Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 349 - Vehicles — powers of state and local authorities.
349.13 - Authority to regulate the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles.

349.13 Authority to regulate the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles.
(1b) In this section, “owner" includes the lessee of a vehicle if the vehicle is registered, or required to be registered, by the lessee under ch. 341.
(1d) A local authority with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, including state trunk highways or connecting highways within corporate limits, may enact an ordinance making the owner of the vehicle involved in a violation under this section jointly liable for the violation.
(1e)
(a) The department with respect to state trunk highways outside of corporate limits and the local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction, including state trunk highways or connecting highways within corporate limits, may, within the reasonable exercise of the police power, prohibit, limit the time of or otherwise restrict the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles beyond the prohibitions, limitations or restrictions imposed by ch. 346, except that they may not modify the exceptions set forth in s. 346.50.
(b) The department may also restrict or prohibit the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles on any part of a state trunk highway or connecting highway within corporate limits if the local authority having jurisdiction has not enacted any stopping, standing or parking regulation applicable to the highway or part thereof in question as provided under par. (a).
(c)
1. The authority granted by this subsection may be delegated to a traffic officer or to the officer in charge of the maintenance of the highway in question, but, except as provided in subd. 2., no prohibition, limitation, or restriction on parking imposed under this section is effective unless official traffic signs, pavement markings, or parking meters have been placed or erected indicating the particular prohibition, limitation, or restriction.
2. Parking regulations that prohibit, limit or restrict the parking of vehicles for any period longer than 24 consecutive hours, during any hours between 12 midnight and 7 a.m., or any portion thereof or during a snow emergency as determined by a municipality, shall be effective in the municipality upon a two-thirds vote of its respective governing body notwithstanding this subsection and s. 346.02 (7) when official traffic signs have been placed or erected at or reasonably near the corporate limits of the municipality on all state and county trunk highways and connecting highways informing motorists that 24-hour parking limitations, night parking regulations or snow emergency regulations are in effect in the municipality.
(1g) The department, with respect to state trunk highways outside of corporate limits, and local authorities, with respect to highways under their jurisdiction including state trunk highways or connecting highways within corporate limits, may authorize persons whose residences abut a highway in a zone where the time of parking is limited by official signs, pavement markings, or parking meters to park their vehicles in the highway zone without regard to the time limits posted.
(1h)
(a) The department, with respect to state trunk highways outside of corporate limits, and local authorities, with respect to highways under their jurisdiction including state trunk highways or connecting highways within corporate limits, may authorize the parking of automobiles owned by carsharing organizations on a highway in a zone where the time of parking is limited by official signs, markers, or parking meters without regard to the time limits posted.
(b) The department or a local authority may enter into an agreement with a carsharing organization to authorize parking under this subsection and to establish fees and requirements. This agreement may not modify the prohibitions, limitations, or restrictions on stopping, standing, or parking of motor vehicles imposed by ch. 346 except as expressly permitted by this subsection.
(1j) The department, with respect to state trunk highways outside of corporate limits, and local authorities, with respect to highways under their jurisdiction including state trunk highways or connecting highways within corporate limits, may authorize persons to park their vehicles during specified hours on the near side of a highway adjacent to a schoolhouse located on property of the University of Wisconsin System when the persons are conducting business at the schoolhouse.
(1k)
(a) Notwithstanding s. 86.32 (1) and any other provision of this section, and as provided in par. (b), a local authority, with respect to highways under its jurisdiction including connecting highways within corporate limits, may authorize persons whose residences abut a highway in a zone where parking is prohibited by official signs, guests of such persons, and commercial enterprises providing services to such persons to park their vehicles in the highway zone without regard to the posted prohibitions.
(b) If a University of Wisconsin System college campus located in a 1st class city creates 721 parking spaces on campus, a 1st class city may initiate a program to reserve 721 parking spaces for persons whose residences are adjacent to the University of Wisconsin System college campus, guests of such persons, and commercial enterprises providing services to such persons. If a University of Wisconsin System college campus located in a 1st class city creates additional parking spaces on campus, a 1st class city may reserve an equal number of parking spaces for persons whose residences are adjacent to the University of Wisconsin System college campus, guests of such persons, and commercial enterprises providing services to such persons.
