Parking & Transportation
Latest Update from Campus Safety & Transportation
Why We Do What We Do
Parking & Transportation helps our campus community act as responsible stewards of the environment by offering programs that aim to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) traffic, support sustainability efforts, and improve the parking experience. Therefore, Saint Mary's requires that all motorized vehicles parked on campus display a paid permit. Revenue from these permits goes directly toward funding our transportation programs. For questions or more information, please reach out to Campus Safety at psadmin@stmarys-ca.edu.
Alternative Transportation
RideShare for Creation Care
Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) are the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions at Saint Mary's. You can contribute to reducing these emissions by opting for alternative transportation methods.
Alternative Transportation
Important Information
- An SMC parking permit is required for any vehicle parked on either the SMC campus or Rheem campus at all times—24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Permits are issued for specific parking lots.
- Permits are non-transferable, non-refundable, and not pro-rated.
- Vehicles parked without a permit or in the wrong lot will be subject to citation and towing.
- Holding a permit does not guarantee the availability of a parking space.
- Parking spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
- For questions or more information, please email Campus Safety at psadmin@stmarys-ca.edu.
Purchasing Your Permit
Annual and Fall permits for the 2024-2025 academic year are now available through the Parking Portal.
Employee permits are always available and are issued on a monthly basis, with an option for automatic renewal. To enable auto-renewal, simply check the box next to "Auto Payment" during checkout.
For more information about parking permits and other parking-related topics, please visit our Parking FAQs.
Check out the latest update regarding parking permits and other updates from Campus Safety.
Parking Information
Student Rates
Student Permits cost $59.50 per term or $119 per year.
"Please disregard the Resident and Commuter permit classifications in the system. These terms are outdated and no longer relevant. All permits are considered Student permits and are treated the same".
All students, regardless of whether they live on or off-campus, are required to have a Student Permit to park on campus. Student Permits allow parking only in designated Student Parking Lots from Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Outside of these hours, vehicles with a valid SMC parking permit can park in any lot on campus, provided the lot is not otherwise reserved.
Permit Options:
- FALL Term Student Permit: Valid from August 1 to January 31
- SPRING Term Student Permit: Valid from February 1 to July 31
- ANNUAL Student Permit: Valid for the current academic year
Low-Income Family Permits
Undergraduate students with an estimated family contribution (EFC) of less than $11,158 will be exempt from parking permit fees.
Veteran Permits
Veterans and their eligible dependents are not charged for parking permits but must still register for one. Eligible students should confirm their veteran status with the Certifying Veterans Affairs Official in the Student Success Office. For more information on how to confirm eligibility, please visit Veterans Support Services.
Faculty and Staff Rates
Permit Pricing by Salary Tier:
- Tier 1 - Annual salary less than $52,000: $0
- Tier 2 - Annual salary $52,000 - $59,999: $9.92/month
- Tier 3 - Annual salary $60,000 - $79,999: $11.83/month
- Tier 4 - Annual salary $80,000 - $89,999: $14.83/month
- Tier 5 - Annual salary $90,000 - $99,999: $17.83/month
- Tier 6 - Annual salary over $100,000: $20.75/month
Employee Permits are priced based on salary tiers and are available on a month-to-month basis with an optional auto-renewal feature. Permits can only be purchased through payroll deduction, and there are no refunds or prorated options.
All employees, whether faculty or staff, must have an Employee Permit to park on campus. These permits allow parking only in designated Employee Parking Lots from Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Outside of these hours, any vehicle with a valid SMC parking permit may park in any lot on campus, unless otherwise reserved.
Vendor Parking
Vendors who park on campus will need to have a valid permit. More information regarding vendor permits will be available soon.
Visitor Parking
Visitor parking is available on campus from 07:00 AM to 22:00 PM.
Visitor parking is $0.50 per hour, with a daily maximum of $5.00. Please note that this rate does not apply during special events such as basketball games, rugby matches, and graduations.
Visitors can pay using their license plate at any of our pay stations or on their mobile devices by texting "PAY" to 77447 zone #SMC. Please refer to the Visitor Parking Map for regular visitor parking locations.
Vehicles parked without a permit and/or in the incorrect lot will be subject to citation and towing. There is no Visitor parking on campus from 22:00 PM to 07:00 AM.
Visitor Parking Map
Pay Station Map
Parking App
Disabled Placard/License
If you have a state-issued disabled placard/license plate, you do not need to apply for a parking permit. However, please contact psadmin@stmarys-ca.edu to register your vehicle with Saint Mary's.
Citations
Citation Information
All parking citation fees must be paid online within 14 days of the date of issuance. Citations not paid will be doubled and added to your account. Unpaid citations will result in an inability to register for classes, withholding transcripts, grades, and/or academic degrees.
You may appeal a citation within 14 days of issuance by completing an appeal form online. No other forms of appeal will be accepted.
Vehicles in violation of Saint Mary's College's traffic and parking regulations are subject to citations by Campus Safety.
Please read and obey posted signs. Parking citations and fines are as follows:
| VIOLATION | FEE |
|---|---|
| Parking Prohibited by Signs or Markings | $65 |
| Inappropriate Parking Lot | $45 |
| Red Zone / Fire Lane | $105 |
| Fire Hydrant | $85 |
| Blocking Road / Traffic / Walkway | $55 |
| Reserved Parking Space, Including RA's, RD's Marked Spots | $65 |
| On or Straddling Parking Space | $15 |
| Disabled / Handicap Zone / Block Handicap Access | $280 |
| No Parking Permit | $45 |
| Loading or Unloading Zones | $45 |
| Bus Zones | $45 |
| Unauthorized Parking Space | $65 |
| Expired Registration Displayed | $30 |
| Parking or Blocking Disabled ramp | $85 |
| Misuse of Disabled Placard | $85 |
| License plate number not added to Permit / In-Correct License Plate listed | $15 |
| Vehicle must be "Actively Charging" | $65 |
| Vehicle Tow & Release Fee | $400 |