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Parking on the UW-Madison campus and UW Hospital is limited. Parking permits are available, but we also encourage and support employees who can choose an active and/or multimodal commute. Transportation Services operates a Commuter Solutions program with custom route planning, Flex pay-per-use parking, Emergency Ride Home vouchers, and discounts on bikesharing and carsharing.
Thousands of employees also ride Madison Metro Transit to campus. UW, UW Health, and UW affiliated employees can purchase a subsidized employee bus pass from Transportation Services. See the employee bus pass page for full details and eligibility requirements.
The City of Madison and UW-Madison are both recognized at the platinum level for bike friendliness. Commuting by bike is a simple way to cut down on campus congestion, save money, and help preserve the environment. With more bicycle parking on campus than automobile parking (nearly 16,000 bike parking stalls!), thousands of students, staff, and faculty commute by bicycle to UW–Madison.
See below for a step-by-step guide on the parking permit process .
How parking works at UW
If you plan to drive to work, please keep in mind that parking on campus is limited. Most of the time, a UW parking permit is required for regular parking on the UW-Madison campus.
Recommended parking permits for employees with standard first-shift schedules
Permits for parking on or near campus during peak hours include annual base lot permits, Flex permits, park and ride permits, carpool permits, and UW-Accessible permits. These permits allow parking during standard first-shift weekday hours when demand for parking is highest. Most peak-hour permits may also be used to park on campus during off-peak hours.
Motorcycle and moped permits are also available for on-campus parking during peak hours.
Things to note:
- Applications are required for annual base lot, Flex, UW-Accessible, carpool, and park and ride permits.
- Applying for parking does not guarantee that you will receive a parking permit offer. Annual base lot, Flex, and park and ride permits are offered based on availability, and applicants may be placed on a waiting list. Offers for these permit types are made multiple times throughout the summer, and about every two weeks after September 1.
- UW-Accessible permits are available with the required documentation.
- Carpool permits are given priority during the application process and bypass the waiting list.
Recommended parking options for second and third shift employees
- Afternoon and night permits allow parking in select campus lots or garages in the afternoon, evening, nights, and weekends. Afternoon and night permits do not require an application.
- You may park without a UW parking permit in unsigned (unreserved) permit stalls from 4:30 p.m. – 7 a.m. and all day Saturday & Sunday in Lots 4, 19, 26, 34, 37, 39, 40, 41, 45, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 64, 82, and 94. These lots may sometimes be reserved for special events.
- For more second and third shift commute options, please download the Second and Third Shift Commute Options brochure (PDF).
Not sure where to start? Try the interactive permit selection guide to receive custom permit recommendations.
Need help figuring out your transportation options? We have a dedicated team of commuting experts to help you navigate all parking and commute options. Complete a custom route planning request form for a free consultation.
Before applying, use these resources to learn more about parking permit options:
- Find a parking permit to fit your schedule using the permit selection guide.
- Learn about permit types on the permit options page.
- Find parking lot locations on the campus parking map.
- Check annual rates on the rates page.
UW employees and UW Health employees have a slightly different process to apply for parking.
- UW employees: follow these steps to apply for parking.
- UW Health employees: follow these steps to apply for parking.
Applications for annual base lot, Flex, and park and ride permits are processed multiple times throughout the summer, and every two weeks throughout the year. Waiting lists can be long, and offers are not guaranteed. If you don’t receive an offer by September 1, or if you applied after September 1, be sure to make alternate commuting arrangements while waiting for an offer. Some options:
- Monthly and daily parking permits may be available. To check availability, contact customer service.
- Hourly paid parking may be available in a UW campus garage. For real-time availability, look for public parking options on the interactive campus map.
- Madison Metro Transit. Take the bus to and from campus. Plan a route with Google Maps.
- Complete a custom route planning request form for a free consultation with a route planning expert.
Permit offers are sent by email approximately every two weeks. You will only be contacted if/when an offer can be made to you. You will remain on the waitlist until you receive an emailed offer.
When you receive an offer, it will contain a link to the eBusiness purchasing portal.
Log in to eBusiness with your NetID.
When checking out, select your parking permit assignment from the list of options.
If you are purchasing an annual base lot or UW-Accessible permit, you can choose to pay in full or by payroll deduction (if eligible). Please note that payroll deductions are not refundable.
Help Center
Do you have more questions about applying for parking?
Find answers to our top questions about permits, accessible parking, citations, event parking, and more.