PTS News & Updates page.

The motorist assist program is FREE and available to all U of A affiliates! If you are having car troubles, call (520) 621-1108 for assistance. Please visit our website's Motorist Assist Program page for more information

The Travel Reduction Program (TRP) helps the University of Arizona comply with a Pima County ordinance that requires large employers to implement strategies that reduce air pollution and encourage alternatives to driving alone.

Each year, employees are asked to complete a short, anonymous online survey managed by Pima Association of Governments (PAG). The survey asks about your commute—such as how you get to work, how far you travel, and your work schedule. It only takes a few minutes and plays a key role in helping the University, city, and county understand commuting patterns and explore more sustainable transportation solutions.