Flex Parking Permits

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Policy Number:
UW-6125
Old Policy Number:
TS-42
Responsible Office:
Transportation Services

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

Flex parking provides an incentive for UW-Madison faculty and staff and employees of affiliated agencies to drive less and only pay when they occasionally need to drive to campus.This policy describes the appropriate use of Flex parking permits on the UW-Madison campus.

Definitions:
Flex Gated

A flex permit used in a gated parking facility (i.e. parking garage) that automatically deducts preloaded value from the permit at each use.

Flex Surface

A flex permit used in a non-gated parking facility (i.e. surface parking lot) that requires the user to actively start a parking session with a third-party software to pay for their parking session.

Scope:

Faculty, staff, students at UW-Madison, and employees of affiliated agencies (including the UW Foundation, UW Health Medical Foundation, UW Shared Services, Universities of Wisconsin, State Historical Society, and various outside groups).

Policy:
  1. Flex Parking Permit
    1. Flex assignments are available in the following lots: 2, 6, 7, 16, 17, 29, 34, 36, 38, 39, 41, 46, 51, 59, 60, 64, 67, 75, 76, 82, 83, 91 and 95.
    2. Flex permit holders are required to display their Flex permit and pay for parking during the hours the lot they are parked in is controlled.
    3. Daytime and evening Flex rates apply based on the hours of lot enforcement; refer to current rate chart.
    4. Refer to transportation.wisc.edu for locations where evening Flex rates are applicable.
    5. Flex permit holders are responsible for using the correct payment method to pay for parking in gated facilities and surface lots. No refunds will be issued for overpayment.
      1. Flex surface permit holders must report payment through the authorized payment vendor for the permit holder’s primary assigned lot, using the five digit zone code on the back of their flex permit. 
      2. Flex gated permit holders must add value to their flex permit on the Transportation Services online payment portal. See restrictions for balance information and its impact on starting a new parking session.
        1. Flex gated permit holders who are relocated to another gated facility by Transportation Services will have their permit activated for normal use in the alternate location.
        2. Flex gated permit holders who park in a restricted permit lot after hours must pay for their parking session using the five digit zone code on the back of their flex permit.
    6. Flex permit holders may park in any non-reserved permit stall (stall without a sign) in their assigned lot or in an alternate surface lot after hours.
    7. When accepting an assignment for a Flex permit in a gated lot, the customer will initially be charged a fee that will be applied to the balance on their account. These funds may be used to park in their assigned gated lot. Additional value should be added to the Flex permit using the UW-Madison Transportation Services eBusiness portal.
    8. Flex Surface permit holders must pay for the correct license plate number and use the assigned lot location number during the hours a parking facility is controlled. Failure to pay for the correct license plate or location may result in a citation, impoundment, and/or permit deactivation.
    9. Flex permit holders are responsible for all fees associated with their cell phone service or credit card provider.
    10. Flex permit holders using a business alternate permit must display their Flex permit and pay for parking with their primary lot code, in addition to paying the one-time business alternate permit fee. If the business alternate permit is for a surface lot, the Flex permit holder should use their primary lot code to pay for their Flex parking. Flex permit holders utilizing a business alternate permit while not in paid status for their Flex permit may be subject to citation.
    11. Flex permit holders displaying a temporary disabled Flex permit or a temporary daily permit (available for permit holders who have forgotten their Flex hangtag) must pay for parking through ParkMobile.
    12. Flex permit holders may cancel their Flex parking assignment and apply for another UW-Madison Transportation Services product. Permit exchange fees are charged for exchanges within the same parking year.
    13. The permit must be hung from the vehicle’s rearview mirror or displayed in a plastic pouch on the inside lower left-hand corner of the windshield. Remove all items from the mirror or window that block view of the permit. The entire permit must be visible when the vehicle is parked on campus.
    14. Permit holders should only have one valid UW-Madison Transportation Services permit in their vehicle at any time. If a permit holder has more than one permit in their vehicle and multiple permits are charged by the gate equipment in ramps, UW-Madison Transportation Services will not be responsible for refunds of double charges or value deductions to those permits. If a permit holder intends to pull a ticket to pay the daily parking rate, the permit holder should remove all permits from the vehicle to prevent an inadvertent permit read. UW-Madison Transportation Services will not be responsible for refunds to permits inadvertently charged if a permit holder intends to pull a ticket and pay the daily rate in a ramp.
  2. Flex Parking Eligibility Criteria
    1. Flex permit holders must apply online for an annual Flex parking assignment and go through the priority system. See UW-6111 Annual Parking Permit Application Process.
    2. Flex permit holders can participate in a carpool with other eligible faculty and staff with a valid Wiscard/UW Health ID.
  3. Restrictions
    1. Flex gated permit holders must have a positive balance on their Flex account to enter their assigned gated lot. Customers who exit a facility with a negative balance on their account must pay the shortfall and will be restricted from making other purchases until such payment is made. Re-entry to the lot will not be allowed with a negative balance.
    2. Flex permit holders who leave a gated lot and move to a surface lot or return to the gated lot are subject to a reset fee schedule which may result in charges exceeding the facility’s daily maximum rate.
    3. Flex gated balances and added value may not be paid via payroll deduction.
    4. If a Flex gated permit holder purchases a Flex gated permit in the next parking year, the balance remaining on the current year Flex gated permit will be rolled over. If a Flex gated permit holder does not purchase a Flex gated permit in the next year, the remaining balance exceeding $5 ($6.25 in value) will be refunded to via check, after the start of the next parking year. Balances less than $5 ($6.25 in value) that are not rolled over to a Flex gated permit in the next parking year will automatically expire.
    5. When parking using a service permit, Flex permit holders must also display their Flex permit and be in paid status with their Flex permit using the vendor software to pay using the five digit lot code on the back of their permit. Failure to display the Flex permit or be in paid status may result in a citation. See UW-6140 Service/Vendor Permits for more information.
    6. Please refer to UW-6112 Parking Permit Terms & Conditions for additional restrictions.
Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Assistant Vice Chancellor of UW-Madison Transportation Services
Policy Manager:
Director of Parking Operations
Contact:
Assistant Director of Parking Services -- David Berland, david.berland@wisc.edu, (608) 263-6667
Effective Date:
04-01-2002
Revised Dates:

03-01-2003, 03-01-2004, 03-01-2005, 03-01-2006, 03-01-2007, 03-01-2008, 01-01-2009, 03-01-2010, 03-01-2012, 12-01-2015, 03-01-2018, 05-19-2022, 10-06-2022, 12-22-2022, 1-13-2023, 06-21-2023, 07-01-2025

Retrieved:
07-18-2025 00:57:22