Visitor Parking

Hourly parking is available in campus gated lots (garages/ramps) and some surface lots on campus. To see how much space is available for visitors in campus gated lots, check live visitor parking availability.

To find visitor parking locations, check the parking maps on the campus maps page and lot addresses on the lot locations and hours page.

Other temporary parking options ranging from daily to monthly are available on a space-available basis for anyone who would like to park on campus.

Coming to campus for a special event? See the event parking page for tips on large event-specific parking. Check the Events Calendar for day-of-event parking information. Please note the calendar shows only those campus events where Transportation Services will manage event parking.

Plan ahead

If you know in advance you’re coming to campus, you may purchase a daily or half-day permit ahead of time.

Complete the daily permit order form or call Special Events at (608) 262-8683. Allow two weeks for processing.

Inquiries about visitor parking can be sent to visitorparking@fpm.wisc.edu or to our main office location (610 Walnut Street), Attn: Special Events.

UW-Madison departments must purchase visitor parking permits with a valid TS Number. For information on how to apply for and use a TS Number, see the TS Number Information Sheet.

Please refer to the event parking page for full details on department visitor parking orders.

Visitor parking and permits

See the rates page to find the most up-to-date parking rates.

View parking maps on the campus parking maps page. Check stall types per lot on the lot stall types page.

For accessible (disabled) parking information, visit the accessible transportation options page.

Encounter issues in a parking lot? Use the lot maintenance page to report malfunctioning pay stations, signage problems, lights issues and broken doors.

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Hourly parking

For information on lot locations and hours of control, visit our lot locations and hours page.

Gated lots (garages/ramps)

To pay for hourly visitor parking in campus gated lots, pull a ticket at the entry gate. When exiting the lot, you can pay in one of two ways:

1) Use a credit card to pay at a “pay on foot” machine. For pay-on-foot machine locations, see the pay on foot machine locations map – PDF.

2) Use a credit card to pay at gate column in the exit lane.

Hourly visitor parking is available at the following gated lots:

    • Helen C. White Garage (Lot 6), Grainger Hall Garage (Lot 7), Engineering Drive Ramp (Lot 17), University Avenue Ramp (Lot 20), Nancy Nicholas Hall Garage (Lot 27), North Park Street Ramp (Lot 29), Observatory Drive Ramp (Lot 36), Linden Drive Garage (Lot 67), University Bay Drive Ramp (Lot 76), Union South Garage (Lot 80) and the Fluno Center Garage (Lot 83)
    • University Hospital (Lot 75) and American Family Children’s hospital (Lot 63) have hourly parking available for patients and visitors

A live count of visitor parking in gated lots is displayed on the visitor parking availability page. See the rates page for up-to-date rates. For more information on ramp clearances, see our lot clearance page.

Timed parking stalls

Many lots on campus have timed parking stalls that accept mobile payment through Parkmobile. Start a Parkmobile parking session using the smartphone app, via phone (call in), or on the Parkmobile website.

On the UW campus, you may not “add more time” to a meter or timed parking stall. Parking sessions are limited to the length of the time marked on the stall signage. Please refer to the stall or lot sign for hours payment is required. Vehicles must be in paid status during the lot’s hours of control. The mobile payment provider will not charge for parking during times a lot is not controlled.

Find timed parking locations on the timed parking stall map (PDF) and the lot stall types page.

"After-hours" and weekend parking

About 20 parking lots on campus allow free parking from 4:30 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday. These are the green lots located on the campus parking map.

A complete list of lots and their hours of control can be found on the lot locations and hours page.

    • Please note: some of these lots may have special parking restrictions due to special events, construction, or other projects. See the events calendar and/or the lot entrance signs for dates of these additional restrictions.

Some lots allow for a “night”/after 4:30 p.m. daily permit, if ordered in advance. See the “Daily and half-day permits” section above for more details.

Certain areas on campus are enforced at all times, including areas of lots or ramps that are “free” after 4:30 pm and on weekends. Non-parking areas include disabled stalls (without a valid disabled permit/plate), reserved stalls, sidewalks, access aisles, curb areas, entrances/exits, etc.

Daily and half-day permits

A limited number of full and half-day (a.m. or p.m.) parking permits are available for some lots on campus, as space allows. They can be purchased in person at one of the Transportation Services offices.

Visitor parking rates

See the rates page for the most up-to-date rates.

  • All-day: $15
  • Half-day: $9
  • Night: $5; must be purchased in advance

Plan ahead, order ahead!

If you know in advance you’re coming to campus, you may purchase a daily or half-day permit ahead of time. Order using the daily permit order form or by calling Special Events at (608) 262-8683. Please allow two weeks for processing. Inquiries about visitor parking can be sent to visitorparking@fpm.wisc.edu or to our main office location (610 Walnut Street), Attn: Special Events.

Monthly parking

Monthly parking permits are occasionally available in select lots on a month-to-month basis. Monthly parking on campus is limited and is not meant for long-term, overnight or storage parking. Permits must be purchased in person at one of the Transportation Services office locations. Call (608-263-6667) or email customer service to check availability.

