Flex Parking Program

The Flex rate is a 20% discount on daily and evening visitor parking rates. This means:

• • The Flex daily rate is $0.80 per half hour for the first three hours, and $0.80 per hour thereafter until the $12 session maximum is reached. Daily rates are usually in effect from 7 am – 4:29 pm, but this depends on the parking facility.
  • The Flex evening rate is $0.80 per hour until the $4 session maximum is reached. The evening parking rate is typically in effect from 4:30 pm – 11:59 pm, but this depends on the parking facility.

The total charge for a Flex parking session depends on the time a parking session starts, how long it lasts, and the facility you’re parking in. To see the daily and evening/weekend rate periods for specific Flex parking lots, see Flex parking rates.

A new Flex rate schedule went into effect on September 1, 2022.

Starting in the mid-2000s, the Flex parking program was structured to charge users 80% of visitor parking rates. This rate structure provides a discount on daily visitor parking and at the same time creates an incentive for people to use active or alternate modes of transportation to commute to campus.

Transportation Services did not raise Flex rates in 2020 due to the response to COVID-19. As a result, Flex rates have not increased for 10 years or kept pace with visitor parking rates or session maximums. Now that campus operations have stabilized, Transportation Services and campus administration have agreed a Flex rate increase is timely and appropriate to restore the program’s goal to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on campus.

One important change for Flex Surface permit holders is the Parkmobile “maximum parking time” is now 12 hours instead of 8 hours. To avoid being overcharged, it is advised to start a Parkmobile session by selecting the exact number of hours for a parking session instead of “maximum parking time.” Only choose the maximum rate if you plan to park for 12 or more hours during the daily rate period, or 5 or more hours during the evening/weekend rate period. Transportation Services cannot refund Parkmobile transactions.

Flex Gated and Flex Surface permit holders have different methods to pay for parking.

Flex Surface permit holders use Parkmobile to pay at the start of each parking session. Learn more about how to use Parkmobile.

Flex Gated permit holders have their payment automatically deducted from their permit at the end of a parking session, when they exit their assigned parking lot. They fund their parking accounts by logging in to their eBusiness account and adding value to their permit before arriving on campus to park.

Both Flex Gated and Flex Surface permit holders may use Parkmobile to park in alternate surface lots on campus where valid UW parking permit is required.

The below table shows the estimated cost of an uninterrupted Flex parking session during the daily rate period. It also compares the new Flex rates to the old rates and visitor parking rates.

Parking sessions spanning daily and evening rate periods may impact the total cost of a parking session. Click the button to download a Flex payment examples sheet (.pdf file): Flex payment examples

The below table shows the estimated cost of an uninterrupted Flex parking session during the evening rate period. It also compares the new Flex rates to the old rates and visitor parking rates.

Parking sessions spanning daily and evening rate periods may impact the total cost of a parking session. Click the button to download a Flex payment examples sheet (.pdf file): Flex payment examples

No. Because Flex permits are lot-specific, permit holders may not park in alternate lots during a standard workday.

However, your Flex permit is valid for “after hours” parking between 4:30 pm – 7 am Monday – Friday, or all day Saturday/Sunday in a lot where UW parking permits are required.

If you need to park on different locations on campus throughout the day for work purposes, here are some options:

• Avoid additional Flex parking costs by using a UW service permit. Please contact your department or work unit to see if service permits are available for work purposes.
• Apply for a business alternate permit to park in one alternate campus lot. For more details on business alternate permits, see the permit types and information page.
• If you need to park on different locations on campus throughout the day for non-work related reasons, you may find available hourly parking in a gated lot or timed parking stall. For more information see the visitor parking page.

You may use your Flex permit to park in locations other than your assigned lot for “after hours” parking. To find these lot locations and their hours of control, see the campus parking map:

• The yellow lots on the campus parking map show lots where you can park with your Flex permit in ParkMobile paid status 4:30 pm – 7 am, Monday – Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday.
• The green lots show locations that are not enforced, and therefore do not require payment, 4:30 pm – 7 am Monday – Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday.

When parking after hours in a yellow lot where UW permits are valid, you must be in paid status with ParkMobile. When parking in a yellow lot after hours, Flex permit holders must pay with ParkMobile by entering the primary lot code printed on their permit hangtag, and the correct license plate number.

When parking after hours in a green lot, you do not have to display a permit or make any payment with ParkMobile.

You may purchase a temporary Flex daily permit for $12 in person at a Transportation Services office location. Click the link for Transportation Services office hours and locations.

Alternatively, you may pay for hourly visitor parking in a campus parking facility where visitor parking is available. Visitor parking is available in most gated facilities, and several surface lots have timed parking stalls that accept payment through ParkMobile. You will not be reimbursed for paying for parking at the visitor parking rate. For more information on visitor parking, see the visitor parking page.

Customers with a Flex disabled permit must always pay with ParkMobile using zone code 25099, whether their permit is assigned to a gated lot or a surface lot.

Yes: Parking & Transit accounts will continue to be available for UW System employees. These accounts allow eligible employees to pay for certain parking and transit expenses with tax-free dollars. These funds in a parking account can be used to pay for work-related parking expenses, including Flex payments. For enrollment details and more information, visit the UW System’s Parking & Transit accounts webpage.

