Hokie Passport
The Hokie Passport is the official student, faculty and staff identification at Virginia Tech. Its human readable features are the name, ID number, photo and birthday of the owner. Its machine readable features include a barcode and a magnetic stripe. Hokie Passports can be used like debit cards at dining halls and other venues, debiting a Dining Dollars, Flex Additions or Hokie Passport account. Hokie Passports are used to as identification, for checking materials out or admission, at places like the libraries, the Math Emporium, and dormitories.
Hokie Passport Account
The Hokie Passport Account is a debit account usable on and around the Virginia Tech campus. Dormitory laundry machines, library printing services, and many downtown merchants accept Hokie Passport Account transactions. The account can be credited through My VT, in person at the Hokie Passport office, or at one of the machines located in Hokie Grill, the Math Emporium, Squires Student Center near Henderson Lawn, or the Student Services Building. Upon graduation, any remaining Hokie Passport Account balance is transferred to one's Student Account at the Bursar's office, less a $15 processing fee.
Hokie Passport Office
The Hokie Passport Office is located in the Student Services Building. They issue new and replace Hokie Passports and accept deposits to one's Hokie Passport Account.
Magnetic Stripes
Hokie Passport authentication is controlled by a CBORD CS Gold system, and can be used for dining, printing, laundry, vending, and building access, among other things.
Tracks 1 and 3 of the magnetic strip are unused. Track 2 contains two fields, separated by "=". The first field contains the 9-digit, BCD-encoded student ID number. The second field is 4 BCD digits and may store student/faculty/staff status and a serial number. For almost all sampled student cards, the second field has contained "0249", while others contained "1249" or "2249". Since Hokie Passport Services is able to deactivate lost cards, this likely acts as a counter to permit separate policies for multiple cards. The thin stripe near the middle was formerly used by the copiers on the fourth floor of Newman Library, but newer copiers use Hokie Passport funds.
