Citations and Appeals

Citations and Appeals

Parking enforcement is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Citations are issued to any vehicle parked in violation of the parking regulations. Violators will be issued a citation and may be towed, depending on the offense and/or the quantity of prior citations.

Citation responsibility

If someone else is using your vehicle, it is your responsibility to make parking regulations known to the driver of the vehicle on university property.

If a citation is issued, the responsible party to resolve the citation is as follows:

  • Vehicle displays a valid parking permit
    • Responsible party is the person to whom the permit is registered.
  • Vehicle doesn't display a valid parking permit and/or isn't registered through parking services
    • Responsible parties are:
      • the person to whom the vehicle is registered through the Texas Department of Transportation or other government agency at the time of the citation
      • and the driver's university employee affiliate.

Paying a citation

Students, faculty or staff members

You may submit payment for your citation:

Visitors

Follow the instructions printed on the back of the citation.

Failure to pay citation charges

Students: Unpaid citations can result in a hold on your student account.

All violators: Additional collection efforts may be utilized as specified in the parking regulations. Ten or more violations within one academic year may result in suspension of driving and parking privileges on campus and/or disciplinary action.

Vehicle immobilization or impoundment

Your vehicle may be immobilized or impounded if:

  • you and/or the vehicle has accumulated three or more past due parking citations.
  • you and/or the vehicle is parked in violation of the terms of a conditional release.
  • the vehicle is parked in an ADA space without displaying a state ADA placard or license plate.
  • the driver is illegally using an ADA permit assigned to another individual.
  • the driver is in possession of a lost, stolen, altered or unauthorized permit.

Learn more in section VII, item six of the parking regulations.

Appealing a citation, boot or impoundment

Log in to the parking portal to make your appeal.

If you disagree with the decision of the appeal officer, you have 10 days to make a final appeal to the appropriate hearing board. Submit a second appeal of citation form.

More information is located in section I, 1.C and 1.D of the parking regulations.

Common reasons for denial of appeal

  • "I admit I was illegally parked, but I was only gone a few minutes."
  • "I knew it was a no-parking zone, but cars park there all the time and never get ticketed."
  • "I was using my personal car for university business."
  • "I didn't know I couldn't park there."
  • "I was ill and had to use the restroom."

Best ways to avoid citations

Below are some common ways to avoid a citation. In a perfect world, everyone who brings a vehicle on campus would purchase a parking permit and park only in those areas for which they are permitted.

  • Parking regulations on this campus require that everyone who parks on campus properly display a valid, current parking permit.
  • Parking on campus is by permit only, with the exception of the paid parking lot on Wilson Drive and Student Center Garage. If you don't have a permit, do not park on campus.
  • Become familiar with the locations in which your permit is valid and only park in those locations.
  • Do not park in spaces designated for persons with disabilities unless you have the proper disabled permit/license plate and an SFA permit. The university strongly supports the ADA and stiff fines are issued to cars parked illegally in these spaces.
  •  Be sure to properly display your permit. You will be issued a citation if the officer cannot see your permit. Instructions on how to display the permit are printed on the back.
  • Any vehicle may park in a Loading Zone for 15 minutes with its emergency flashers on to load/unload.
  • Read and familiarize yourself with the parking regulations.
  • Always park with your right wheels to the curb, except when parking on a one-way road. Parking an automobile, on the wrong side of the street, creates a liability situation.
  • Never park backwards in a diagonal space as this creates a safety issue.