Knight Your Ride: A Guide to UCF License Plates and Campus Transportation
Navigating a large university campus like the University of Central Florida (UCF) requires understanding its transportation and parking systems. For students, employees, and visitors alike, knowing the rules and options is essential for a smooth experience. This guide provides comprehensive information on UCF license plates, parking regulations, and alternative transportation methods.
Show Your Knight Pride: The UCF License Plate
For fans who live in Florida, getting the official UCF license plate is a great way to bring Black & Gold wherever you go! Whether you’re gearing up for game day, getting ready for graduation, or simply showing your support for Knight Nation, now’s the perfect time to Knight Your Ride.
When you Knight Your Ride, you also support UCF scholarships, including unlocking incredible opportunities for first-generation students.
Customization and Fees
Yes! You can request a custom plate number - subject to availability and additional fees. To avoid paying additional fees, you can wait until your tag renewal period before switching to the UCF plate.
Availability
New specialty license plates were authorized during the 2020 legislative session, and the required pre-sale process for these plates began October 16, 2020.
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Gift Certificates for Specialty Plates
This gift certificate program works much like any gift certificate. Upon payment of the statutorily authorized annual use fee, a gift certificate may be purchased at any authorized motor vehicle office (e.g., state motor vehicle office, local tax collector office or license plate tag agency) for any of the specialty license plates currently available in Florida. At the time of purchase, a receipt will be provided, and a credit will be issued in the name of the gift recipient, which can then be redeemed by the recipient at the time the specialty license plate is purchased. The gift certificate does not have to be purchased and redeemed at the same office. The gift certificate is not required to be presented to redeem the credit, just proper identification (i.e.
Military License Plates
Special requirement plates are a subtype of specialty license plates. Florida is honored to provide military license plates to individuals that have served our country. All military plates except the Medal of Honor plates are available at a local motor vehicle service center. Requests to order Medal of Honor, Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and World War II Veteran plates MUST be submitted to the Department for processing.
Personalized License Plates
Personalized license plates may be ordered in person at motor vehicle service center throughout Florida.
Parking at UCF: Permits, Rules, and Regulations
Virtual Parking Permits
In order to attain parking access on campus, a parking permit is required. The department has implemented virtual parking permits for students and employees. If you are new to campus, you must register your vehicle and purchase a virtual permit. Once permits are purchased at parking.ucf.edu, your vehicle’s license plate is your parking permit.
Parking Direction
Remember to park nose-in where your vehicle plate is facing the drive lanes. Back-in parking is not allowed on any of UCF’s campuses. The proper way to park is nose-in, back-out, effective Summer 2019.
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Second Vehicle Registration
Individuals who would like to register a second vehicle to their account can do so for an additional fee of $15. The second vehicle must be owned and registered to the original permit holder or within the same household. The second registration will expire on the same date as the first permit. While the use virtual permits remove the need to transfer parking permits between vehicles, only one vehicle per account can be parked on any one of the UCF campuses (Downtown, Health Sciences, Main, Research Park and Rosen College) at a time. If your vehicle is in the shop for repairs, the account holder can do a temporary vehicle change by manually switching the vehicle’s tag number online.
Permit Pricing
Pricing for 150-day and 365-day permits vary depending on the type of permit purchased, such as Resident and commuting students.
Accessible Parking
Individuals who possess a valid state-issued (blue) disabled placard or a temporary (red) state disabled placard assigned to their name. Disabled placards are issued by The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) not the university. Individual is required to purchase a UCF parking permit of appropriate classification, i.e., Employee or Student, or Daily Visitor to park on the campus. Individuals with such appropriate permit may park in any available disabled parking space on the campus.
Commuting Students
Students traveling to main campus must purchase a General/Student parking permit and park in designated General/Student lots and garages. Daily permits are $8 and are valid for 24-hours from the time of purchase.
Main Campus and Rosen Campus Residents
Students who live on main and Rosen campuses must park in the designated spaces for their assigned housing community Monday through Friday between 7:00 am and 5:30 pm. Vehicles parked in designated residential areas without a valid residential permit are subject to tow. On weekdays, campus residents are not allowed to park in student or employee spaces, including the general parking lots and garages, and will be subject to parking citations before 5:30 pm.
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UnionWest Residents
Students who live at UCF Downtown’s UnionWest at Creative Village community must lease a space from the UnionWest garage since it is the only overnight-parking option on campus.
Metered and Mobile Payment Parking
Drivers must pay for parking at designated spaces by using the ParkMobile app or by scanning the QR code on the signs by the designated spaces. Street parking on East Plaza Drive and West Plaza Drive near the Addition Financial Arena is complimentary from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm daily. Drivers will have to pay to use the meters during other hours.
Navigating UCF Without a Car: Shuttles, Buses, and More
UCF Mobile App
UCF Mobile app. - Visit the Parking icon - Find out how many spaces are available in each parking garage on main campus, various parking maps. Under Notifications, select “Explore all Channels”, select Parking Availability Updates.
UCF Shuttles and Buses
UCF buses and shuttles operate only when UCF is in session. Please refer to the UCF Academic Calendar for their schedule. For safety reasons, riders must show drivers their valid UCF ID prior to boarding UCF shuttles.
