Vehicle Registration & Permits

Faculty & Staff

Any university employee who operates a vehicle on campus must register with the WPI Police Department bi-annually effective August 1. The vehicle registration process must be accomplished within seven (7) working days from the effective hiring date. A registration form must be completed online by the employee and will be kept on file with WPI Police. Link to the application can be found here. Once application process is complete, the employee will receive decal/new expiration date sticker via inter-office mail, with 5 business days. Completion of application process indicates that the employee has read and agreed to WPI Parking Rules and Regulations. All employees must rectify parking fines owed from the previous year prior to the issuance of the current year permit. Those employees who fail to rectify old fines will not be eligible to park within any campus parking areas. Permits without an expiration date are no longer valid.

Students

Upon arrival to WPI campus, those students eligible to receive a parking permit may fill out the application online here. All eligible vehicles must be registered with the WPI Police Department and must display a current parking permit within the first two weeks of A-Term. A parking quick facts card will be given to all students during the registration process. The college’s entire parking regulations are posted on the WPI Police website.

Students must reconcile all owed violations by the last week of March each academic year. All violations not rectified could result in students being placed on a hold, and will not be eligible for a new parking permit. All parking permits must be placed on the front windshield on the lower left corner on the driver’s side.

Note about Out-of- State Vehicles (Students Only):

Pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L c.90 § 3, as amended by chapter 46 of the acts of 2003, the Nonresident Driver Statement form (PDF)  must be completed by every nonresident enrolled as a full time student at a school or college in the Commonwealth who operates a motor vehicle in Massachusetts that is registered in another state or country during any period beginning on September 1 of any year, and ending on August 31 of the following year. This applies to students commuting from out-of- state to a school in Massachusetts and students temporarily residing in Massachusetts. The school will issue the required permit, a decal sticker, which must be affixed to the uppermost center portion of the windshield. The penalty for a nonresident's failure to comply as required is up to $200.

There is no overnight parking in commuter/employee lots between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. For those students and employees who are working late in offices and labs, authorization from the WPI Police Department is required. Vehicles parking in commuter/employee lots overnight must display a temporary permit issued by the WPI Police Department. Permits can be obtained at the Police Dispatchers window located in Founders Hall lower level.

Employee’s vehicle registration expires bi-annually on August 31. Student vehicle registration expires annually on May 31 or under the following conditions:

• All registrants: upon revocation, transfer of ownership of the vehicle, or change of license plate number.
• Upon termination of employment at WPI.
• Upon termination of status as a student at WPI.

Students who are eligible for a permit to park on campus are: 2nd year, 3rd year, and 4th year RESIDENT students, graduate & commuter students (of any year) with a verified address outside a 1-mile radius of campus. The cost is $100 main campus.

First year students who live in residence halls are not permitted to park their vehicles on WPI campus property, unless they have been granted special permission by the Chief of the WPI Police (as a result of extenuating emergency circumstances). Individual requests for freshman parking will be considered on a case-by- case basis. A written request must be sent to Chief Cheryl Martunas, WPI Police, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280.

The specific nature of the circumstances must be indicated regarding a request for parking privileges. Work-related requests require a documented memo from a supervisor on official letterhead. These requests will be reviewed in July, and a reply letter/email will be generated. If parking is approved, the letter must be brought to the WPI Police Department when applying for a permit.

*If the student does obtain approval from the Chief to obtain a parking permit, the student will be instructed to park in the Gateway Garage.*

A valid driver’s license, vehicle registration certificate, and student/employee identification card are required when registering a vehicle. For commuter and graduate students, in addition to the previously mentioned documents, student must also provide a utility bill, or some type of official letter with the commuting address on it. NO LEASES WILL BE ACCEPTED. No permit will be issued unless all documents are provided. If you have questions regarding what documents are allowed, please direct your call to the WPI Police Department.

Temporary parking permits are required for vehicles not permanently registered with the WPI Police Department. These permits may be obtained through the WPI Police (located at Founders Hall, lower level) and/or visiting department.

Temporary permits are dated and specify the location where the person is authorized to park their vehicle. All temporary permits must be displayed in plain view by hanging them on the vehicle’s rearview mirror. Temporary permits are customarily designated for short-term stays at the university. Temporary permits are issued by the WPI Police to the following:

• Faculty, staff, or students who find it necessary to drive a different (unregistered) vehicle to the campus.
• Guest speakers or other invited visitors to campus. Visiting consultants, contractors, auditors, and vendors.
• Guests of student residents.

Several parking spaces have been designated on campus for handicap parking. These spaces have been identified by signs and painted permits within each parking space. Motor vehicles displaying a valid handicap license plate or official placard are authorized to park in designated handicapped parking spaces. Placards must be displayed in plain view for identification purposes.

WPI community members temporarily immobilized by injury or sickness may apply for a medical permit on a provisional basis through the WPI Chief of Police. Detailed information of the impairment must be noted on letterhead by the attending physician. Upon approval, a temporary medical permit will be issued, with a specific end date, not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days. Individuals who have received a temporary medical permit may park in handicap spaces through the time period designated. All medical permits must be displayed in plain view by hanging them on the vehicle’s rearview mirror.

In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 22B, anyone who abandons a motor vehicle—registered or unregistered—upon any public or private way or upon any property other than his own without the permission of the owner or lessee of said property, shall be fined $250 for the first such abandonment and $500 for each such abandonment thereafter. A conviction of a violation of this section shall be reported forthwith by the court to the registrar, who may revoke, for a period not exceeding three months, the license of the person so convicted, and if the motor vehicle is registered in his name or was last registered in his name, he shall be prohibited from registering another motor vehicle for one year, and no appeal, motion for new trial, or exceptions shall operate to stay the revocation of the license or the prohibition of registration. In addition thereto said person shall be liable for costs incurred by a city, town, or college in removing or disposing of such motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, towing, storage, processing, and disposal charges.