(1m)
(a) In addition to the requirements under s. 346.503 (1m), the department, with respect to state trunk highways outside of corporate limits and parking facilities under its jurisdiction, and local authorities, with respect to highways under their jurisdiction including state trunk highways or connecting highways within corporate limits and parking facilities within corporate limits, may, by official traffic signs indicating the restriction, prohibit parking, stopping or standing upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility reserved for any vehicle bearing special registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1e), (1m), or (1q) or a motor vehicle upon which a special identification card issued under s. 343.51 is displayed or any vehicle registered in another jurisdiction and displaying a registration plate, card or emblem issued by the other jurisdiction which designates the vehicle as a vehicle used by a physically disabled person. Any person who violates a prohibition established under this paragraph shall forfeit not less than $150 nor more than $300.
(b) For each parking facility in which the department or a local authority reserves at least 4 but less than 20 parking spaces under par. (a) by prohibiting parking, stopping, or standing of vehicles other than those vehicles identified in par. (a), at least one of these reserved parking spaces shall have an access aisle immediately adjacent to the parking space to provide entry to and exit from vehicles by persons with physical disabilities. For each parking facility in which the department or a local authority reserves 20 or more parking spaces under par. (a) by prohibiting parking, stopping, or standing of vehicles other than those vehicles identified in par. (a), at least 10 percent of these reserved parking spaces shall have an access aisle immediately adjacent to the parking space to provide entry to and exit from vehicles by persons with physical disabilities. The access aisle shall be at least 96 inches wide and clearly marked. If a reserved parking space has an adjacent access aisle required under this paragraph, the official traffic sign specified in par. (a) shall also identify the reserved parking space as “lift van accessible only" and shall comply with the manual of uniform traffic control devices adopted by the department under s. 84.02 (4) (e). This paragraph applies only to parking facilities that are initially constructed, or reconstructed, resurfaced, or seal coated, after August 1, 2014, and that have adequate clearance for lift van access.
(2) Except as provided in this subsection, neither the department nor local authorities may extend stopping, standing or parking privileges to areas where stopping, standing or parking is prohibited by ch. 346. The department and local authorities, with respect to highways under their respective jurisdictions as described in sub. (1e) may do any of the following:
(a) Permit parking on sidewalk areas when such parking will not unduly interfere with pedestrian traffic.
(b) Permit parking on the roadway side of other parked vehicles when such double parking will not unduly interfere with the flow of vehicular traffic.
(c) Permit parking closer than 15 feet to the end of a safety zone when such parking will not unduly interfere with the flow of vehicular traffic.
(d) Designate parking upon the left side of a one-way street or roadway instead of the right side or permit parking on both sides.
(e) Designate angle parking on any roadway under its jurisdiction.
(f) Permit the parking of any vehicle or of school buses only on the near side of specified highways adjacent to schoolhouses during specified hours if the governing body of the municipality where the schoolhouse is located directs by ordinance.
(3) Whenever any traffic officer finds a vehicle standing upon a highway in violation of a prohibition, limitation or restriction on stopping, standing or parking imposed under ch. 346 or this section, or a disabled vehicle that obstructs the roadway of a freeway or expressway, as defined in s. 346.57 (1) (ag), the traffic officer is authorized to move the vehicle or to require the operator in charge thereof to move the vehicle to a position where parking is permitted or to either private or public parking or storage premises. The removal may be performed by, or under the direction of, the traffic officer or may be contracted for by local authorities. Any charges for removal shall be regulated by local ordinance. The operator or owner of the vehicle removed shall pay the reasonable charges for moving or towing or any storage involved based upon the ordinance.
(3m)
(a) In this subsection:
1g. “Leased space" has the meaning given in s. 704.90 (1) (b).
1n. “Lessee" has the meaning given in s. 704.90 (1) (c).
1r. “Operator" has the meaning given in s. 704.90 (1) (d).
