Driving and Parking

Permit Parking and Eligibility

Rate: €100 for Autumn & Spring Trimesters or €50 each for Autumn or Spring Trimester

In effect: 
Permit parking is in effect during and aligned to the Autumn and Spring teaching trimesters of the academic year during the hours 08:00 – 17:00, Monday – Friday including study and exam periods. Outside of these periods and times and during weekends, public holidays and periods of University closure permit parking is not in effect, and parking is free in permit car parks. Click here to view the key dates to which permit parking is aligned. 

Responsibility: 
It is the responsibility of the motorist/owner to ensure that valid parking permits are in place and vehicle registration details are accurate for the vehicle coming to campus to park.

Eligibility:
Eligible students and staff can purchase a parking permit which grants permission to park in a permit parking area. Purchasing a permit is not a guarantee or entitlement to a parking space.
Students living on Belfield Student Residences are not eligible to purchase parking permits. This is to ensure maximum availability of parking spaces for staff and students commuting to and from Belfield daily. The University is served by over 30 city and regional bus services including three 24 hour bus services that provide connectivity to the city centre and beyond.
Instances where vehicle owners living in student residences have arranged purchase of a permit for their vehicle (e.g via a student living off campus) in breach of the eligibility criteria the following will apply:

1. Details of vehicles observed consistently parking overnight on campus will be recorded.
2. Notice will be sent to the permit account holder that the vehicle is understood to belong to a resident student in breach of the UCD Parking Management Policy.
3. The permit and permission to park will be deleted & rescinded and the parking permit fee refunded to the payment card used.
4. The vehicle if not removed from campus will be immobilised (wheel clamped) if remaining parked in a permit parking area.
5. Details used to purchase the parking permit will be blocked from re-purchasing a parking permit.
6. In the event that a subsequent attempt to purchase a permit is successful, when the vehicle or permission is observed the permit and permission will be deleted and rescinded without refund to the payment card and the vehicle will be immobilised (wheel clamped) if remaining parked in a permit parking area.

Disabled Parking

Disabled parking spaces are generally available on a first come first served basis in near proximity to campus buildings. Permission to park in disabled bays is limited to the below:

• Blue Badge holders (UCD Parking Permit not required)
• Holders of a temporary mobility impairment disk (UCD Parking Permit required)

Blue badges can be applied for via the DDAI.

Temporary mobility impairment disks can be applied for students and staff who are recovering from injury (e.g surgery, illnesses with mobility impacts and pregnant women with mobility impairments in their 3rd trimester). The form can be accessed here and must be signed and stamped by a doctor.

The period of validity for temporary mobility impairment disks is three months and repeat applications will not be facilitated by UCD Estate Services. Staff and students with long term mobility impairments should apply for a blue badge.

Parking Management, Enforcement and Restrictions

UCD operates managed parking services on its Belfield & Blackrock campuses. Enforcement measures including immobilisation (wheel clamping) and towing are in place for vehicles found to be parked contrary to orderly traffic management, including but not limited to:

• Obstructing other traffic
• Obstructing access or egress to buildings, structures, open spaces
• Parking on pedestrian footways, on or adjacent to pedestrian crossings etc
• Parking other than in designated parking areas
• Parking other than in designated parking spaces
• Parking in bus stops, taxi ranks, loading bays etc
  • Parking on double yellow lines
  • Parking on grass, grass margins or grass medians
  • Parking in disabled bays without a valid disabled permit

Vehicles parked in permit parking areas without a valid permit, or without accurate vehicle registration details on their parking permit will be immobilised.
Vehicles parked in Pay & Display parking areas without payment of the relevant fee will be immobilised. Please refer to the section above on methods to pay for P&D parking.

If you are clamped:

• You will have to pay the release fee to APCOA to have the clamp removed. Please follow the instructions left on your vehicle.
• If you believe you were clamped incorrectly, you can lodge an appeal with APCOA directly here: (opens in a new window)https://clamp-appeal.apcoa.ie/
• If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an appeal you may make a further appeal to the National Transport Authority (NTA) Clamping Appeals Officer within 30 days of receiving your response from APCOA. For further information on how to appeal to the NTA please visit (opens in a new window)https://www.nationaltransport.ie/vehicle-clamping-regulation/
• Cutting off clamps is illegal. APCOA will report damage to their property to An Garda Síochána and they will cancel the user’s permit and block them from purchasing permits in the future.