This page covers the City of Madison. Fitchburg, Middleton, Monona and the other suburbs set their own parking rules; the towns guide links each town's code.
Paying a Ticket
- Online: the City's parking ticket portal. Look the ticket up by plate number or VIN; you can pay several at once.(City of Madison) Online payments take Visa and MasterCard only.(City of Madison) Lost the ticket? Look it up the same way and click "View Ticket" for a copy.(City of Madison)
- By mail: check or money order to the City Treasurer's Office, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 101, Madison, WI 53703.(City of Madison)
- In person: Court Services, City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, room GR-10, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's the only place that takes cash, and tickets on an impounded car must be paid there.(City of Madison) You can also pay at the City Treasurer's Office, the Parking Division office and the Police South and West district stations.(City of Madison)
- Questions about a payment or refund: Court Services, 608-266-4170.(City of Madison)
Pay on time. A $10 late charge is added if a ticket isn't paid within 14 days of the violation, and a second $10 after 25 days.(MGO 12.154) If it's still unpaid after the notices, the City reports it to the state DOT and adds a third $10.(MGO 12.154) An unpaid ticket can get your registration suspended. Once you pay, an online payment can take 3 business days to post and DMV up to 5 business days to lift the suspension.(City of Madison) You also can't get a residential parking permit while the car has unpaid tickets.(MGO 12.138)
Contesting a Ticket
- Ask for a review if you think the ticket was a mistake, for example the meter was paid or you had a valid permit. Use the online review form on the ticket portal within 10 days of the ticket, and explain in detail.(City of Madison)
- Ask for a court date if the review is denied, or instead of a review.(City of Madison) Call Court Services at 608-266-4170. Parking court is Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., by appointment; a case that isn't settled there is set for trial later.(City of Madison) Parking cases are heard by the City's Municipal Court.(City of Madison)
- Ticketed on private property? Those tickets are written only when the owner or manager complains. Ask them to request dismissal; if they won't, request a court date.(City of Madison)
Fines
From the City's ticket portal schedule, read October 10, 2026.(City fine schedule)(City fine schedule) The ticket itself shows the amount owed.
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Alternate side parking, 1–7 a.m. | $20 |
| Snow emergency, 1–7 a.m. | $60 |
| Towing charge (added if towed) | $115 |
| Expired street meter | $25 |
| Street storage over 48 hours | $25 |
| Within 4 ft of a driveway or alley | $30 |
| Within 10 ft of a hydrant | $30 |
| On the sidewalk | $30 |
| Street cleaning or maintenance restriction | $35 |
| 2-hour limit during posted times | $40 |
| Residential permit area violation | $105 |
| Vehicle over 10,000 lbs on a residential street | $105 |
A towed car gets two tickets: one for the violation and one for the tow charge.(City of Madison)
Alternate Side Parking
- The rule: November 15 to March 15, from 1 to 7 a.m., park on the even-numbered side of the street on even calendar dates and the odd side on odd dates, unless signs say otherwise.(MGO 12.1335) The City puts it this way: odd dates, the side with odd addresses.(City of Madison)
- It applies on dry nights too. Tickets are written even when it didn't snow,(City of Madison) and a sign limiting parking on part of a block doesn't exempt the block.(City of Madison)
- Downtown is different. The Snow Emergency Zone follows alternate side parking only during a declared snow emergency.(MGO 12.1335)
- Exceptions are listed in the ordinance: blocks where one side is always no-parking, part of Jenifer Street, and named circles and courts.(MGO 12.1335)
- Text reminders at 5 p.m. tell you which side to use. Sign up on the City's winter parking page. They don't say whether enforcement is on.(City of Madison)
