Overview

Parking Permit Requirements

No Student of Visitor Parking Permits required for the 2025-2026 Academic Year

There is no fee charged to park for everyone learning, working, and visiting the District’s college campuses: Skyline College, College of San Mateo, and Cañada College. A staff parking permit is required for all district and college employees to park in designated staff-only parking lots and spaces. Students may not park in staff parking lots or spaces. 

Parking will be open to parking without any permit requirements in all designated "Student Parking Lots." We can assist with answering any parking-related questions at (650) 738-7000.

Employee Parking Permits
Parking in staff parking lots and spaces is available to staff parking permit holders on a first-come, first-served basis. Only staff parking permits issued by the District or Public Safety are valid. When parked in a staff parking lot or space, the staff permit must be placed on the rearview mirror with the permit issue number visible through the windshield. If you forget your staff permit, please park in student lots where no permits are required.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Parking in the EV charging stations is limited solely to electric vehicles that are actively charging with a maximum time limit of 4 hours per vehicle and do not require a parking permit. After the four-hour maximum limit, there will be a $5 fee per hour with a maximum fee of $20 per session. Any vehicle parked in an EV space that is not an electric vehicle or not charging will be subject to a citation. 

CSM Athletic Center Parking

Special parking permits issued by the CSM Athletic Center are required at all times for parking in Lot B. All other permits are not valid. For more information, call (650) 378-7373 or visit the CSM Athletic Center website.

Athletic Center parking permits will be honored for up to 3 hours in any student lot across all three district campuses (College of San Mateo, Skyline College and Cañada College).

Traffic and Parking Regulations

The campus speed limit is 15 mph.

Parking is permitted only on blacktop surfaces in specifically marked parking spaces. Parking on unpaved areas, in roadways, in crosshatched areas, in marked end zones, in areas posted as no parking zones, or in any unauthorized area is prohibited. Vehicles parked backed into diagonal parking spaces can create a hazard when exiting and will be subject to citation.

Driving or parking within the inner campus is prohibited.

The campus is open daily from 7 am to 10 pm.

Stopped or standing vehicles on sidewalks, roadways or restricted areas will be subject to citation.

The College and San Mateo County Community College District accept no liability for vandalism, theft or accidents. Use of parking facilities is at the user’s risk. Parking and traffic regulations are enforced by the Campus Safety Department staff, and violators are cited to the civil administrative procedures on campus as set forth in the California Vehicle Code. Students who violate traffic regulations are subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the student conduct code. The College reserves the right to change parking regulations for special events.

Skateboards and Bicycles

The riding of skateboards on campus is prohibited by SMCCCD Regulations. Bicycles may be operated on campus.
The California Vehicle Code prohibits the operation of bicycles on sidewalks.

Disabled Parking

Blue Disabled parking spaces have been provided in Lots A, B, C, D, G, Q, S, T and U (see the Campus Map). A vehicle must have and display a valid California State Disabled Person Placard (issued by DMV) to park. Disability parking spaces are regulated under California Vehicle Code Section 22511.5 Disabled Parking Authorized Parking Zones. No student, staff, daily, patron or visitor parking permit required when displaying a valid CA DP placard.

Public Transit

SamTrans operates two bus routes to the college:

• Route 250 – CSM Campus, Hillsdale Shopping Center, Downtown San Mateo, and San Mateo Caltrain Station
• Route CSM – More direct route between CSM Campus and San Mateo Caltrain Station

All buses have wheelchair lifts and accommodate two to four bikes. Route 250 provides late weekday service and Route CSM provides weekday evening service. Route 250 has 30 min frequency on weekends, and Route CSM runs hourly on weekends. Printed schedules are also available at the Center for Student Life and Leadership Development in Building 17, Room 112.

Elevators

Elevator access is available in the following buildings: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 12, 14, 18 and 36.

Enforcement

Parking, traffic regulations, and the California Vehicle Code are enforced under the authority of Section 21113A CVC*. Consistent or flagrant violations may cause the vehicle to be towed away at the owner's expense.

The District provides parking on its facilities but accepts no liability for vandalism, theft, or accident.

Except for specific spaces reserved for visitors, staff and the disabled, parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. The permit is not a guarantee of a parking space. Citations for parking violations are sent to the Office of Parking Violations weekly. All citations are reviewed by the Office of Parking Violations and must be processed through the Office of Parking Violations procedures. Directions for requesting a hearing are explained on the citation.

* In accordance with California Vehicle Code Section 40202, citations may not be informally rescinded by College of San Mateo authorities.

Appealing a Parking Citation

See instructions on the Appealing a Parking Citation page.

College Public Safety Services

San Mateo County Community College District maintains a Public Safety Service to provide for the security of persons and facilities at each college in the District. The Public Safety Service at each college is assigned responsibility for enforcing parking regulations and providing various security duties. Public Safety Service at College of San Mateo is provided by classified security officers and is located on the first floor of Building 1. Enforcement of moving traffic regulations is the responsibility of the San Mateo Police Department.