Parking

Appeals

Individuals who receive a parking citation and believe that extraordinary or mitigating circumstances warrant waiver of their parking fine may petition by way of appeal Parking & Transportation Services for reconsideration. Parking citations must be appealed within fourteen (14) calendar days of the citation. Appeals may be made either in writing or electronically, by the individual receiving the citation or the registrant of the vehicle, using the appeal link on this page. Appeals should be filed electronically, allowing you to receive time-stamped email confirmation that the appeal was received. (Note: Warning citations are no-fine and cannot be appealed.)

Are you a student? Need some help with your appeal? You may contact the Student Government Student Legal Advocate before you file. Remember the appeal deadline!

Citations not paid within fourteen (14) days of issuance will accrue a late fee. Late fees do not accrue during the period that the appeal is under consideration. If an appeal is not submitted within fourteen (14) calendar days, the right to appeal is forfeited.

The written appeal will be reviewed by the Appeals Mediator/PATS staff and adjudicated based on the current PATS Parking Rules or Regulations. The decision notification will be sent by email and USPS mail. The following are reasons that will not be accepted by PATS, the USF Final Appeals Committee, or the Student Government Supreme Court as reasons to dismiss or reduce a citation. This is not an all-inclusive list:

• Disagreement with the Parking Regulations
• Ignorance of the Regulation
• Could not find a valid parking space
• Operation of the vehicle by another person
• Patrollers did not issue citations previously for similar violations
• Tardiness to class and/or appointment
• Inability to pay fine
• Traffic congestion
• Received incorrect verbal information
• Perception that designated parking area is unsafe

If you are going to file an appeal, please consider the following:

1. Prepare a concise written argument.
2. Attach any supporting documents to your appeal.
   Only those persons or departments responsible for incurring the citation or the registrant of the vehicle cited may appeal a citation.

What to Expect:

1. The first appeal will be reviewed by a PATS appeal mediator and adjudicated based on the current PATS Regulations, and a letter of decision will be mailed.
2. Those dissatisfied with the decision of the appeal mediator, can request a final appeal. Final appeals may be made either in person to the appropriate committee (oral argument not to exceed five minutes), or in writing on the appropriate form or web-link. Final appeal requests must be made within fourteen calendar days from the date of the appeals mediator's letter of decision. Once a hearing is scheduled and you are unable to attend, you may re-schedule for the next available hearing date. You are allowed one reschedule only.
   • If a student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeals Mediator, they may make a final appeal to the USF Student Government Supreme Court within 14 calendar days of the first appeal decision.
   • If a non-student (person or department) is dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeals Mediator, they may make a final appeal to the USF Parking Final Appeals Committee within 14 calendar days of the first appeal decision.
3. The appropriate committee will review the appeal and may dismiss, down-grade, or uphold the citation, but the committee may not contradict the prevailing parking regulations. The committee is the final appeal authority, pending review of dismissed citations by the Director of PATS for adherence to the prevailing parking and registration regulations.

File an appeal now.

Diversion Program - Option to reduce or eliminate a citation fee

Parking & Transportation Services’ goal is to support student development and success. We have developed an optional program for students to choose from as an alternative to either reduce or eliminate the fee associated with a parking citation. We offer this program to educate our campus community and prevent future citations.

Educational Class in Lieu of Paying Citation

Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) will offer the option to attend an educational class in lieu of paying or appealing their citation*.  Upon successful completion of the class and a score of 90% or higher on the quiz at the end, the citation will be downgraded to a warning. The class will be offered online through Canvas.

* The five eligible citations for this program:

• No Current Permit Display
• Out of assigned area
• Facing Traffic
• Back-in Violation
• Parking Over the Line

Important Notes:

• This program is for active USF students only.
• Each student is eligible to take this class a maximum of one time.  After that, the student will need to pay or appeal per standard procedures.