Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting

Many issues can be easily fixed remotely or by making a quick visit to the GWorld Office.

Review our tips to learn:

Why is my card not working?

GWorld cards can stop working for several reasons. If you find your card is not working, please review the common card issues to better identify the problem.

My GWorld Card Expired. Can I Renew?

Is your card expired? GWorld card functions stop working based on the expiration date printed on the card. If you are still working or studying at GW after your card expires, make sure you have completed all renewal requirements and bring your expired card to the GWorld Office to be reissued a new card. If your card is still working but about to expire, you can come to the GWorld Office on or before the expiration date to be reissued a card for continuous, uninterrupted use. 

Your new card will be issued free of charge if you turn in your current GWorld Card regardless of your role at the university. You will be charged a $25.00 replacement fee if you do not turn in your expired card.

Before you renew your card, check to make sure that you meet the necessary requirements. 

• Students: If you are a student you must be registered for at least one course or for continuous enrollment in the current or upcoming semester to renew your card.
• Faculty & Staff: If you are a faculty or staff member you must have a current employment status in the University’s Banner database.
• Visitors & Contractors: If you are a visitor or contractor, please ask your sponsor to email us ([email protected]) to request an extension of your card before you come to our office to renew your card. The length of the extension must be specified and cannot exceed two years.
• MFA Employees: If you are a Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) employee, please present your MFA Human Resources GWorld Renewal Letter when you come to our office to renew your card.
• UHS Employees: If you're a Universal Health Services (UHS) employee, please present your UHS Human Resources GWorld Renewal Letter when you come to our office to renew your card.
• Alumni: If you're an alumnus, you do not have any additional requirements so you can just come to our office to renew your card.

Ended Role(s) at GW

Did you recently leave the university? GWorld routinely removes access to individuals who are no longer active members of the university community.

Authorized Access

Do you have authorized access to the building you are trying to enter?

Request Additional Access

Each GWorld reader location has designated access approvers who can request access.

If you need access to your department suite, academic building or any other location, the approver for the GWorld reader location can request access on your behalf. Contact an office administrator in your department or the building for assistance. 

If you are not able to figure out who to contact to help you with your access, call or email the GWorld Office at [email protected] or 202-994-1795 and we will assist you. It is better to call or email. If you walk into our office for assistance, we will need time to review your situation and you may need to come back again. Contact the GWorld Office for assistance.

Reader Location Access Approvers

If you are the access approver for a GWorld reader location, email us at [email protected] to request additional access for an individual(s):

• Name(s) of individuals you are granting access to
• GWID (The letter G followed by an 8-digit number. For example: G12345678) of individuals you are granting access to
• Reader locations or other access specifics
• Timeframe needed for the requested access

For lists of more than five people please email the information in an Excel spreadsheet. All access requests will be processed within two business days unless otherwise notified.

Dead Cards

Does tapping your card result in neither lights nor sounds from multiple readers? It is likely the chip in your card has died. GWorld cards have computer chips that can eventually fail. This can happen from both normal uses and excessive bending or putting pressure on your card. Bring your non-functioning card to the GWorld Office, and a new card will be issued free of charge.

Using an Old Card

Are you using an old card that has been replaced? Whenever you replace a lost or stolen card your old card is deactivated. You cannot reactivate a previously replaced card. You will either need to find your active card or purchase a new card from the GWorld Office.

System Shut Down

The GWorld system may be offline for improvements, maintenance or external issues. Check the status of the GWorld system.

Why am I having trouble parking?

Registration Requirement

Are you registered for parking? You must register with Parking Services before you can start using your GWorld card for parking access. Note: Faculty, staff and students are eligible to register for parking. Parking permits are not available for contractors or visitors.

Insufficient Funds

Do you have enough money on your card? You must have $16.50 (daily, Monday-Friday fee) on your card when you enter to be able to successfully  exit the garage.  Note: lower rates apply to nights and weekends. You may add funds by making a deposit on your card.

Did you properly enter/exit the garage?

The parking system requires you to swipe or tap in and out of the garage to complete the transaction. If the gate was up or you were unable to swipe/tap the last time you exited the garage, then the Parking Office will need to manually adjust your account before you can re-enter the garage. Please contact Parking Services or the GWorld Office for assistance.

Damaged Cards

Is the magnetic strip on the back of your card damaged? Bring your card to the GWorld Office, and you will be issued a new card.

Other Parking Issues

Contact Parking Services at 202-994-7199 or email [email protected] if you are having other issues.

Account Disputes

You should always monitor your GWorld Campus Cash and/or Dining Dollars activity through your online account.

Note: Dining Dollars are funds associated with a student’s GW Meal Plan. One Dining Dollar is the equivalent of one cash dollar. Campus Cash is the name when faculty and staff load money onto their GWorld Card. Campus Cash can be used for parking or food at participating on-and off-campus dining locations. 

Fraudulent Charges

If you notice fraudulent or questionable charges on your GWorld Card, please follow these steps:

1. Suspend your card immediately through your online account.
2. Call the GW Police Department non-emergency number at 202-994-6110 for assistance in filing a report.

The GWorld Office and GW Police Department take all reports of fraud seriously and investigate all disputes to the fullest extent possible. You will not be held financially liable for any charges found to be fraudulent or erroneous. Investigations take a minimum of 14 business days but can take longer depending on the case. You will be notified by the GWorld Office or GW Police Department of the outcome when an investigation is complete. Charges found by the investigation to be fraudulent or erroneous in any way will be refunded in full back to your GWorld Card.

Questionable, Erroneous or Duplicate Charges

Duplicate or questionable charges are usually due to cashier or equipment errors. Please contact the GWorld Office if you notice any erroneous charges on your GWorld Card. We will work with the vendor to correct any mischarges, and typically those corrections are processed within five business days.

Examples of questionable, erroneous or duplicate charges include:

• Multiple times on your GWorld card for a single purchase;
• Appears on both your GWorld card and another payment method for a single purchase;
• Amount is more than the purchase was for (i.e. charged $17.00 for a $1.70 purchase)

Emergency Assistance