1. Go to transportation.wisc.edu/ebusiness. Login with your NetID or UW Health credentials.
2. Navigate to “View Your Permits” and then click on your active Flex permit number.
3. Click the “Add Value” button. Read the instructions on the “Add additional value” page.
4. Select the value amount you want to add in increments of $5. Then click “Next” to complete the purchase process.
5. Please note the Flex parking rate is applied when you add value to your permit.

For a detailed visual guide to adding value, download the instruction sheet How to Add Value to a Flex Gated Permit (PDF).

To estimate how much value you want to add, see the new Flex rate schedule.

You may fund your parking account with up to $60 of value ($48 cash) per transaction. Value may be added in $5 increments. You may carry a maximum of $240 in value (or $192 cash) at a time.

Reminders:

• Flex Gated permit holders must pay for parking before they can enter their assigned lot.
• The Flex parking rate is a 20% discount on visitor parking rates. This discount is applied up-front when you add funds to your account. For example, funding your account with $48 gets you $60 worth of parking value.

1. Go to transportation.wisc.edu/ebusiness.
2. Click “Permits” (top menu) and select “View Your Permits”
3. Click on the active Flex permit
4. The next screen will show the current value on your Flex account

For a more detailed transaction history, scroll down and click the “View Activity History” button. The system will generate a PDF of parking transactions for the past 180 days, including the value of each parking session and the Flex rate you paid for each parking session.

You must have a positive account balance to enter your assigned parking ramp. If you attempt to enter your assigned lot with a balance at or below $0, the gate will not open. If this happens, you must pull a ticket to enter the facility and pay the visitor parking rate.

Transportation Services will not refund parking costs paid at the visitor rate, in full or in part.

If you enter your assigned parking ramp with a positive balance but your account runs down to zero or a negative balance during the parking session, you will be allowed to exit. If the gate does not go up when you try to exit with a negative balance, press the “help” button for assistance. The attendant will let you out and apply the correct charges to your account. You will not be able to enter the lot again until you pay off the negative amount and restore your account to a positive balance.

If you try to exit a gated parking facility with your Flex permit and the gate does not open, press the “HELP” button and speak with a dispatcher to open the gate.

The gate may not open if your parking account is at or below $0 of parking value. If the gate doesn’t open due to insufficient parking funds, a balance due will be applied to your parking account to be paid later.

Because the Flex Gated permit is tied to the gate system and the visitor rate schedule, any time you exit and re-enter a parking ramp – or move to an alternate surface lot after hours – a new parking session starts and the session maximum resets.

This means Flex Gated permit holders who exit and re-enter a parking ramp throughout the day will likely pay more to park per day in comparison to those who do not exit/re-enter the ramp throughout the day.

Keep in mind the Flex parking schedule includes a “daily” session maximum and an “evening” session maximum. The overall price you pay could vary depending on the time you re-enter a ramp, how long each parking session lasts, or if you move to a surface lot after hours.

See the table below for sample scenarios of how much you could pay for parking if you leave and come back to your assigned Flex lot during different rate periods.

You may use your Flex Gated permit to park in locations other than your assigned lot for “after hours” parking. Many campus parking lots are available for after-hours parking Monday – Friday, 4:30 pm – 7:00 am, and all day Saturday and Sunday. Some lots require payment for after-hours parking, while other lots do not require payment after hours.

To find parking lots available for after-hours parking, see the campus parking map:

• The yellow lots on the campus parking map show lots where you can park with your Flex permit in ParkMobile paid status 4:30 pm – 7 am, Monday – Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday.
• The green lots show locations that are not enforced and therefore do not require payment 4:30 pm – 7 am Monday – Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday.

When parking after hours in a yellow lot where UW permits are valid, you must be in paid status with ParkMobile. Start a Parkmobile session as soon as you start parking by entering the 5-digit code printed on your permit hangtag, and the correct license plate number. Click the link for instructions on how to set up and use Parkmobile.

When parking after hours in a green lot, you do not have to display a permit or make any payment with Parkmobile.

Flex Gated permit holders may return their permit for a refund before July 1. Refunds will only be issued to customers with more than $10 of value in their parking accounts and will only be granted upon return of the hangtag.

Any balance remaining on a parking account when permits expire at the end of a parking year (August 31) will be forfeited.

Flex Gated permit holders are responsible for tracking the funds in their parking accounts. It is recommended that permit holders spend their accounts down to a zero balance between July 1 and August 31 to avoid forfeiting a remaining balance. Check your account balance by logging in to the eBusiness portal and selecting your active Flex permit.

Do you keep multiple UW parking permits in your vehicle, such as a Flex Gated permit and an afternoon or night garage permit?

If so, please be aware that the gate system may scan your Flex Gated permit and charge you for parking even if you intended to use a different permit. If this happens, Transportation Services cannot refund charges to your Flex parking account. You are responsible for any charges deducted as a result of keeping multiple permits in your vehicle.

Permit holders are responsible for using the correct permit to park in their assigned lot. The only guaranteed way to avoid unwanted Flex Gated charges is to remove the Flex permit from your vehicle when you don’t intend to use it for parking.