Flex Parking Program

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. 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.

The rate increase varies depending on how long your parking sessions last. This is because both the Flex rates and the payment schedule are changing. The new rates and payment schedule will match up with the daily visitor parking rate schedule, but with a 20% discount. This means Flex users will pay $0.80 per half hour for the first three hours, and $0.80 per hour thereafter. See the chart below for a few examples of how much Flex parking might cost for a standard workday (7 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday) and associated percent increase:

For a full table of hourly rate charges, see the new Flex rates chart.

Under the current Flex model, the ParkMobile payment system and gated lot entry/exit systems are not directly linked. This can lead to scenarios where the time paid for a parking session in ParkMobile does not match the parking session recorded by the gate system.

By linking the Flex Gated permit directly to our gate system, Flex Gated permit holders will no longer need to use ParkMobile to pay for a parking session in their assigned gated lot. Instead, payment will be deducted from the permit upon exiting the lot. As a result, Flex Gated permit holders should experience a more streamlined parking process.

Additionally, many Flex users encounter problems using ParkMobile to pay for a parking session in their assigned gated lot. For example, some people experience connection issues paying with the ParkMobile app while in an underground parking facility. Because the gate system will deduct payment from the permit when the permit holder exits the lot, there will not longer be a need to use ParkMobile in gated lots.

Because surface lots are not equipped with gate systems, Flex Surface permit holders will continue to use ParkMobile to pay for each individual parking session as before.

No: because your Flex permit is lot-specific, permit holders may not park in alternate lots during a standard workday. (You may use your Flex permit 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 valid. See the questions below for more information about after hours parking.)

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

• You may 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.
• You may 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.

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 if you move to an alternate surface lot after hours – a new parking session will start. Therefore, if you exit and re-enter a lot in the same day, or move to a surface lot after hours and start a ParkMobile session, the session maximum rate will reset to zero. As a result, Flex Gated permit holders who exit and re-enter a parking ramp throughout the day will 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 migrate to a surface lot after hours. See the table below for sample scenarios.

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 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, all Flex permit holders must pay with ParkMobile by entering the primary lot code printed on their permit hangtag, and the correct license plate number. You must be in paid status after hours in yellow lots because these lots are remain reserved for university business, and therefore remain under control.

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 in their parking account. Refunds will only be granted upon return of the permit. 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 Flex permit.

Flex Gated permit holders may fund their parking account with up to $60 of value ($48 cash) per transaction. Value may be added in $5 increments to give permit holders greater control over their parking account. Funds may be added to the parking account by logging in to the eBusiness portal and selecting the Flex permit.

Permit holders may add value to their accounts to cover multiple days of parking. 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. This means funding your account with $48 cash gets you $60 worth of parking value.

You must have a positive account balance to enter your assigned parking ramp.

If you attempt to enter your assigned lot with a negative balance, the gate will not open. If this happens, press the “help” button for assistance.

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.

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.