Loading and unloading

No permit is required to load or unload at any marked "Loading Zone" area on campus, except within the Pedestrian Zone. Do not leave your vehicle unattended for longer than the posted time limit, or you may be cited. Please make sure to check all signage at the space before occupying it.

Time limits and enforcement hours may vary from location to location, and commercial vehicle license plates may be required as per the posted signage. Parking enforcement on main campus is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additionally, some "Loading Zone" spaces are shared with service vehicle permits and university vehicle parking. One of the main reasons for having these shared spaces is to offer the option of purchasing a service vehicle permit for the day (or longer term, if needed) in order to extend a loading or parking session beyond the posted time limit without risk of receiving a citation. Learn more about purchasing service vehicle permits.

Government and University Vehicles

• Government vehicles with 'E' (exempt) plates may park in 'A,' 'C,' or 'Service Vehicle' spaces without a permit. If your government vehicle is not identified as such, call Stanford Transportation at 650.723.9362.
• University or other department-owned vehicles with the University Seal on the side may park in 'A,' 'C,' 'Service Vehicle,' or 'University Vehicle' spaces without a permit. University vehicles without the University Seal are entitled to a free Vendor Service Vehicle permit (with vehicle registration provided). All vehicles must observe posted parking time limits as applicable.

Stanford University's central Pedestrian Zone (PZ) has been established to create a safer central campus for pedestrians and cyclists, preserve facilities, and minimize the disruption of university activities through the elimination of unnecessary vehicular traffic. All vehicles (including motorized carts) require authorization prior to accessing the PZ and must display the appropriate PZ permit while moving through or parking in the PZ.

Please see the Pedestrian Zone Access Protocol for details about applying for PZ access privileges.

Removing Bollards

To remove a lockable bollard, your Stanford project manager should submit an online Building & Grounds Maintenance Work Request at bgm.stanford.edu with attention to Grounds Landscape Services. In the request, identify the location of the bollard you need removed, the dates and times for removal and replacement, the reason it must be removed, a university (PTA) account number to which the work should be charged, and, finally, a contact name and phone number.

Please allow five days for the request to be processed. If your request is more urgent than that, your Stanford project manager can contact the LBRE Operations Team at 650.723.2281 to request expedited processing of your request and to confirm that Grounds Landscape Services will be able to accommodate your request on short notice.

Your request is also subject to approval from Stanford Transportation if the bollard is an access point into the core campus (or 'Pedestrian Zone'). If your bollard removal request is not accepted, you will be contacted to discuss alternatives. If you do not already have 'Pedestrian Zone' permits on your vehicles, please fill out a Pedestrian Zone Access / Permit Application to formalize your request and submit it to Stanford Transportation Parking Operations at parkingoperations@stanford.edu. Pedestrian Zone permits must be displayed on all vehicles present in the Pedestrian Zone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Permission to operate an Outdoor Robot on University Property may be granted if the Approver (and Stanford Medicine Facilities if Outdoor Robot operation will operate on Stanford Medicine Property) determines that operation of the Outdoor Robot (i) is consistent with the University’s mission, (ii) does not violate any federal or state laws or regulations, (iii) is safe, (iv) does not compromise the privacy of individuals, and (v) does not interfere with education, research or other activities taking place on University Property.  

Either the Operator or the University department sponsoring operation of the Outdoor Robot on University Property must submit a request to operate an Outdoor Robot to Stanford Transportation. A full copy of Stanford's Outdoor Robot Policy, including details on how requests to operate Outdoor Robots are evaluated, is available at transportation.stanford.edu/robotpolicy.

If you need to make special circulation or parking arrangements for your project or unique situation, send an email to parkingoperations@stanford.edu or call 650.723.9362.