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Bicycle theft is big business on college campuses nationwide. As the price for new bicycles increases each year, their resale value also increases. In recent years, more than 75% of owners who reported their bicycles stolen to OUPD did not know the serial number stamped into the frame of their bicycle.
Most manufacturers stamp an individual serial number into each bicycle before it leaves the factory. Serial number and specific descriptive information is crucial if police are to identify recovered bicycles and locate rightful owners.The OU Police Department and the Norman Police Department have joined forces to combat this problem. The dually-sponsored bicycle registration program is available to any bicycle owner who keeps or uses a bicycle in Norman or on the OU campus. Registration takes only minutes to complete.
If you own a bicycle that is not registered in this program, you are encouraged to bring your bicycle and personal identifying information to one of the locations listed below.
 | Any bicycle operated on the University campus shall be registered with the University Department of Public Safety ("DPS" or "Campus Police") through the University and City of Norman joint bicycle registration program. This requirement applies regardless of whether the owner is a student, faculty, or staff member. Registration is at no cost. |
| -OU Bicycle Policy, Norman Campus, 2005 |
If your bike will be brought onto the campus, register your bike with us even if your bicycle is registered with another program or law enforcement agency outside the Norman area or the state of Oklahoma.
Owner and bicycle information will be recorded and maintained in a computer database for future use if it is needed in the event of a theft. A tamper-resistant numbered registration sticker will be provided to be affixed to your bicycle frame to make identification by police easier.
Registration may provide the only means of returning a stolen bicycle once it is recovered by police. With the recorded information police can make police departments nationwide aware that a particular bicycle is stolen.
How to Register:
Walk-In Registrations
You can register "in-person" year-round at the "walk-in" registration locations listed below. For a walk-in registration, you'll complete an official "Bicycle Registration" Form at the time of registration. The bike owner (or parent in the case of a minor) will be asked for verifiable identification.
To speed up your walk-in registration, you can print out the form, complete the identifying information, and bring it (along with your bike) to one of the locations walk-in listed below. Click here to download the "walk-in" registration form.
Your bicycle must have a permanent serial number to be registered.
If you cannot find the serial number on your bike or if your number is only a "sticker", please bring your bicycle to OU Police Department headquarters (2775 Monitor Avenue, on the OU South Campus), or to the Safewalk Office at Cate Center, so we can stamp a number in for you.
Registration decals will be issued to the owner upon completion of the walk-in registration.
Walk-In Registration
LOCATIONS:
Cate Center Cafeteria Safewalk Office (next door to the Coordinator’s/RA’s Office) Daily, 8pm to 2am (Map) | |
| OU Police Department Headquarters 2775 Monitor Avenue Norman, Ok 73019-5021 Monday through Friday, 10am-Noon and 1pm to 3:30pm (Map) |
- Registration is free.
- Owners must have their bike available to verify the serial number and other identifiers. Bring a photo ID for owner identification.
- A separate form is required for each bicycle to be registered. The registration does not expire. When a registered bike is sold, the new owner can bring a bill of sale to OUPD HQ to transfer the registration.
Online Registration
If you are new to the campus or haven't yet brought your bike onto the campus, you can pre-register your bike! Click HERE to access the Online Bike Registration Form.
Submission of the "online" registration form will deliver the form by email to OUPD. Allow 2-3 weeks for processing/mailing. When registration is complete, your numbered, tamper-resistant registration decal will be mailed to you by:
- U.S. Mail if you provided an off-campus "local" address.
- Campus Mail if you provided an on-campus address.
- U.S. Mail, to your "permanent home address", if you do not yet have a "local" address.
All students, faculty, and staff may use online registration, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, year-round, if it's the most convenient way for you to get your bike registered. (We'd always encourage walk-in registration as the best method.)
Some advantages of "Walk-in" registration are:
- Allows for photo-ID verification of the owner,
- The registrar can double-check the serial number of the bike. Many bikes have part, model designation and other non-serial numbers stamped into the frame at different locations, and owners often mistake which number is the "serial number".
- If the bike has no visible serial number, the registrar can stamp an "Owner-Applied-Number (OAN) into the frame of the bike. Without a permanent serial number or OAN, a bicycle cannot be registered.
When performing an online registration, take time to read the "Registration Notes" at the end of the form before submitting your registration. Be sure to include your email address so we can contact you by email if there are any questions/problems completing your registration. Click HERE to proceed to the Online Bike Registration Form
Mail-In Registrations
If you don't wish to do an online registration at this time, you can download a "mail-in" version of our registration form and submit your registration by U.S. Mail. As with online registration, allow 2-3 weeks for processing.
Your registration decal will be sent to you by return mail. Click HERE to access the Mail-In Bike Registration Form (PDF). Print out the form, read the instructions and notes associated with the form, fill it in, and mail it to the address for OUPD provided in the instructions. (You can mail it by U.S. Mail or Campus Mail.)
Your Registration Decal
When you receive your
individually-numbered decal:
- Be sure you put the decal on the proper bicycle. (For those who have more than one.)
- Clean the area to which the decal is to be applied. (See diagram, below, for recommended locations.)
- Apply the decal, and
- RIDE!
A prime decal location is on the top side of top-tube, BENEATH THE SEAT (to avoid wear and weathering and make removal difficult). This places it in a common location easily spotted by law enforcement and potential thieves. You want people to know your bike is registered! It should go without saying, but don't affix the decal to the removable seat-post!
| Registered bicycles stolen from the Norman area have been recovered nationwide as a result of this program which began more than thirty years ago. |
If you have questions about bicycle registration please call OUPD at 325-2864, or send e-mail to Crime Prevention.
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Sponsor: OU Police Dept. — Developer: Richard Hamilton, OUPD
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