Bicycle Program

CSO Responsibilities

Community Service Officers are responsible for:

• Bicycle Registrations
• Bicycle Safety Education
• Warnings for Bicycle Violations
• Impounding of Bicycles

UCSB has a unique characteristic, a large bicycle population within a relatively small radius. CSOs are responsible for warning individuals of bicycle regulations, and when necessary, enforcing them.

Bicycle Registration 

To register a bicycle, come to the CSO Office and bring your bicycle, valid photo ID, and $10.00. We accept cash, credit cards, BARC payments and checks payable to “UC Regents.” 

The CSO Office is currently open Monday through Friday 12pm-3pm. 

If you have lost your bicycle on university property please call (805) 893-3446 or come down to the Public Safety Building so a police officer can take the report.

Courtesy Lock Cuts For Registered Bicycles 

Lock Cuts are a nice service to use if you have lost your lock key, the lock is too rusted to open, or you just plain forgot the lock combination. Courtesy lock cuts are FREE. The bicycle must be on university-owned property and must be registered prior to a lock cut. You must have a valid Photo ID and have proof of ownership.

UCSB Bicycle Abatement Program

The UCSB Police Department is charged with the task of keeping bicycle racks clean around campus. Every year, as alumni graduate and move onto life after college, hundreds of bikes are left behind. These "abandoned" bicycles take up valuable rack space, as bicycle racks are a premium on campus. Community Service Officers (CSOs) tag bicycles that are potentially abandoned with bright orange tape.  Throughout the year CSOs will tag and impound bicycles that: 1) appear to be abandoned, and 2) have been tagged by orange tape.

All impounded bicycles are then brought to the Public Safety building for processing. These bicycles are held for a minimum of 90 days. During this time, CSOs attempt to make contact with the owners of the bicycles through the California bicycle registration system to ascertain whether or not the owners wish to exercise their ownership rights and their claim to the bicycle.

The Bicycle Abatement Program is specifically charged with clearing racks on campus, around the residence halls, as well as Off-campus University owned housing. It is conducted in accordance with University policies as well as California laws. This abatement process ensures that our campus is not cluttered with rusty and abandoned bicycles and/or bicycle parts. This process helps maintain an adequate number of secure parking spaces for bicycles to lock to and thereby discourage bicycle theft.

Tag Colors / Common Infractions

Bicycles which present hazards to pedestrians, other bicyclists, or vehicles will be impounded.

Please take notice of the cement signs placed in key locations around the UCSB campus. The Library, Arbor, Phelps, Humanities, and Social Sciences Building are a few of the locations where cement signs are posted.

CSO's use the following types of tags/flyers:

Do not park against trees, on lawns, in planters, on ramps, in building entrances, or against walls. Any bicycle parked in a spot other than a bicycle rack is considered parked illegally and may be impounded.

To ensure the safety of pedestrians as they move about campus, CSOs may be positioned at locations where people are constantly riding their bikes on the sidewalk. Please, walk your bike on the sidewalks.

The most common infractions that CSOs provide verbal warnings for are:

Impounding bicycles is necessary to prevent accidents and hazards. If your bicycle was impounded, it will be available for release the following day at the office. The impound release fee is $24.00 dollars. Impounded bicycles must be registered prior to release. Registration fee is $10.00 dollars and is good for three years.

Fees

Impound Release Fee: $24.00
Registration Fee: $10.00
Summer Storage Fee: $30.00

You will also need to bring a Valid Photo ID.

Please bring exact amounts in dollars or a check payable to "UC REGENTS." We also accept BARC charges and credit cards. We do not accept bills greater than twenties