Parking Citations

Understanding Parking Citations

To maintain fair and safe parking across campus, Valparaiso University enforces parking regulations through a structured citation and fine system. Whether you’re a student, faculty, staff, or visitor, it’s important to understand the consequences of parking violations, how to make payments, and what to do in case of towing or repeated offenses. Review the sections below to stay informed and avoid unnecessary fines.

First Things First

Let’s Explore

Visitor Parking

Parking Permits

Bicycle & Scooter Registration

Parking Locations

Rules & Regulations

Parking Citations

Transportation Services

Student Transportation Employment

Parking Self Service Portal

Parking Permits

Parking Citations

Violations & fines

Violators of Valparaiso University parking and traffic regulations will be fined according to the following fee structure. More than one violation/fine may be assessed per ticket. Six or more citations in an academic year are grounds for impoundment of a vehicle, revocation of campus parking permit, and loss of campus parking/driving privileges.

Failure to Display Permit	$10.00
Illegal Parking (i.e., parking in wrong permit zone, double parked, parking on grass, etc.)	$25.00
No Permit	$50.00
Fire Lane/Zone Violation	$50.00
Parking in ADA space without proper permit	$100.00
Documentation Violation (i.e., expired license plates)	$25.00
Equipment Violation (i.e., non-operational brake lights)	$35.00
Moving Violation (i.e., speeding, disregarding stop sign, seat belt violation, etc.)	$75.00
Reckless Driving	$150.00

* Updated 3.1.25

Parking citation payments

Parking citation payments can be made at the Parking & Transportation Office (813 Laporte Avenue) with cash/check. Payments using a credit/debit card can be made on-line using this link.

Vehicle towing and impoundment

There are several reasons the University tows vehicles:

The vehicle has been abandoned.
The vehicle must be moved immediately for law enforcement and parking needs, such as it is blocking access to, prevents use of or inhibits operation of a facility, structure or activity; or it is causing damage, or represents a safety hazard, or is blocking a fire lane or Disability parking space.
The vehicle or permit has an extended history of parking violations and ticketing has failed to alter its use.
The vehicle has not been registered with the Parking and Transportation office.
The vehicle is located in a closed parking facility.

Excessive tickets

Citation infraction

Vehicles who have received more than 6 tickets per academic year will be eligible to be towed and impounded. Upon issuance of the 7th ticket, and each ticket thereafter, the vehicle may be towed and impounded by the towing company.

The history of citations accumulated by a vehicle during a permit year accompanies that vehicle during the remainder of the permit year.

Clean records

Vehicles will be cleared from the tow list at the beginning of the fall semester of each academic year, provided all fines have been paid.

If fines are left unpaid, the vehicle will remain on the tow list indefinitely.

Vehicles not registered with the Parking and Transportation Office

Vehicles not registered with the Parking and Transportation office may be towed at any time.

As a courtesy, the Parking and Transportation office will issue a warning sticker on an unregistered vehicle.

That vehicle will be towed if the vehicle owner does not obtain a campus parking permit.

Game day / snow removal / lot closures

Lot closures will be announced in advance by campus email.

Vehicles that remain in a closed lot after the closure time will be ticketed and/or towed.

The vehicle will either be impounded or towed to another designated location.

Towing fees will be billed to the vehicle owner.

Abandoned vehicles

Abandoned vehicles may be towed and impounded at any time, without warning. The Valparaiso University Police Department will determine if a vehicle has been abandoned.

Unregistered vehicles that remain in the same location for more than 5 days may be considered abandoned.

Liability

The University assumes no responsibility for damage to a towed vehicle.

Call-out fee

If the operator of the vehicle shows up after a tow truck has been summoned but before the tow is completed, any applicable fees from the towing company must be paid by the operator.

Reclaiming your vehicle

Owners and operators must pay all outstanding tickets/fines to the parking office and obtain a release, after which the vehicle may be claimed from the towing company. All fees must be paid to the towing company before the vehicle is released from impound.