Consider checking Madison Craigslist under “Housing>Parking and Storage” for off-campus parking options. Many housing groups sell parking near campus.

Motorcycle parking

Please read the motorcycle permit policy.

Mobile payment

Motorcycle visitor parking requires payment during posted times. All motorcycle visitor parking options on campus require payment through Parkmobile. Parkmobile payments can be made via phone, website, or smartphone app.

Only one motorcycle may park per parking stall and the vehicle must be in paid status during the lot’s hours of control. The mobile payment provider will not charge for parking during times the lots are not controlled. A complete list of lot hours of control can be found on the lot locations and hours page.

Motorcycle parking locations can be found on the motorcycle parking map (PDF) and the lot stall types page.

Gated facilities

Motorcycles are only allowed in select gated facilities where a designated motorcycle lane is present. Here’s why:

Entry and exit gates are activated by metal detectors in the pavement. The detectors are spaced to detect full-size vehicles. Motorcycles do not contain enough metal to reliably open the gate equipment. Therefore, it is unsafe to drive a motorcycle through the gate equipment. Gate arms are prone to closing down on riders, causing injury and property damage.

Where there is no designated motorcycle lane, do not attempt to enter the facility on a motorcycle. Where there is a motorcycle drive lane, drive around the gate via the designated method. Some motorcycle parking areas are located before the gates.

Gated facility Motorcycle access details | Parkmobile payment code
Lot 6 – Helen C. White Garage Upper level only—no motorcycle access lane in the lower level | code 2506
Lot 7 – Grainger Hall Garage Motorcycle parking located before the gates | code 2507
Lot 17 – Engineering Drive Ramp Motorcycle access lanes at both east and north entrances | code 2517
Lot 29 – North Park Street Ramp Motorcycle access lane at East Campus Mall entrance, Park Street entrance has motorcycle parking located before the gates | code 2529
Lot 46 – Lake & Johnson Ramp Motorcycle access lane at Frances Street entrance only | code 2546
Lot 67- Linden Drive Garage Motorcycle access lane at Colwood Drive and Linden Drive entrances | code 2567
Lot 75 – UW Hospital Ramp Motorcycle parking on south side of ramp, outside of gated area | code 2575
Lot 76 – University Bay Drive Ramp Motorcycle access lanes at both entrances | code 2576
Lot 83 – Fluno Center Garage Motorcycle parking located before the gate | code 2583

Motorcycles without UW parking permits are required to be in paid status and may be parked only in designated motorcycle stalls. Parking in a non-motorcycle stall or failing to pay may result in a citation.

Surface lots

Each surface lot has hours of control on the lot entrance signs. During hours of control, motorcycles without a UW parking permit must park in the surface lot’s designated timed parking stalls, and not motorcycle stalls.

Only one motorcycle may park per timed parking stall. Outside the lot’s posted hours of control, motorcycles without a UW parking permit may park in any vehicle or motorcycle stall. Parking without a permit or failure to pay during hours of control may result in a citation.

Moped parking

For safety reasons, mopeds are not allowed in gated parking facilities at any time. Any moped in a gated facility will receive a citation.

Please read the moped parking policy. Find moped lots on the moped parking map (PDF). You can also see the moped page for more general parking information.

Moped parking is restricted to designated moped lots, vehicle timed parking stalls, or temporary permits sold for vehicle stalls. Designated moped lots on campus require a permit during the hours of control, from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. UW Housing residential moped lots have extended hours of control, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Any time a moped lot is not under enforcement, the lot is open for any moped to park without payment or permit.

Hours of control in moped lots are not suspended for holidays. Parking without a permit during hours of control on a holiday or weekday may result in a citation.

Options for moped visitor parking during hours of control are vehicle timed parking stalls (pay-by-cell “meters”) or temporary permits. For temporary permits, see the daily and half day parking information above.

Mobile payment

Moped visitor parking requires payment during posted times. All moped visitor parking options on campus make use of mobile payment through a third-party vendor called Parkmobile. Payment at these locations is accepted via phone, website, or smartphone app.

Only one moped is allowed per timed parking stall and the vehicle must be in paid status during times lots are controlled. The mobile payment provider will not charge for parking during times the lots are not controlled.

ParkMobile payment system

Visitors can use the ParkMobile payment system to pay for parking by phone (call in), on the Parkmobile website, or by using the mobile app. Coins are not accepted.

If you have questions, please contact Transportation Services at customerservice@fpm.wisc.edu or call (608) 263-6667.

Using Parkmobile

  1. Create a Parkmobile Account
  2. To start a parking session, you’ll need the following:
    • Your license plate number
    • The Parkmobile Zone number (on sign at stall)
    • The amount of time you want to park

Encountering issues with Parkmobile? Please reach out directly to their customer service. Calling is recommended for the fastest response rate: (877) 727-5457

Visitor Parking Help Center

Not finding what you need here? Find answers to our top questions about visitor parking.

Visitor Parking Help Center