Fines and Fees

The campus community relies on the library and its services for materials to support research and teaching in every field of knowledge. The library, in turn, relies on its users for help in its efforts to provide equal and timely access to the materials in its collections. When materials are not returned in a timely manner, other users are denied access to these resources. Library users help by returning or renewing materials on or before the date they are due. Complying with library circulation policies enables all users to share the wealth of our available resources.

Overdue Materials

There is no grace period for overdue Library materials. There is however a short period of time between the due date of an item and the date fees will be assessed. This brief period provides library staff with the opportunity to process returned materials and update library records before fees are assessed. Your library account may be temporarily suspended and you may be charged for item(s) replacement, including a non-refundable billing fee, if materials are not returned on time.

Recalled and reserve materials and some library items (such as laptops, headphones, etc.) will incur an overdue fine. Overdue recalled materials may be subject to a $14.00 overdue fine. Overdue fines for hourly materials (including 24 and 48 hour reserve materials) begin accruing immediately after the item becomes due, beginning at $10.00 and increasing for each additional late hour. More information is available on the Course Reserves FAQ.

If overdue library material is not returned or renewed you will be sent a billing notice per item. This billing notice includes an item charge, a $20.00 processing fee and a $14.00 non-refundable billing fee. The item charge is for replacing the material and it is the actual cost of the item or a default charge determined by the owning Library. The $20.00 processing fee includes the Libraries incurred costs to order and process the material being replaced. The $14.00 non-refundable billing fee includes the Libraries incurred costs to issue the billing notice, handle user interactions, and process cancellations and payments. If a billed item is returned to the UCSD Libraries within 1 year of the of the billing notice being sent, a partial credit will be generated and in most cases includes a credit of the item charge and the $20.00 processing fee.

Lost or Stolen Materials

Please immediately report lost or stolen library materials to the owning library to address potential billing fees, processing fees and replacement charges.

Damaged Book Policy

You are responsible for any damage that occurs to an item while it is checked out to you.

Claims Returned

If you receive an overdue notice or a bill for an item that has been returned or you believe has been returned, contact the owning library.

Paying Library Bills

UC San Diego Libraries cannot collect direct payments. Library fines and fees may not be recharged. Payments for any library bill can be paid in person to the Central Cashier's Office or by mail to:

University of California, San Diego
Central Cashier's Office
9500 Gilman Drive, 0009
La Jolla, CA 92093-0009

Your library account may be temporarily suspended for non-payment of library bills. Unpaid library bills are assigned to a collection agency. Future registration and access to transcripts may be blocked if library bills are not paid.

Appealing Library Bills

An appeal may only be submitted after a bill has been assessed. The appeal must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date the bill is issued. All appeals must be submitted using the library's online billing appeal form.

Staff from the owning library will consider the appeal and decide whether or not to waive/reduce fees and/or replacement charges. Notification of a decision will be sent within 10 business days.

Fees will not be waived if the appeal is based on any of the following reasons:

• You forgot or did not know the due dates.
• You received the courtesy overdue notice late or it failed to arrive at your current mailing or email address.
• You failed to update your current email or mailing address.
• You loaned the item to someone and he/she returned it late or failed to return it to the library.
• You returned the item by mail and it was received late or failed to arrive.
• You returned the item to another UC or non-UC library, and it was not received on time or it failed to arrive at UC San Diego.
• You returned a Reserve Book to a location other than the circulation desk where you checked it out.
• You are against the principle of fining as a penalty or the rate of fees and/or replacement and processing costs.

Questions or Additional Information

For more information on library billing and policies, please contact the owning library.