Accessible parking and transportation resources at UW-Madison

With the fall semester well under way, Transportation Services wants to highlight accessible parking and transportation options available for UW-Madison campus community members and visitors with disabilities. Read on to learn more about accessible parking and transportation options at UW.

Jump to:

Accessible permit parking
Accessible visitor parking
Accessible transportation options
Resources for building access, sidewalks, and multi-use paths
How to report an issue

Accessible permit parking

Photo of a UW parking stall reserved for annual and temporary UW-Disabled permit parking Monday through Friday, 7 am – 4:30 pm. After 4:30 pm, those with a DOT Disabled permit may also park in stalls with this sign. — Photo of a UW parking stall reserved for annual and temporary UW-Disabled permit parking Monday through Friday, 7 am – 4:30 pm. After 4:30 pm weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday, a state DOT Disabled permit is required to park in stalls with this sign.

Several long- and short-term accessible parking permit options are available for faculty, staff, student, and visitor parking on campus.

UW-Accessible permits allow parking in UW-Disabled and Wisconsin DOT Disabled stalls, unreserved permit stalls, and timed parking stalls (with a time limit of 30 minutes or more) across campus. UW-Accessible permits are available with proof of a valid permanent or temporary state-issued Department of Transportation (DOT) Disabled parking permit.

Other UW parking permits. If you have a valid DOT Disabled permit but don’t want a UW-Accessible permit, you can apply for or purchase another kind of UW parking permit, such as an annual base lot, afternoon, or night permit.

UW parking permits allow parking in a specific lot (or lots) during certain timeframes, depending on the permit type. In combination with a DOT Disabled permit, a UW parking permit lets you park in available DOT Disabled parking stalls, UW-Disabled stalls during posted timeframes, and unreserved permit parking stalls in the lot(s) where your permit is assigned.

You can display a UW parking permit and DOT Disabled hangtag at the same time by using a plastic pouch (available at Transportation Services) to display the UW permit on the inside lower left-hand corner of your windshield. Or you may hang a DOT Disabled and UW Disabled hangtag from your rearview mirror at the same time as long as both permits are visible.

The table below explains where and when UW-Disabled permits are valid, and how to apply or purchase these permit types. For information about other UW parking permits, visit our rates and policies webpage and learn how to apply. Availability of parking permits varies and may be limited.

UW-Disabled permit type	Where and when valid	Eligibility, and how to apply or purchase
Annual UW-Accessible parking permit	Valid September 1 – August 31 in UW-Disabled or DOT Disabled stalls, unreserved permit stalls, and unreserved timed parking stalls (over 30 minutes) across campus.	Employees and students can apply online for a UW-Accessible permit or purchase at a Transportation Services office with required documentation and a disabled parking permit application. Annual UW-Accessible permits are also available at a reduced cost for eligible customers.
Temporary UW-Accessible parking permit	Valid up to two months with physician’s note (or multiple months based on DOT temporary disabled permit) in UW-Disabled or DOT Disabled stalls, unreserved permit stalls, and unreserved timed parking stalls (over 30 minutes) across campus.	Temporary UW-Disabled parking permits are issued with written notification from a physician, or proof of a valid DOT temporary disabled permit. Employees, students, and visitors may purchase at a Transportation Services office with required documentation and an application.
Annual Flex Accessible parking permit	Valid September 1 – August 31 in UW-Disabled or DOT Disabled stalls, unreserved permit stalls, and unreserved timed parking stalls (over 30 minutes) across campus. The Flex Accessible permit is pay-per-use, and permit holders use Parkmobile (enter zone code 25099) to pay for parking.	Employees and graduate students with UW employment: purchase at a Transportation Services office with required documentation.
Annual UW-Accessible moped parking permit	Valid September 1 – August 31 in moped parking lots across campus.	Employees and students must purchase in person at a Transportation Services office with required documentation and a disabled parking permit application.
Temporary accessible moped parking	Valid up to two months with physician’s note (or multiple months based on DOT temporary disabled permit) in moped parking lots across campus.	Temporary UW-Accessible moped parking permits are issued with written notification from a physician, or proof of a valid DOT temporary disabled permit. Employees, students, and visitors may purchase at a Transportation Services office with required documentation and an application.

