Public Safety

Parking and Traffic

All persons who use the University parking fields must recognize the problems of control and supervision of these areas. Parking space often is at a premium. The rules and regulations established here provide reasonable accommodations for all concerned. Everyone driving on campus is expected to comply with these regulations and is reminded that the use of the parking facilities is a privilege and not a right. The instructions indicated on all traffic control and parking signs must be observed. Faculty and staff are reminded, in addition, that the parking privileges available to them are not transferable to anyone else, including a student who uses the faculty or staff member's vehicle. Faculty and staff who repeatedly violate campus vehicle regulations will be reported to the appropriate department head, dean, vice president, or provost. Only by the prompt registering of vehicles (including changes in state license plate numbers) and the proper display of the University parking permit will these privileges be assured.

HOW DO I OBTAIN A PARKING PERMIT? 

Students, faculty, and staff can register their vehicle by clicking on the following link: https://my.hofstra.edu/web/home-community/parking-permits.

After logging in to the Hofstra portal, you will be brought directly to the parking permit form. You will be asked to complete a series of questions related to the vehicle you intend to register for this academic year and, upon submission, will be able to download the parking permit. If you are submitting the information via a method that does not have access to a printer, when you are ready to print the permit, you can access the permit by clicking the parking permits icon in the MyApps section of the portal. This is also a method to reprint your permit in the event it gets lost. You may register only one vehicle per person per academic year. If you are eligible to park in a Person First Priority spot, i.e., you have an accessible parking placard or license plate, fill out the online application and email a photo of your accessible placard to parkingpermits@hofstra.edu. A PDF of a blue Hofstra Person First Priority hangtag will generate for you to print out.

If you mistype your license plate, need a temporary parking permit at any point during the year, or drive a motorcycle, please email ParkingPermits@hofstra.edu. Someone will respond to you during business hours Monday through Friday. 

Finally, as the parking program requires you to print out your permit, please know that parking hangtags that hold your permit will be distributed to employees and students in various locations, such as parking lots when classes begin and HofstraCard Services (if you are a new commuting student), and will be made available in various locations, such as academic offices, the Mack Student Center, and outside the Public Safety building beginning August 24. In the meantime, please display your printed permit (without cutting it down) on the dashboard of your vehicle. Residential students are required to leave the printed permit on the dashboard of the vehicle. 

Online ticket payment website is temporarily down.
Tickets can be paid in person at Memorial Hall, Room 200.

WHAT IF I PARK IN A MANNER TO WARRANT TOWING?

If you park in a manner to warrant towing, your vehicle will be subject to towing, and a fee of $50 will be required to release the vehicle. You must report to Public Safety in order to secure the release of your vehicle.

WHAT DO I DO IN CASE OF A BREAKDOWN?

Public Safety has a Motor Vehicle Assistance program. More information is available at the Department of Public Safety.

WHAT IF MY VISITORS RECEIVE A PARKING SUMMONS WHILE ON CAMPUS?

The visitors should go to the Department of Public Safety without delay. This rule is applicable to all members of your family or friends who are not students and park illegally on campus. It is your responsibility to inform your family or friends of the parking regulations before they come to campus.

FINE OF $100

  • Parking in a "Person First" space (reserved for individuals with disabilities)

FINE OF $50

  • Parking within the prohibited limits of a fire hydrant
  • Faculty Staff Towing
  • Parking in a Fire Zone

FINE OF $40

  • Dangerous driving
  • Failure to stop at a "Stop" sign
  • Speeding
  • Entering parking field via exit
  • Leaving parking field via entrance
  • Leaving the scene of an accident

FINE OF $30

  • Failure to register state license plate number
  • Parking in front of a closed gate or barricade
  • Obstructing traffic
  • Parking in other than specified area when parking privileges have been suspended
  • Driving or parking on any grassed area, walk, ramp, except emergency or maintenance vehicles, or as directed by a Public Safety officer
  • Parking in a Tow Away Zone
  • Parking for the purpose of making mechanical repairs
  • Abandoned vehicle

FINE OF $20

  • Parking in an area not outlined for parking
  • Parking in wrong field or space
  • Parking outside of lines
  • Parking in restricted or reserved space or area
  • Scofflaw

FINE OF $10

  • Failure to properly display a valid Hofstra University parking permit

WHAT IS THE CAMPUS SPEED LIMIT?

The maximum speed permitted on campus is 15 miles per hour.

WHERE SHOULD I PARK?

Students may park only in areas designated for student parking, and only between lines that outline the parking space. Do not park in areas marked restricted, reserved, or visitors. Remember, this rule applies whenever your vehicle is on campus for any reason. Motorcycles and mopeds must park on North Campus in spaces marked for such vehicles. Downloadable Parking Map [PDF]

Faculty, staff, and administrators are reminded that:

  • Parking at the Hofstra University Club is restricted to time periods when you are actually at the Club, and you must display the appropriate Club parking decal, which may be obtained at the Club.
  • Parking at the Weller Hall parking area (Parking Field 2C) is restricted until 5 p.m. to personnel who have been issued special permits. After 5 p.m., this area is restricted to faculty, staff, and administrators only.

CAUTION:

Any area not outlined for parking has been purposely left open to reduce traffic hazards and to permit passage of emergency vehicles. Parking in these areas carries a $20 fine. You may park only in spaces outlined for parking, whether or not a sign is posted.

CAN PARKING VIOLATIONS BE APPEALED?

