Fines

Payment of Fines

Online or by phone

Use our secure server to pay your fines with Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover. Your account will be credited by 5 pm the next business day. For phone payment, call 206-543-1174.

In Person

Library Account Services, first floor, Suzzallo Library.  Hours of operation online.

By Mail

Make check or money order payable to "University of Washington" and mail to:

Library Account Services
Suzzallo Library
UW Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA 98195-2900

Library Account Services accepts cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.

Need Help?

Information is available about borrowing policies and appeals, along with the complete text of the UW Libraries Loan Code and Circulation Policies.

Information about Emergency Aid for currently enrolled students.

For questions about billing or to appeal a charge, contact Library Account Services.

Assessment of Charges

Fines are assessed to encourage prompt return of materials. Fines apply all days and all hours, even if the library is closed, and are assessed after an item is overdue. Lost item processing fees are levied to defray the costs incurred by the Libraries in billing, processing sanctions, facilitating the return of items and other activities related to the recovery of material.

Fines and lost item billing fall under one of the following 5 categories.  Details specific to each category are below.

Loan typeOverdue finesCharged hourly or dailyTime of billing as lostLost item processing feeReplacement cost
High cost equipment $15.00 Daily up to 7 days ($105.00 max) After 7 days overdue $30.00 Specific to the piece of equipment
Low cost equipment None N/A After 1 day overdue $30.00 Specific to the piece of equipment or $15.00
Reserves $2.50 Hourly up to 10 hours ($25.00 max) After 10 hours overdue $30.00 $150.00 or more
Non-Renewable or Limited Renewal Standard 50 cents Daily up to 20 days ($10.00 max) After 20 days overdue $30.00 $150.00 or more
Standard None N/A After 20 days overdue $30.00 $150.00 or more

High cost equipment loans:

High cost equipment is generally designated as equipment worth more than $80, and typically includes items such as laptops, MacBooks, cameras, and more.  You can identify high cost items in the details of your checkouts in your online library account.

Low cost equipment loans:

Low cost equipment generally includes items such as headphones, whiteboard markers, dongles, and more.  You can identify low cost items in the details of your checkouts in your online library account.

Reserve loans:

Items on reserve with due times of 2 hours through 3 days are assessed hourly fines.

Non-renewable or limited renewal standard loans:

This category includes items borrowed from other institutions through Summit and Interlibrary Loan, and also recalled items.

Standard loans:

This category makes up a majority of items within the UW Libraries, which have unlimited renewals unless recalled. It includes all items that do not fall under the other specific categories listed above.

 

Replacement Charges

Item replacement fees are levied when library items are not returned or have sustained substantial damage or are irreparable. Items belonging to the University of Washington Libraries or borrowed through Interlibrary Loan have a standard replacement fee of $150.00, but can be adjusted higher or lower by the owning library to fit the actual cost. Items borrowed from Summit Libraries have a standard replacement fee of $90.00.  Items designated as equipment have replacement costs specific to the replacement cost of that item.

Patrons are encouraged to pursue replacing items themselves if an item has not yet been withdrawn from the library system and they can find it cheaper than the standard replacement cost. The patron should contact the Libraries before purchasing a replacement to verify that it will be accepted. Interlibrary Loan items and a majority of Summit items cannot be replaced.  Contact Library Account Services with questions about replacements.

If a book is paid for or replaced by the patron, and the original book is found later, the original book remains the property of the state and must be returned.

Limited refunds are available if an item has been paid for and then found, depending on various criteria.  Contact Library Account Services for more information.

 

Sanctions

Unpaid fines and charges may result in one or more of these actions:

  • Suspension of borrowing privileges
  • Referral to a collection agency
  • Revocation of borrowing privileges

The Libraries greatly encourages users to contact Library Account Services at any stage for assistance in finding solutions.

revised March 8, 2018