Accessible visitor parking

Image of parking stall sign reserved for Wisconsin DOT Disabled permit parking. Those with an annual or temporary UW-Accessible parking permit may also park in stalls with this sign.

Short-term visitor parking. If you’re visiting campus and your vehicle has a valid state DOT Disabled or VET DIS license plate or placard, you may park in these locations:

Accessible parking stalls in gated ramps and garages where visitor parking is available, unless posted signage states UW-Disabled permits are required. When parking in a gated facility, you must pay the visitor rate to park.
Accessible parking stalls in surface lots, unless posted signage states UW-Disabled permits are required.
Timed parking stalls with a posted time limit of 30 minutes or more.

For accessible parking stall locations, visit the accessible stall parking map or the lot stall type page.

If you’re coming to campus for a special event (like a Badger football game) check the event parking page and events calendar to see which lots are available. Some lots are reserved for accessible parking during big events.

Long term visitor parking. If you have a valid DOT Disabled or VET DIS license plate or placard, you may obtain a temporary UW-Disabled parking permit from a Transportation Services office. Temporary UW-Disabled permits allow parking in UW-Disabled or DOT Disabled stalls, unreserved permit stalls, and unreserved timed parking stalls (over 30 minutes) across campus.

Accessible transportation options

Bus and shuttle services can get you to and from campus, and around while on campus.

Madison Metro transit. All Madison Metro buses, including UW campus bus routes, are kneeling buses and can transport wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Kneeling buses are equipped with a mechanism to lower the bus, allowing people to board without having to climb the steps.

You must use a bus pass or pay a fare to ride Madison Metro buses. Metro Transit bus passes for UW employees and students may be used to ride Madison Metro fixed route buses and paratransit vehicles.

Learn how UW employees and UW Hospitals and Clinics employees can purchase an employee bus pass.
Bus passes for undergraduate and graduate students are available through the Associated Students of Madison (ASM).

For more information on Metro Transit service, routes, and schedules, see the Madison Metro website.

Madison Metro paratransit service. Metro paratransit is a shared-ride service for individuals with disabilities who are unable to access Metro’s fixed-route bus service. Riders must apply and become a registered paratransit rider to use this service. For more information, see the Metro Transit paratransit webpage.

Image of the accessible circulator shuttle vehicle — a black van with the UW-Madison logo in white and black and the vendor’s logo on the vehicle’s doors.

Accessible circulator shuttle. The accessible circulator shuttle provides on-call and pre-scheduled service between campus buildings for UW employees, students, and visitors with mobility disabilities. Those wishing to schedule a ride must call (608) 890-1352 or email uwshuttle@goriteway.com.

The shuttle operates Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during fall and spring class sessions and exam periods. There is no service on UW holidays, weekends, winter break, spring break, or in the summer.
The shuttle serves UW campus buildings within a service boundary, which is shown on the accessible circulator shuttle map.
The shuttle is a four-door van marked with the UW and vendor (Riteway) logos and is wheelchair accessible.
No pre-registration is required to use the shuttle.
Learn more about this service, including helpful tips on scheduling a ride, on the accessible shuttle webpage.

Building access, sidewalks, and multi-use paths

FP&M’s Facility Access Program coordinates physical campus access for persons with disabilities. Here are some helpful resources for building access and using sidewalks and multi-use paths on campus.

Maps and routes of accessible internal passageways. The internal passageways link some campus buildings, such as Sterling and Van Vleck Halls.
The map of accessible pedestrian routes shows gentle, moderate, and steep pedestrian routes, and the approximate locations of elevators in most gated parking facilities.
Individuals who are not able to use these maps may contact the FP&M Facilities Access Specialist at (608) 263-3021 or via email.
For more information on facilities access, visit the Facility Access Program website.

Issue reporting

To report a physical or digital accessibility barrier, please use the UW-Madison accessibility barrier reporting form.

More information

The information above focuses on parking and transportation-related accessibility information. For more resources on UW-Madison’s accessibility and disability information, visit Accessibility@UW-Madison.

For employee resources and workplace accommodations, visit the Employee Disability Resources Office website or contact your Divisional Disability Representative.