USF Contactless Tap Cards

One Card Operational Hours Update

We are currently open for in-person assistance Monday - Friday, 10 AM to 3 PM. If you have any questions please email us at onecard@usfca.edu.

If you require immediate assistance, please contact Public Safety Dispatch at 415-422-4201 or dispatcher@usfca.edu.  

The contactless or "tap" One Card uses modern card technology, which increases security and makes it easier for cardholders to open doors and use their Don Dollars for purchases.

During the course of the next two academic years, any access point that falls into one of the following categories will be migrated to a contactless tap card reader:

1. Residence hall perimeter and hallway doors
2. Administrative building perimeter doors
3. High-security access points
4. High-traffic access points
5. Access points installed via new construction/renovation. Campus dining locations and many point-of-sale (POS) locations also will be migrated to contactless tap card readers.

The timeline for installation of the new contactless tap card readers is as follows:

Academic year 2012-2013: All residence hall perimeter and hallway readers will be migrated to contactless tap card readers, as will readers in new construction and renovation access points.

Academic year 2013-2014: All administrative building perimeter door readers will be migrated to contactless tap card readers, as will campus dinning and POS locations.

Lo Schiavo Science:
The First Completely Contactless USF Building

Since its groundbreaking ceremony in the fall of 2010, members of the USF community have anxiously awaited accessibility to the new Center for Science and Innovation. Now, three years later, CSI has delivered on its promise to showcase modern technology in its classrooms and laboratories. Even its doors are equipped with contactless or "tap" card readers that authenticate someone's identity by a tap of their USF One Card!

And it's the first USF building to feature only tap-card readers at its access points. All other buildings feature swipe readers, swipe-and-PIN readers, or a combination. This means that, in order to access the tap-card readers, those who work or take classes in CSI will need to make sure that their USF One Card is a tap card.

How does a contactless One Card differ from previous One Cards?

A contactless One Card performs all the same functions as the older One Cards. The difference is there is a smart chip inside the contactless One Card that allows you to wave your card within proximity of a reader instead of physically swiping your card through it. Also, because a tap card is encrypted, transactions made with a tap card are much more secure than transactions performed via a magnetic stripe on the back of previous cards.

I think I may have a contactless One Card. Is there any way to confirm this?

Look on the lower right corner on the back of your card. If it says “Color ID” then it is not a contactless One Card and you need to upgrade it.

Can I keep the same picture?

Yes, in most cases, you may keep the same picture. If you would like to upload a new photo of your choosing onto your contactless One Card, you may do so by visiting our Photo Upload page. You also may take a new photo of yourself in the One Card Office when you visit LM 130 to obtain your upgraded card.

Why does my new contactless One Card still have the black magnetic stripe on the back?

Many POS locations (e.g., printers, copiers, etc.) will continue to process transactions via the magnetic stripe. In addition, many interior access readers (including office doors and residence hall doors with pin-pads for added security) will continue to process transactions via the magnetic stripe.

Will a contactless One Card interfere with my other contactless cards (e.g., my Clipper card)?

No, the USF One Card, using contactless tap card technology, does not interfere with any other contactless cards. However, if two contactless cards are presented at a contactless reader simultaneously, the reader may read the “wrong” card. The reason for this is that a contactless reader functions like an ear waiting to “hear” a card. If, for example, two contactless cards are in a wallet or purse and the entire wallet or purse is presented to the reader, the reader may “hear” the card you did not intend it to hear. Therefore, the best practice is to only present the card that you are trying to have read, rather than presenting multiple cards.

Can I use my smart phone as my USF One Card?

Yes! Many of the same functions your card performs in order to grant you access to University locations are available via MobileID, an app run by CBORD. As long as the reader usually only requires a tap or swipe, your phone should allow you to access the space.