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Student & Tenant Parking

Harvard University Parking Services
Holyoke Center 8th Floor
1350 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617-495-3772
Fax: 617-496-8278
Email: parking at harvard dot edu

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To be redirected to information on Extension School parking, click here.

 

Nonresident Student Driver Statements and Decals

State law requires Harvard to post the following notice to all students who are not Massachusetts residents: "IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A NONRESIDENT STUDENT TO FAIL TO FILE A NONRESIDENT DRIVER STATEMENT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LOCATED IN THE SAME CITY OR TOWN AS THE SCHOOL OF COLLEGE ATTENDED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3 OF CHAPTER 90 OF THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS. FAILURE TO FILE SUCH STATEMENT IS PUNISHABLE BY A FINE NOT TO EXCEED $200." Under Massachusetts law, if out-of-state students bring cars to campus but elect not to register them with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, then they must file a nonresident driver statement with the local police department, whether or not they apply for on-campus parking. Shortly after filing the nonresident driver statement with the Cambridge/Boston [as applicable] Police Department, students will receive a nonresident student driver decal from the University Parking Office. This decal must be prominently displayed in the “uppermost center portion” of the vehicle’s windshield.

 

Student Parking for the 2012/2013 Academic Year

General student resident and commuter parking is located at the 1 Western Ave garage.
Residential parking is : $3,060
Commuter parking is: $1,584

There may be some Harvard Housing properties that have parking available for their residents that is closer please inquire with the Harvard Parking Services.

Regardless of whether you are a new or renewing student parker, you must show the following documents in order to be issued your permit:

  1. Valid Harvard ID. If no photo ID has yet been issued, please be prepared to show driver's license, and documentation stating your affiliation with the University (course registration, University housing agreement, etc.)
  2. Valid vehicle registration in your name, your parent's name, or your spouse's name. If the last name on the registration does not match your last name, please be prepared to show documentation stating your legal connection with the vehicle (insurance papers stating your name and the vehicle plate, etc.)
  3. Housing agreement or lease. This is needed if you are a resident of Harvard-affiliated housing.

STUDENTS WHO RENEWED ONLINE:

FAQ: Where is the Parking office located?


NEW STUDENT PARKERS:

FAQ: Where is the Parking office located?


 

Parking for Student Residents of HRES Properties

Regardless of whether you are a new or renewing student parker, you must show the following documents in order to be issued your permit:

  1. Valid Harvard ID. If no photo ID has yet been issued, please be prepared to show driver's license, and documentation stating your affiliation with the University (course registration, University housing agreement, etc.)
  2. Valid vehicle registration in your name, your parent's name, or your spouse's name. If the last name on the registration does not match your last name, please be prepared to show documentation stating your legal connection with the vehicle (insurance papers stating your name and the vehicle plate, etc.)
  3. Housing agreement or lease. All residents of Harvard-affiliated housing must provide this documentation in order to be considered for on-site parking. Without this documentation, students will be placed in the One Western Ave. garage.

NEW STUDENT PARKERS:

FAQ: Where is the Parking office located?


Please email Parking Services at parking at harvard dot edu prior to picking up your permit if you have any questions regarding parking on campus.
Any student with an outstanding citation balance will not be issued a permit until all fees are paid.

 

General Student Parking Information

Parking at Harvard University is extremely limited.
Fortunately, there are other commuting options available that make it easy to get around without a car. Harvard University is well served by public transportation, including subway, trains and multiple bus routes. These alternatives allow easy access to South Station, Logan International Airport, downtown Cambridge and Boston, as well as most other points of interest in the area. Bicycling is also recommended as an alternative to driving, and it is often the quickest and most direct way to travel in the local area. Many local streets have bike lanes, and most buildings provide bike racks, making this a very attractive option. For more information on public transportation and bicycling, including information on where to purchase a new or used bicycle, please visit www.commuterchoice.harvard.edu.

