What is the Student Parking Program?
The Student Parking Program is for students who need on-campus parking on weekdays because of a long commute or work-related reasons.
Through the program, eligible students may seek approval to apply for and purchase a base lot or park & ride permit.
The program is not for residential or long-term parking, or driving between buildings for class.
We encourage everyone to consider alternative options whenever possible.
Student Parking Program eligibility
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Undergraduate students
Undergraduate students may be eligible for the student parking program if they meet one or more of these criteria:
- Commuting students from outside Madison. This is defined as one mile beyond Madison Metro Transit’s service area.
- Working students who use their vehicle at least three times a week for employment off campus. A signed letter from the employer listing scheduled work hours is required.
- Students who need accessible parking accommodations, primarily as approved by the McBurney Disability Resource Center. Students who believe they are eligible under this qualification should fill out a pre-approval application AND contact the McBurney Center about their application.
Graduate students with a "student help" employment appointment, or with no UW employment appointment
Graduate students with a “student help” employment or no UW employment may be eligible for the student parking program if they meet one or more of these criteria:
- Commuting students from outside Madison. This is defined as one mile beyond Madison Metro Transit’s service area.
- Working students who use their vehicle at least three times a week for employment off campus. A signed letter from the employer listing scheduled work hours is required.
- Students who need accessible parking accommodations, primarily as approved by the McBurney Disability Resource Center. Students who believe they are eligible under this qualification should fill out a pre-approval application AND contact the McBurney Center about their application.
Graduate or professional students with an employment appointment
Graduate students with employment appointments (such as teaching, research or project assistantships) are considered UW employees by the parking division for the duration of the appointment and may be eligible to apply through the process for UW employees. They are not eligible to apply for parking through the Student Parking Program.
If you have questions about your employment status or eligibility, please contact customer service.
Pre-approval application: required information
If you believe you may be eligible for the Student Parking Program, you will need this information to complete an application:
- Student status
- Name and contact information
- NetID (e.g., bbadger)
- Campus ID (10-digit number on Wiscard)
- Permanent and/or temporary home address
Employment verification
If you are applying for the program due to off-campus employment, you will also need to upload an employment verification letter on business letterhead that includes:
- Work location
- General scheduling requirements
- Manager or supervisor contact information
Accessible parking for students
Accessible permits can be purchased by any student who needs parking accommodations. There is no waiting list for accessible permits.
UW accessible permits allow parking in these locations across campus:
- UW Accessible (disabled) stalls
- State of Wisconsin disabled stalls
- ParkMobile stalls (30 minutes or longer)
- Unreserved permit stalls
Students may purchase a UW accessible permit at any Transportation Services office with a valid Department of Transportation (DOT) disabled parking permit.
If you require parking accommodations but do not have a state-issued disabled parking permit, please contact the McBurney Center.
Learn more about accessible parking and transportation on campus.
More student parking options
Buy-it-now permits
Several permit options for on-campus parking are available for students. No pre-approval is required. These include:
- Afternoon permits
- Night permits
- Moped permits
- Motorcycle permits
Semester permits
For graduate students only. Semester permits may be available to purchase online in December and August for the upcoming semester.
Availability is limited. If semester permits are not listed in the purchasing portal, they are not currently available.
Refer to the monthly and semester permit policy for more information.
Short-term permits
Monthly or daily permits may be available for daytime on-campus parking.
Off-campus parking
Off Campus Housing offers a marketplace where individuals rent out parking spaces near campus. Transportation Services is not affiliated with the marketplace.
Policies, resources and support
When applying for or purchasing a permit, please note:
- Permit availability is limited and subject to change.
- Construction or special events may require you to relocate to a nearby lot. We notify permit holders and provide alternative parking areas in these cases.
- All citations and other unpaid fees due to UW-Madison Transportation Services must be paid before applying for or accepting a parking assignment.
To avoid citations, towing and other penalties, permit holders must follow these and all other applicable Transportation Services policies:
- Parking permits must be properly displayed.
- Vehicles may not be continuously parked in a facility for more than 72 hours without exiting, unless authorization is granted by Transportation Services.
Help Center
Do you have more questions about parking at UW-Madison?
Find answers to our top questions about permits, student parking, accessible parking, citations, and more.