Moped Ordinance Change

As of January 1, 2018, mopeds are treated as motorcycles, for the purposes of parking, and are no longer permitted to park on sidewalks and terrace areas or at bicycle racks, unless the area is specifically signed and/or marked as a Moped Parking Area.

On-Street Parking

Mopeds and motorcycles may park on-street in any legal space in accordance with signage and other parking regulations. In a standard auto metered space, up to three mopeds/motorcycles may park in a single metered space. There are also on-street metered spaces designated for motorcycle/moped parking only, which have a lower hourly rate than standard auto spaces. The rate for motorcycle/moped only spaces is $1.00 per hour. The cost of parking at a standard metered space is $2.00 per hour in the downtown area and $1.30 per hour in periphery areas.

Residential Parking Permits may be purchased for mopeds and motorcycles in accordance with program eligibility requirements. A residential parking permit allows residents to park their vehicle on-street, in excess of the one or two hour parking time limit restrictions in their area.

Locations of Motorcycle/Moped only Parking  Spaces
400 North Frances Street 3
300 North Henry Street 1
700 Langdon Street 4
500 North Lake Street 4
200 East Main Street 3
200 West Mifflin Street 1
1400 Monroe Street 3
100 North Pinckney Street 2
100 East Washington Avenue 2
400 East Wilson Street 1

*printable maps located at top of page

Garages & Lots

Motorcycles and mopeds should park only at designated motorcycle/moped metered spaces, which are located outside of the gated areas. For safety reasons motorcycles and mopeds should not go through gated entry lanes to access parking. The cost for parking in dedicated motorcycle spaces is $1.00 per hour.

Annual Moped & Motorcycle Permits

Annual Parking Permits are available for City Garages.

Establishing a Moped Parking Area

Property owners may apply to establish a Moped Parking Area on the public terrace adjacent to their property.

The City will consider granting an encroachment agreement to property owners for the creation of a Moped Parking Area in specific locations.

Is the property located in an eligible area?

  • Must be in zoning district UMX, DC, TSS, NMX, or TE.
    Property owners can look up their zoning district online from the Assessor’s Office Property Look-up page
  • A Moped Parking Area will not be approved if it abuts a local, state, or national historic building, place, or landmark, or is located in a local, state, or national historic district.
  • A Moped Parking Area may not be located on State Street or any area designated as part of the State Street pedestrian mall.
  • The sidewalk and terrace area must already be paved prior to January 1, 2018 (grass/unpaved areas may not be paved for the purpose of creating a Moped Parking Area).
  • City staff will review the application for other criteria, such as whether it would obstruct pedestrian traffic, interfere with access to parked vehicles on-street, create a vision obstruction, etc.

To apply to establish a Moped Parking Area, the property owner must submit a Privilege in Street Application. If the application is approved, an encroachment agreement will be drafted.The applicant will be responsible for funding and maintaining the Moped Parking Area, including, but not limited to, installation and maintenance of any official signs and pavement markings, and snow and ice removal.Moped Parking Areas must be open for public use, at no charge to users, and cannot be reserved for private use.

For additional information regarding the Street Encroachment/Privilege in Street Application Process or Approval Requirements and Guidelines, please contact the Office of Real Estate Services.

Economic Development Division
Office of Real Estate Services
 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 3rd Floor
P.O. Box 2983
Madison, Wisconsin 53701-2983

Hours: 7:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday