Visitor Parking Help Center

Paid hourly visitor parking may be available in a campus garage unless the garage is closed for construction or reserved for a special event.

• 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) 
• Fluno Center Garage (Lot 83)
• University Hospital (Lot 75) 
• American Family Children’s Hospital (Lot 63) has hourly parking available for hospital patients and visitors only.

Find these locations and real-time visitor parking availability at map.wisc.edu. 

Go to the visitor parking page for more information.

Visiting campus for a special event? Go to the event parking help center.

When the “lot full” sign is lit, there is currently no space in the lot for visitor parking.

If the lot is full but you’ve already pulled up to the entrance, press the “HELP” button at the gate. The dispatcher will assist you.

Find an alternate parking option:

• Go to map.wisc.edu for a map of campus garages and current availability.
• Find a ParkMobile stall in an open surface lot and pay by app or phone. Find ParkMobile stall locations (PDF).

Check the City of Madison website for parking availability in city ramps or street parking locations.

All visitors must pay for parking. When you pull a ticket to enter a parking garage on the UW campus, make sure to hold on to it.

When you are ready to leave, you may pay at a pay-on-foot kiosk, at the exit gate, or by app.

• Pay-on-foot kiosks are usually located near stairwells, elevators, or pedestrian entry points in campus parking garages. Scan the QR code on the parking ticket and follow the payment instructions on the screen. Keep the ticket after you pay the charge: you will scan it on your way out of the garage.
• Alternatively, drive up to the exit gate, scan the QR code on the parking ticket, and follow the payment instructions on the screen.

Credit and debit cards are accepted at kiosks at parking garage exit lanes.

Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted at pay-on-foot machines in parking garages. Locate a pay-on-foot machine on this map (PDF).

Mobile pay options are also available. For garage parking, check your parking ticket for instructions. For surface lot parking, pay by app in ParkMobile stalls.

Tap-payment options (such as Apple Pay) are currently not accepted.

Some surface lots have pay-by-app stalls available for visitor parking. Time limits range from 25 minutes to three hours. Payment is required through the third party vendor, ParkMobile.

Vehicles must be in paid status during the lot’s hours of control. Check the sign at the lot entrance for enforcement hours. 

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

Daily parking permits are sometimes available for parking in Lots 34, 41, 44, 59, 60, 91, 130, or 131. Daily permits can be purchased in person at a Transportation Services office location. Call Customer Service at (608) 263-6667 to check availability.

First, create a ParkMobile account. There are three ways to create an account:

• Using the ParkMobile app
• Online at parkmobile.io
• By phone at 877-PARK-003 (877-727-5003)

To start ParkMobile session, you’ll need:

• Your license plate number
• Credit card information
• The amount of time you want to park
• The ParkMobile zone number located on the parking sign

ParkMobile reference guides (PDF downloads):

• How to create an account
• How to pay for a parking session

Need help with ParkMobile? Call their customer service phone number at (877) 727-5457.

Unlike timed parking on City of Madison streets, you cannot add more time to an expired (or soon-to-expire) ParkMobile session on the UW campus.

In parking garages, the daytime visitor rate is:

• $1 per 30 minutes – first 3 hours
• $1 per hour thereafter
• $15 daily maximum

The evening and weekend visitor rate in garages is:

• $1 per hour
• $5 evening maximum

There is no charge when a rate schedule is not in effect. For rate schedules in specific garages, go to our rates page.

In surface lots, timed ParkMobile stalls are $1.50 per hour during the lot’s hours of control. Outside the lot’s posted hours of control, there is no charge for parking. Refer to the parking lot sign for hours of control.

Transportation Services does not validate parking. Validations are sometimes provided by campus departments or event organizers.

Check with the department or event organizer to find out if they offer parking validation. 

Parking validations work in all UW-Madison parking garages, except if the garage is reserved for a special event (such as Badger Football).

In some cases, a validation may only cover a portion of your parking session. You must pay any outstanding balance that appears on the touchscreen at the exit column.

Validation reference guide (PDF download):

• How to use validations

Yes: several parking garages and lots have stalls for State of Wisconsin disabled permit parking. Go to the Accessible Parking Help Center for more information.

With some exceptions**, parking permits are not enforced in these surface lots from 4:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. weekdays, and all day Saturday and Sunday. During the time permits are not enforced, you do not need to display a permit or be in paid status to park in regular permit parking stalls or ParkMobile stalls:

West campus (west of Willow Creek): Lots 59, 60, 64, and 82.

Also in the west campus area:

• 130 – Lot is closed 10 p.m. – 4 a.m.
• 131 – Free after 3 p.m. weekdays & all day Saturday/Sunday. Closed after 10 p.m.

