BuckID Frequently Asked Questions

In most circumstances, no - your BuckID card number is restricted Institutional Data and as such must be protected by all members of the university community. The short number (also known as an EMPL, employee ID number or student ID number) on the BuckID is classified at the S2 level (Internal Institutional Data) while the long number (also known as the card number or ISO number) is classified at the S4 level (Restricted Institutional Data). The BuckID card number was recently elevated from the S3 level (Private Institutional Data) to the S4 level to acknowledge its role as a debit card number and the potential risks of identity theft and financial loss. To learn more about institutional data and your role in protecting it please visit the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation Institutional Data Policy page which contains detailed definitions of the Four S-levels as well as a calculator for determining what S-Level a combination of data elements creates.

If you need to complete a purchase with your BuckID over the phone, you should exercise caution and ensure you trust the business that you are providing the information to, just as you would when completing a transaction with your credit or debit card over the phone.

University personnel should never need to request your BuckID card number or a picture of your card. Any access that needs to be assigned to your card can be assigned based only on the short number. If someone requests your long number, please have them contact the BuckID office to discuss the situation for which they believe they need your BuckID card number.

• You can deposit funds to your BuckID or Dining Dollars account online at https://buckid.osu.edu/deposit/. There is a $10 minimum for online deposits.
• The BuckID Office accepts checks, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover for in person BuckID deposits.
• You can mail a check to the BuckID Office:
  • BuckID – 3040 Ohio Union
    1739 N. High Street
    Columbus, OH 43210
  • Make sure to include the recipients 9-digit student ID number in the memo line

We do not accept Credit Card deposits over the phone.

Funds from an online deposit should be available for use within 5 minutes. For assistance with an online deposit, call the BuckID Office at 614-292-0400.

BuckID refunds are only permitted when students are graduating, withdrawing from the university or at the end of spring semester. You can find more information on the refund process here.

No – per the Dining Contract, Dining Dollars are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Yes, all BuckIDs, regardless of the campus they were originally issued on, function the same and can be used on any campus. Keep in mind that a cardholder only has access to programs and services based upon their current enrollment, so you may not have access to specific services, such as recreation center or events, on another OSU campus unless you are enrolled on that campus.

• If you are a student, you must be enrolled in the current semester for a class that occurs on the Columbus campus and have the COTA fee on your statement of account to use your BuckID on COTA.
  • If you are having difficulty using your BuckID on COTA, first check to ensure that you see the COTA fee listed on your statement of account. If you do, bring your card to the BuckID office for further assistance.
• Employees can opt-in to a payroll deduction for COTA.

Find more information about the COTA partnership here.

All BuckID vendors are required to sign a legal agreement that they will not accept BuckID as a form of payment for alcohol purchases.

You can obtain a new or replacement BuckID by visiting the BuckID office on your primary campus of enrollment. You can find more information on the process here.

Don’t forget that you must present an original government issued photo ID - such as a driver's license, state issued ID card, military ID card or a passport to receive your BuckID. Note that a photo of the original document is not acceptable.

• If a merchant runs a transaction through multiple times or enters the incorrect amount, present a copy of your transaction history to the manager at that merchant and request they process a refund.
• A copy of your recent transactions may be printed from your MyBuckID account or you may obtain a printout of your recent transactions at the BuckID Office in Room 3040 of the Ohio Union.
• If you are unable to resolve the issue directly with the merchant, you can contact buckidcardservices@osu.edu for further assistance with disputing the charge.

You can find more information on where you can use your BuckID here.

You can contact UniPrint to request a refund for a print job. You can complete their refund request form here.

It’s optional to replace your card when your status changes. If you decide to replace your card, then you’ll need to turn in your old one to get a free replacement.

As The Official Consumer Bank of Ohio State, Huntington is the only bank that links your BuckID to a checking account. After linking, you can use your BuckID to make PIN-based debit card purchases and to access cash at ATMs.

Stop by a Huntington branch to link your BuckID to your Huntington checking account, or to sign up for a new Huntington account.

Learn more about Buckeye Banking for Ohio State Students,

Yes – you can use a preferred first name on your BuckID if you already have one on file with the university. Your BuckID will always include your legal last name.

You can update your preferred first name through my.osu.edu or the OSU mobile app.

No – providing your BuckID to someone else to allow them to access university facilities, resources or services is a violation of university policy and the student code of conduct and can result in disciplinary action.

If you know where your BuckID is but can't immediately get to it, then you should get a temporary BuckID. If you live on-campus in a Residence Hall you can have a temporary BuckID card issued at the front desk of your residence hall. If you live off campus, you can pick up a temporary BuckID card at the BuckID Office during business hours.

Any lost BuckID, including a lost temporary BuckID, should be suspended immediately.

You will be charged a replacement fee. Your BuckID will not work until the temporary card is returned or a replacement fee is paid.

If you have had the card replaced, then it is no longer active and cannot be used. We are not able to refund the cost of a card that has been replaced and then found.

Please note: your card should be marked lost/stolen unless you are actively placing an order in Grubhub. This prevents anyone else from using your card if they find it.

To order:

• Temporarily reactivate your card through MyBuckID. This should be done immediately before placing an order in Grubhub.
• The reactivation process is instant, so that you can open Grubhub and place an order as soon as you click “Activate”.
• If your BuckID isn’t showing up or working in Grubhub, try removing it from your payment method in the Grubhub app and then re-adding it.
• Once you’ve placed your order and it’s confirmed, immediately mark the card as lost again using the link above.