Citations, Towing, & Appeals
Parking Management System Outage
Our parking management system is getting an upgrade! If you were issued a citation between 2/26/26-3/8/26 and would like to pay it, please reach out to parking@harvard.edu or visit the Campus Service Center to complete your payment.
All parking on the campus of Harvard University is by permit only and all vehicles not displaying a valid Harvard University-issued parking permit are subject to ticketing and/or towing without notice and at the owner's risk and expense.
Regulations & Parking Enforcement
Parking on Harvard University property is subject to Harvard University parking permit regulations. Endorsement of the parking permit application is consent to:
- Uphold University parking policies, permit rights, and responsibilities;
- Pay promptly any amount due the University for fines, fees, or expenses for violation of such rules or regulations by vehicles owned or operated by the permit holder;
- Follow all University Parking Services procedures.
In addition, the following basic policies apply to all who park on Harvard property:
- Parking regulations prevail at all times, including nights, weekends, and holidays;
- Parking permits (i.e., hangtags) must be displayed at all times;
- Parking Services Monitors and Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) Officers are empowered to enforce parking regulations and issue citations;
- All vehicles parking on Harvard University property must possess a license plate and valid registration sticker, or risk being considered abandoned and removed from Harvard University property.
Tickets & Appeals
Citations are issued when general parking regulations are not followed. Vehicles not displaying the proper permit hangtag or sticker; parked in restricted areas such as fire lanes, crosswalks, and building entrances; or impeding the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic in any way are subject to citation and towing at the owner's expense.
All citations must be paid within 21 days of the date issued in order to avoid a late fee. Payments can be made by the following methods:
- Scan QR code on the citation to pay via credit card
- Pay citation online
- Mail citation with check or money order payable to “Harvard University”
- Pay citation in person at the Campus Service Center
Students with unpaid citations over 21 days old will be automatically term billed for the entire fee amount.
Payment of fines constitutes an agreement to the specified violation.
A parking permit holder who fails to pay a parking fine may be subject to towing or non-renewal of his/her permit.
The University maintains a fair and objective appeal process by which a person can dispute a Harvard University-issued citation. Appeals should be based on the premise that the citation was inconsistent with Harvard University parking regulations or that extenuating circumstances may excuse the appellant from compliance with regulations.
If you would like to appeal a citation, you can do so online with our citation payment portal, fill it out, and send it along with the citation to the Campus Service Center. Please be aware that appeals must be postmarked or delivered to the Campus Service Center within 21 days of the citation's issuance. All appeals should be sent directly to the Campus Service Center at The Smith Campus Center 8th Floor, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138.
Towing
Illegally parked vehicles on Harvard University property are subject to tow at the owner’s expense. The municipal government sets tow fees. If you feel your car has been towed, you should contact the Campus Service Center at (617) 496-7827 during regular business hours (M-F 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm). After-hour inquiries should be directed to the Harvard University Police Department at (617) 495-1215.
To obtain your vehicle, you must present a tow release slip and payment to the tow company. You must first pay off your citation balance at the Campus Service Center before the tow release slip will be issued. The Center accepts cash, checks, credit cards, and term bill for students as methods of payment.
Harvard Parking Services utilizes the following tow company. The tow release slip will indicate where your vehicle is located:
Bostonian Towing Service, Inc.
162 Alewife Brook Parkway
Cambridge, MA 02138-1102
(617) 547-2020 or (617) 484-1119