North-central campus (from Willow Creek to Charter Street, north of University Avenue): Lots 4, 26, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 57, and 58.

South-central campus (from Willow Creek to N. Park Street, south of University Avenue): Lots 19, 41, 45, and 54.

East campus (east of Charter Street): Lots 45, 56, 86, and 94.

Some parking garages do not charge for parking on Saturday and Sunday, unless they are reserved for special events. When parking is not enforced, visitors must pull a ticket to enter the ramp, but there will be no charge upon exit.

• 17 (Engineering Drive Ramp)
• 20 (University Avenue Ramp)
• 36 (Observatory Drive Ramp)
• 76 (University Bay Drive Ramp) 
• 7 (Grainger Hall Garage) – no charge on Sundays only

Locate these lots located on the campus parking map. Or, search a specific lot number on the interactive campus map at map.wisc.edu.

Always refer to the lot entrance signs and individual parking stall signage to confirm enforcement rules.

**Please be aware of these exceptions to after-hours parking when a permit is required:

• If a lot is reserved for a special event, the lot may be restricted to event permit holders. In some cases, you may pay the event rate to park in the lot. Signage will be posted at lots reserved for special events. To find out which lots are reserved for special events, go to the parking calendar.
• UW-Disabled stalls require a UW-Accessible permit at all times. Wisconsin DOT Disabled stalls require a UW-Accessible permit or state disabled permit to be displayed at all times.
• Reserved stalls require a special permit at all times. These stalls are marked with a sign.
• Service/vendor stalls may require a permit after hours. Check the service/vendor stall signage for specific enforcement hours.

For complete information on visitor parking, go to our visitor parking page.

UW Hospital and Clinics visitor parking is available at Lot 75 (UW Hospital Ramp) and Lot 63 (Children’s Hospital Garage). 

• Lot 75 is connected to UW Hospital and Clinics.
• Lot 63 is connected to the American Family Children’s Hospital and the Emergency Services department.
• If Lot 75 is full, or if you prefer to park in a less crowded location and are able to walk, visitor parking is often available in nearby Lot 76 (University Bay Drive Ramp).

Find these locations on the campus map.

Valet services are available at Lot 75 from 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. When arriving at Lot 75, follow the signs to the valet parking lane. Staff also offer golf cart assistance during operating hours and can provide wheelchair assistance.

There is no charge for valet service, and staff do not accept tips.

Yes: Lots 63, 75, and 76 have stalls for State of Wisconsin disabled permit parking. Go to the Accessible Parking Help Center for more information.

UW Hospital and Clinics validates parking for visitors at their discretion.

In some cases, a validation may only cover a portion of your parking session. You must pay any outstanding balance that appears on the touchscreen at the exit gate.

Validation reference guide (PDF download):

• How to use validations

Credit and debit cards are accepted at kiosks at parking garage exit lanes.

Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted at pay-on-foot machines in parking garages. Locate a pay-on-foot machine on this map (PDF).

Cash, checks, and credit/debit cards are accepted at staffed booths in Lot 75 (UW Hospital Ramp).

Mobile pay options are also available. Check your parking ticket for instructions.

Tap-payment options (such as Apple Pay) are currently not accepted.

The daytime visitor rate at Lots 63 and 75 is in effect from 7:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m., Monday through Sunday:

• $1 per 30 minutes – first 3 hours
• $1 per hour thereafter
• $15 daily maximum

The evening and weekend visitor rate is in effect from 12 a.m. – 6:59 a.m., Monday through Sunday:

• $1 per hour
• $5 evening maximum

If your visit to the UW-Madison campus or UW Hospital will last longer than a day, it’s a good idea to make parking and transportation plans in advance.

Public transit, bicycling, and bikesharing are convenient ways to access campus. 

Regular visitor parking is an option, but availability can fluctuate and space is not guaranteed.

Short-term parking permit options guarantee parking space will be available during your visit:

• Daily permits provide guaranteed parking in a specific lot, even if the lot is reserved for a special event. Multiple daily permits can be ordered. They must be ordered two weeks in advance. Order online or by calling 608-262-8683.
• Monthly permits allow daily parking in a specific lot. Call or email customer service to ask about monthly permits: 608-263-6667 or customerservice@fpm.wisc.edu.

Availability of short-term permits is limited.

Read more about parking options available for visitors. Check the “short term permits” section.

Find current rates on the rates page.

• Validations. Parking costs are billed to the requesting department. Learn more about validations and make a request.
• Daily and half-day permits may be purchased at least two weeks in advance of the date they are needed. Parking costs are paid by departments upfront. Learn more about daily permits and place an order.
• Departments may lease a reserved parking stall with a sign restricting the use of the stall. Learn more about reserved stalls and how to apply.