Downtown Shuttles
Shuttles operate between UCF’s main and downtown campuses Monday through Thursday with varying hours between 6:30 am and 10:30 pm . Main campus departures take place at the LYNX Transit Center (between Parking Garages A and I). Drop-offs and pick-ups for the downtown campus will be on Livingston Street in front of Dr.
To enter the Amelia Garage, turn right onto Alexander Place from N. Hughey Avenue. Turn right again onto Ronald Blocker Ave. The entrance is on your right-hand side. When exiting the garage, you will exit onto Ronald Blocker Ave., but can only turn right.
Grocery Shuttles
On Tuesdays, UCF provides grocery shuttles on the main and downtown campuses. For main campus, shuttles run to and from the Publix Super Market located at the University Palms Shopping Center on Alafaya Trail. Grocery shuttles run every 45 minutes from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. For the UCF Downtown grocery shuttle, shuttles will travel from travel from Livingston Street, in front of the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons building to the Publix at The Paramount on Lake Eola, 400 E.
Health Science Campus (Lake Nona) Shuttles
Shuttles travel between the main and Lake Nona campuses Monday through Friday between 7:20 am and 6 pm. Main campus stops are at the Physical Sciences building and the Biomolecular Research Annex on Research Parkway.
LYNX
UCF students and employees can ride all LYNX routes for free, whether they’re near campus or not, with a valid UCF ID.
RedCoach
RedCoach provides bus services from UCF to South Florida, Tallahassee and Gainesville in business class seats. Purchase tickets online.
LYMMO
The free LYMMO lines are an easy, convenient way to get around downtown Orlando, with two lines stopping at UCF Downtown. The rapid transport system operates from 6:00 am to 10:45 pm on weekdays, with hours varying on the weekend.
Intra Campus Pegasus Express
These on-campus shuttles will run counterclockwise around the university from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm during the fall and spring semesters.
Rosen Campus Shuttles
During the fall and spring, shuttles travel between main campus and the Rosen campus Monday through Thursday between 6:45 am and 9:15 pm. Main campus departures are in the Pegasus Circle and Aquarius Agora Drive roundabout located behind the Student Union.
Off-Campus Shuttles
Students who live at select off-campus housing communities near main campus can leave their cars parked at their residence and take advantage of complimentary shuttles that will drop them off on campus.
Bikes
There are 65 bike racks on campus that are free to use. Bikes should be locked to the racks using U-bolt lock and cable combinations. Students with a valid UCF ID can also take advantage of SG’s free Bike N’ Gold bike share program as alternative to driving. Bike N’ Gold will operate 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Monday through Friday. Weekly check-ins at the bike shop are required to ensure the bike is in proper working condition. Students may come, free of charge, and have their bikes repaired with quality service by our Bike Repair Team.
Lyft
SG has partnered with Lyft to provide students with discounts for the ride-sharing app. The codes are only valid for two rides each month and the rides must be within a specific zone around UCF.
Spin Scooters
Spin scooters will be available to help students better navigate the university’s 1,415-acre main campus. The scooters will operate from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm, will only be operational on campus, and require downloading the Spin app, which is available on Android and Apple devices. Scooters will be available at 15 charging stations across campus and will cost $1 to unlock and $0.15 per minute to ride.
Car Trouble?
If you’re having issues with your vehicle, Parking and Transportation Services provides motorist assistance with battery jumps, tire inflations, finding your vehicle or opening your locked doors.
Additional Information for New Students
Welcome to UCF!
Congratulations on your admission to UCF! You’re about to join a community driven by curiosity, innovation, and the pursuit of bold ideas. Every student’s path is unique. Select the student type that best describes you to access detailed, step-by-step guidance tailored to your admission plan. From parking to dining and support services to fee payments, every new Knight (and their family) wants to know the same thing. The Undergraduate Catalog will give you all the academic and administrative information that you need for Orientation. You’ll have the opportunity to receive your UCF Card while attending Orientation. In order to receive this card, you’ll need to know your UCFID and NID and bring a valid government-issued photo ID with you.
Campus Navigation
Familiarizing yourself with a new school can be difficult for many students, but we make it easy with our Interactive Map. An easy way to learn the campus is to take a walk. At first, the UCF campus may seem overwhelming, but it’s one of the easier campuses to navigate because of its unique circular design. Don’t wait until the first day of classes to walk around and risk arriving to class late!
Important Deadlines and Resources
The fee payment deadline falls at the end of the second week of class for each semester. UCF Dining Memberships are convenient, flexible and loaded with options. Anyone with a valid UCF ID can purchase a Dining Membership. You can gain access to dining locations with a range of menus and offerings across campus. You can order your textbooks online from the UCF bookstore. Students who park a vehicle on the University of Central Florida campus must purchase a parking permit. The registered owner of the permit is responsible for all infractions and penalties attributed to the permit, even if expired. UCF provides students with a multitude of resources to help achieve success. College is an exciting time. While making good grades is your top priority, there will be plenty of time for fun. Join an intramural sports team, club or organization. Use your time at UCF to grow your resume but have fun doing it. And put your future in drive.
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