If you feel that a summons was issued or that your vehicle was towed in error, you may file an appeal. Students, faculty, and staff may download the appeal form here. Please email the form to publicsafety@hofstra.edu or deliver it to the Department of Public Safety located in the Mack Public Safety and Information Center within 10 working days after receiving the summons/ticket. The appeal cannot be heard if that deadline is not met. Once your appeal has been reviewed, a letter regarding the outcome will be sent to you via your Hofstra email. The appeal outcome regarding parking/moving violations is final. If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 516-463-6606.

HOW ARE FINES TO BE PAID?

Tickets can be paid online at Hofstra.edu/PayTicket. Tickets can be paid in person at Memorial Hall, Room 200.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I FAIL TO PAY MY FINES?

Failure to pay designated fines will result in towing of the vehicle at the violator's expense. Anyone accumulating three or more unpaid fines will be designated a scofflaw and will be subject to towing. Fines unpaid at the close of any semester will be cause for withholding grades, diploma, transcript, or permission to re-register. Faculty, staff, and administrators who fail to pay designated fines by the close of any semester will be reported to the appropriate department head, dean, vice president, or provost.

WHAT IF I CONTINUE TO VIOLATE PARKING REGULATIONS?

You will be towed as a recidivist violator. In addition, students who repeatedly violate the University parking regulations and thus show a serious lack of consideration for others will be reported to the Office of Community Standards. Faculty, staff, and administrators who repeatedly violate these regulations will be reported to the appropriate dean, department head, vice president, or provost.

VIOLATIONS FOR WHICH VEHICLES WILL BE TOWED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Parking within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, or in a fire/emergency lane
  2. Parking in spaces designated for individuals with disabilities
  3. Parking in a loading zone, or obstructing a gate, barricade, trash receptacle, etc.
  4. Obstructing traffic
  5. Obstructing legally parked vehicles
  6. Parking on grass, walk, ramp, etc.
  7. Parking hazardous to the safety of the campus community
  8. Scofflaw
  9. Recidivist violator
  10. Abandoned vehicle. Vehicles parked as indicated above will be towed to an on-campus impound site. There will be a $50 towing fine in addition to the applicable summons fine.

The following regulations are in effect at all times:

WHO MUST REGISTER?

Anyone who parks a motor vehicle on University grounds.

WHO IS A STUDENT?

Students shall include all persons enrolled at the University, including special programs. Hofstra students who at the same time become associated with the University as an employee, e.g., part-time faculty, staff, or otherwise, will retain the status of student as it pertains to campus vehicle registration unless exempted from this rule by the Department of Public Safety.

WHO IS A VISITOR?

Visitors shall include all persons who have no affiliation, association, connection, or relationship with the University as a student, member of the faculty, staff member, or employee. If a summons is issued to a visitor, the visitor must appear at the Department of Public Safety on the same day the summons is issued, in accordance with the instructions on the summons. If this procedure is not complied with, the visitor will be held responsible for the summons. Under no circumstances is a student permitted to park in the areas designated for visitors.

WHEN AND WHERE DO I REGISTER?

Students, faculty, and staff can register their vehicle by clicking on the following link:

https://my.hofstra.edu/web/home-community/parking-permits.

WHAT IS REQUIRED WHEN APPLYING FOR A PARKING PERMIT?

  1. Access to the Hofstra portal
  2. Your license plate number
  3. Access to a printer and a plastic hang tag that you can pick up at Public Safety

HOW SHOULD MY PARKING PERMIT BE DISPLAYED?

Permits in hang tags must be displayed outward from your rearview mirror.  

FOR HOW LONG A PERIOD IS MY PERMIT VALID?

Your permit will be valid for as long as you are continuously enrolled at Hofstra as a student, or remain a member of the University faculty, staff, and administration, unless otherwise indicated by public announcement. You are responsible for all summonses issued to the vehicles so registered.

ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL PARKING PRIVILEGES?

Persons requiring a temporary priority parking permit due to a medical condition should follow the instructions (link to attached) to request a priority parking permit. Requests are reviewed by Student Health Services (SHS). Temporary Priority Parking permits do not need to be requested if you already have a state-issued priority parking permit. Short-time unloading stops in restricted and No Parking areas are permitted, but permission must be obtained in advance from the Department of Public Safety. In the absence of permission, violations will be cited.

WHAT IF I DISPOSE OF MY VEHICLE?

You are responsible for removing the University parking permit prior to the disposal of a vehicle and for obtaining a replacement for your new vehicle, if any, at the Department of Public Safety. You must notify the Department of Public Safety immediately of any change in the state license plate number, year, make, and color of your vehicle.

WHAT IF I USE ANOTHER VEHICLE?

If it becomes necessary for you to use another vehicle, you must report to Public Safety to obtain a temporary pass. The Department of Public Safety has no way of knowing that you are using another vehicle unless proper notification of this fact is made.

WHY SHOULD I REGISTER MY VEHICLE?

  1. Unless parking facilities are used efficiently, there will not be enough room for everyone. Campus vehicle registration, and compliance with these regulations, will provide maximum parking space, convenience, and safety.
  2. Registration keeps unauthorized vehicles off campus. Unless otherwise authorized, no motor vehicle may be parked on campus without a properly displayed permit.
  3. All students, faculty, staff, and administrators are required to obtain parking permits. While you may not intend to drive to school regularly, emergencies may arise during the school year requiring that you do so. If you have not properly registered your vehicle, parking in the University parking fields without a permit will subject you to a $10 fine.
  4. Registration makes it possible for the Department of Public Safety to get in touch with you promptly on matters concerning your vehicle.