All students who bring a car to school are required to register the vehicle with Parking Services, and all vehicles parked on Harvard University property require a valid parking permit. The purchase of a parking permit allows the student to park only in areas officially assigned by Parking Services. By purchasing a permit, the student agrees to comply with all University parking regulations. These regulations are in effect at all times, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Any vehicle in violation of University parking regulations will be subject to ticketing, and may be towed.

City of Cambridge Parking

Parking on the streets of Cambridge is restricted to city residents, and requires that all vehicles be registered in the state of Massachusetts. Cambridge parking stickers are available at the Cambridge Traffic and Transportation Department, located at 344 Broadway. For more information on parking for Cambridge residents, please visit the City of Cambridge Web site at www.ci.cambridge.ma.us, or call 617.349.4700.

Parking and Vehicle Registration

Student applications will be available to new parkers during registration in the fall. Students living in Peabody Terrace, 29 Garden Street, 5 Cowperthwaite Street and One Western Avenue must park in the facility belonging to those respective locations. All other students living on campus may purchase a permit to park in the One Western Avenue Garage on a space-available basis. Students residing in non-affiliated housing and requesting 24-hour parking will be assigned to One Western Avenue Garage. Permits for these garages will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority will be given to students living in Harvard-affiliated housing.Keep in mind that there are no assigned spaces in the student garages. Students choosing term bill as method of payment will be charged the entire yearly fee during the first semester.

In order to register for parking, all students requesting parking must provide the following information:

  1. Valid Harvard ID. If no photo ID has yet been issued, please be prepared to show driver's license, and documentation stating your affiliation with the University (course registration, University housing agreement, etc.)
  2. Valid vehicle registration in your name, your parent's name, or your spouse's name. If the last name on the registration does not match your last name, please be prepared to show documentation stating your legal connection with the vehicle (insurance papers, etc.)
  3. Housing agreement or lease. This is needed if you are a resident of Harvard-affiliated housing.

It is the responsibility of the student operating a motor vehicle at the University to inform the Parking office of any vehicle change or registration change made during the academic year.

Parking Types and Fees: July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013

Tenant Parking
Non-assigned parking valid 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students living in Harvard-affiliated housing. All student tenants in need of parking will be issued permits for the One Western Avenue Garage, unless they can provide proof of residency in Harvard-affiliated housing that offers a respective parking facility. Residents of these areas will be placed in their respective parking facilities, on a space-available basis.

 

29 Garden Street Garage
One Western Avenue Garage
Peabody Terrace Garage
5 Cowperthwaite Garage
*DeWolfe Street Garage


*Due to extremely limited availability, residents of DeWolfe housing are not guaranteed parking at this facility.

Commuter Parking
Non-assigned parking valid between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., seven days a week for students living outside the campus area. Permit issuance is determined by current availability. Commuter permits are not available to residents of Harvard-affiliated housing, and are for commuting students only.

 

One Western Avenue

Cancellation Procedures and Pro-ration Policies

Students wishing to cancel their parking must do so in person by bringing the issued parking permit (hang tag) to the Parking office at Holyoke Center 8th floor, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., in Cambridge during regular business hours. The permit must be returned before the first of the month in order for students to receive a credit, and failure to do so will result in the accrual of parking fees. The permit holder is the sole person responsible for the permit unless it has been physically returned to the Parking office, and will be charged for the permit the entire time it is in the permit holder’s possession. No exceptions will be made to this regulation.

All student annual parking permits are pro-rated on a monthly basis. Please note that parking permits and transponders are not transferable.

Tickets, Penalties, and Appeals

All parking on the campus of Harvard University is by permit only, and all vehicles not displaying a valid University-issued parking permit are subject to ticketing and/or towing without notice and at the owner's risk and expense.

All students are required to register their vehicles with Parking Services, and the student will be held responsible for any violation issued to that vehicle regardless of who is driving at the time of the violation. Citations will be issued for the following parking offenses: safety violations (including parking in a fire lane), regulatory violations (including parking in a reserved or assigned spot), or violations of accessible parking accommodations.

