Vehicle Registration & Permits

Faculty & Staff

Any university employee who operates a vehicle on campus must register with the WPI Police Department. The vehicle registration process must be accomplished within seven (7) working days from the effective hiring date. Vehicle registration must  be completed on line through the parking portal. Link to the application can be found here. Once the application process is complete, the employee will receive the permit/updated expiration date sticker via inter-office mail. Completion of the application process indicates that the employee has read and agreed to WPI Parking Rules and Regulations. All employees must rectify outstanding parking citations before renewing their permit.  Permits without an expiration date are no longer valid.

Students

Upon arrival to WPI, students eligible to receive a parking permit must complete the registration process 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. Parking regulations are posted on the WPI Police website.

Students must reconcile outstanding parking citations prior to current year registration. Students with outstanding parking citations will not be authorized to purchase a current year 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.

Overnight parking (non-residential lots) between the hours of 2:00AM and 6:00AM must  be approved in advance. Extenuating circumstances that require a vehicle to be left overnight must be approved through a WPI Police shift supervisor. (For example: students/employees working in offices or labs overnight). Please contact the WPI Police Department for authorization. 

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 eligible for an on campus parking permit are: 2nd year, 3rd year, and 4th year residential students, graduate & commuter students (of any year) with a verified address outside a 1-mile radius of campus. The cost is $150.00 for the entire academic year. 

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 first year parking privileges will be considered on a case-by- case basis. A written request must be emailed to the Parking Team at Parking@wpi.edu, or mailed to WPI Police at100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280.

The specific nature of the circumstances must be indicated. 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.

**First year students with approved parking requests will be authorized to park in the Gateway Garage only.**

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 or email the Parking Team at Parking@wpi.edu. 

Temporary parking permits are required for vehicles not permanently registered with the WPI Police Department. These permits may be obtained in person at WPI Police (located at Founders Hall, lower level) or by emailing the Parking Team at Parking@wpi.edu. 

Temporary permits are dated and specify the authorized parking lot. All temporary permits must be displayed in plain view either on the dashboard or the 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.

There are several ADA available parking spaces on campus. These spaces have been identified with signs or painted images on the pavement. Motor vehicles displaying a valid handicap license plate or official placard are authorized to park in designated ADA 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 Parking Team. 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 the accessible spaces through the time period designated. All medical permits must be displayed in plain view. 

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.