Check this winter's enforcement. In winter 2025–26 the City tested starting enforcement only after the first citywide plow or snow emergency, and said ticketing could pause in long dry spells.(City of Madison) For 2026–27 it says it is building a new notice system for when enforcement is on or paused; as of October 10, 2026 it hadn't posted this winter's plan.(City of Madison) The ordinance still sets November 15 to March 15, and the City says the rule can be enforced any time in that window.(City of Madison)
Snow Emergencies
- When: the Streets Superintendent declares one when the streets need clearing.(MGO 12.1335) It's usually for 3 inches or more, always declared before 9 p.m. the night it starts, and usually lasts two days.(City of Madison)
- Rules: alternate side parking applies everywhere in the city, the Snow Emergency Zone included, and a snow emergency can be declared outside the November 15 to March 15 season.(MGO 12.1335) Cars in violation can be towed.(MGO 12.1331)
- The zone covers the downtown isthmus and nearby neighborhoods, including Regent, Dudgeon-Monroe, Vilas, Greenbush, Bay Creek, Tenney-Lapham, Marquette and Atwood. The City's map shows the boundary.(City of Madison)
- Free parking during a snow emergency: gated sections of City garages from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. (not the top level or metered spaces, 48 hours at most), and the Brittingham Park shelter lot.(City of Madison)
- Alerts: sign up for email or text alerts on the City's snow emergency page, or call the winter parking hotline, 608-261-9111.(City of Madison)
Sidewalk shoveling deadlines and winter trash pickup are on Madison trash, recycling and pickup.
Everyday Street Rules
- 48 hours: a vehicle can't stay parked on a street for 48 hours or more.(MGO 12.128) That includes RVs, boats and trailers; it's enforced mostly on complaint. Report one to Parking at 608-266-4761.(City of Madison)
- Distances: no parking on the terrace or sidewalk, within 4 feet of a driveway or mailbox, more than 12 inches from the curb, within 10 feet of a hydrant, 15 feet of a crosswalk, or 30 feet of a stop sign or signal.(City of Madison)
- Big vehicles: nothing over 10,000 pounds on residential streets.(City of Madison)
- Residential parking permits let you park past posted time limits in your permit area, but don't guarantee a space.(City of Madison) They cost $42 a year (September 1 to August 31), with no guest permits.(City of Madison)(City of Madison)
- Your own yard: at a single- or two-family home, you can't park in the front yard or street-side setback except on a driveway that meets code, and never on the terrace.(MGO 28.141) No more than 40% of the front setback can be paved for a driveway or parking.(MGO 28.141)
- Idling more than 5 minutes isn't allowed.(City of Madison)
If You Were Towed
- Towed from a tow-away zone or illegal spot: call Schmidt's Towing, 608-257-0505.(Madison Police)
- The City's towing charge is $115, on top of the tow company's removal and storage costs.(MGO 12.1331)
- For an impounded car, the registered owner (or someone with a notarized letter) brings photo ID. Call 608-266-4170 first to confirm the amount, and arrive before 3:30 p.m.(Madison Police)
Questions
How do I pay a Madison parking ticket?
Online at the City's parking ticket portal (Visa or MasterCard), by mail to the City Treasurer, or in person at Court Services in the City-County Building, which is the only place that takes cash. You can look up a ticket by plate number or VIN.
How do I contest a parking ticket in Madison?
If you think it was issued in error, fill out the online review form on the ticket portal within 10 days. If the review is denied, or you'd rather go to court, call Court Services at 608-266-4170 for a court date. Parking court is Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m., by appointment.
What happens if I don't pay a Madison parking ticket?
A $10 late charge is added after 14 days and another after 25 days. If it stays unpaid, the City reports it to the state DOT, adds a third $10 charge, and the vehicle's registration can be suspended.
What are Madison's alternate side parking rules?
From November 15 to March 15, between 1 and 7 a.m., park on the side with even house numbers on even dates and odd house numbers on odd dates. Downtown's Snow Emergency Zone follows the rule only during a declared snow emergency.
How much is a ticket for alternate side parking in Madison?
The City's current schedule lists $20, or $60 during a declared snow emergency, plus a $115 towing charge if the car is towed.