Any student wishing to appeal a citation must do so in writing within 21 days of the date the citation was issued. Appeal forms are available online at www.uos.harvard.edu/transportation/appeal_form.pdf. All appeals should be sent directly to the Parking office at Holyoke Center 8th Floor, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138.

To pay a citation, send a check payable to Harvard University to the Parking office at the above address within 21 days of receipt of the citation. A late charge will be applied to all violations that are not paid within that period. Violations that remain unpaid will be charged to the student's term bill.

Any unauthorized vehicle that is towed will also be issued a citation. In order to retrieve the vehicle, students must come to the Parking office during normal office hours to pay their fines and pick up the vehicle's claim check. These fines do not include a towing fee that is issued by the towing company. Students needing to pick up their claim check after normal business hours must do so at the Harvard University Police Department, 1033 Massachusetts Avenue, Sixth Floor.

Motorcycles

Massachusetts' law requires that all motorcycle operators and their passengers wear helmets at all times.

Motorcycles are subject to all the same parking regulations as any other motor vehicles. They may not be parked within the House grounds at any time, but limited surface parking is available in Allston, or at the Peabody Terrace Garage. Students can purchase a parking permit for their motorcycle for the academic year for $252.00.

Accessible Parking

All parking policy and parking requests based on disability are managed jointly by the University Disability Services (UDS) and Parking Services. Each school has a Local Disability Coordinator, and students with specific needs should first contact this person (http://www.accessibility.harvard.edu/who_to_contact/school_disability_coord.php). Students needing contact information for their school's Local Disability Coordinator should contact UDS at 617-495-1859 (voice) by e-mail at disabilityservices@harvard.edu. The Local Disability Coordinator will request any medical documentation or other verification of disability or injury that may be necessary prior to the authorization of parking or shuttle services. Students who require accessible parking as a reasonable accommodation will not be required to pay more than the yearly student rate for comparable parking types (taking into account hours of access and the nature of the parking facility), regardless of whether such students are assigned to a lot or garage generally reserved for faculty or staff.

Visitor Parking

Visitors to campus may purchase permits for selected campus parking areas at the Parking office, or through the One-Day Online Permit Purchase System. Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors to campus after these hours can purchase a permit from the online system, or on a space-available basis at the Harvard Business School Lot. As of July 1, 2012 the weekday daily visitor's rate is $14.00. The cost for visitor's permits valid after 5:00 p.m. weekdays, and all day Saturday and Sunday, is $5.00 per permit. Keep in mind that permits are valid for a calendar day, not a 24-hour period. All visitor parking, regardless of location, is issued on a space-available basis.

The University assumes no responsibility for damages to any vehicle or its contents for reason of fire, theft, vandalism, or other cause.

 

Parking of PODS and Other Portable Moving Containers

Because the supply of on-site parking is very limited and for public safety reasons, Harvard University Parking Services is not able to accommodate requests for placement of PODS or other types of portable moving containers. Portable moving containers will not be allowed in any surface parking locations or parking garages that are managed by Parking Services.

If you are a current or future resident in a building managed by Harvard Housing, please contact them to inquire if a portable moving container can temporarily be placed on the property where you reside.

We also want to remind you that parking on Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville streets is limited and in all cases temporary/visitor and resident permits must be obtained in advance of your move. For further information, please contact the appropriate office below:

Harvard University Parking Services
617.495.3772
http://www.uos.harvard.edu/transportation/parking

Harvard Housing
617.495.1459
http://www.huhousing.harvard.edu/HarvardUniversityHousing/index.aspx

Cambridge Traffic and Parking Department
617.349.4721
http://www.cambridgema.gov/traffic/MovingVanPermit.cfm

Somerville Traffic and Parking
617.666.3311 From inside Somerville dial 311
http://www.parksomerville.com/index.html

Office of the Boston Transportation Department
617.635.4682 (Resident Parking) or 617.635.4680 (Street Occupancy Permits)
http://www.cityofboston.gov/transportation/default.asp
Note: Street occupancy permits are issued only to licensed, registered moving companies that are bonded with the City of Boston Public Works Department (617.635.4909).

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