1w. “Parking enforcer" has the meaning given in s. 341.65 (1) (ar).
2. “Properly posted" means there is clearly visible notice that an area is private property and that vehicles that are not authorized to park in this area may be immediately removed.
3. “Rental agreement" has the meaning given in s. 704.90 (1) (f).
(b) Subject to par. (dr) 1., if private property is not properly posted and a vehicle is parked on the private property and is not authorized to be parked there, the vehicle may be removed immediately, at the vehicle owner's expense, without the permission of the vehicle owner upon the issuance of a repossession judgment or upon the issuance of a citation for illegal parking.
(bm) Notwithstanding par. (b), and subject to par. (dr) 1., an operator may have a vehicle that is stored in a lessee's leased space removed, at the vehicle owner's expense, without the permission of the vehicle owner, regardless of whether a citation is issued for illegal parking, if all of the following apply:
1. The lessee failed to pay rent or other charges under a rental agreement for at least 7 consecutive days after the due date under the rental agreement.
2. The operator has provided the notices under s. 704.90 (5) (b).
3. Before the operator sent the 2nd notice under s. 704.90 (5) (b) 2., the lessee had failed to pay rent or other charges under the rental agreement for more than 60 consecutive days after the due date under the rental agreement.
4. The lessee has failed to redeem the vehicle under s. 704.90 (5) (a) within the time specified in the notice under s. 704.90 (5) (b) 2. c.
(c) Subject to par. (dr) 1., if private property is properly posted and a vehicle is parked on the private property and is not authorized to be parked there, the vehicle may be removed immediately, at the vehicle owner's expense, without the permission of the vehicle owner, regardless of whether a citation is issued for illegal parking.
(d)
1. Subject to par. (dr), a vehicle may be removed from private property under par. (b) or (c) only by a towing service at the request of the property owner or property owner's agent, a traffic officer, or a parking enforcer. Subject to par. (dr), a vehicle may be removed from a leased space under par. (bm) only by a towing service at the request of the operator, a traffic officer, or a parking enforcer.
2. Before any vehicle is removed under par. (b) to (c) by a towing service, the towing service shall notify a local law enforcement agency of the make, model, vehicle identification number, and registration plate number of the vehicle and the location to which the vehicle will be removed.
3. Subject to par. (dr) 2., if a vehicle is removed under par. (b) to (c) by a towing service, the vehicle owner shall pay the reasonable charges for removal and, if applicable, storage of the vehicle, as well as any service fee imposed under par. (dm). Subject to par. (dr) 2., if the vehicle was removed at the request of the property owner or property owner's agent or at the request of an operator, these reasonable charges shall be paid directly to the towing service, and the towing service may impound the vehicle until these charges are paid. If these charges have not been paid in full within 30 days of the vehicle's removal and the vehicle owner has not entered into a written agreement with the towing service to pay these reasonable charges in installment payments, the vehicle shall be deemed abandoned and may be disposed of as are other abandoned vehicles.
(dg) Every law enforcement agency shall maintain a record of each notice received under par. (d) 2., as well as identification of the towing service removing the vehicle.
(dm) If requested by the municipality in which the removed vehicle was illegally parked, the towing service shall charge the vehicle owner a service fee not exceeding $35 and shall remit this service fee to the municipality. All service fees collected by a towing service under this paragraph may be aggregated and forwarded together, on a monthly basis, to each applicable municipality.
(dr)
1. A towing service may not remove a vehicle under this subsection if the vehicle has been reported to a law enforcement agency as stolen.
2. A towing service may not collect any charges for the removal or storage of an illegally parked vehicle under this subsection, or a vehicle removed under par. (bm), unless the towing service made a good faith effort to comply with par. (d) 2. with respect to the vehicle. A towing service operating in a 1st class city may not collect any charges for the removal or storage of an illegally parked vehicle under this subsection, or a vehicle removed under par. (bm), if the towing service has not complied with par. (d) 2. with respect to the vehicle.
(e) The department shall promulgate rules establishing all of the following:
1. Reasonable charges for removal and storage of vehicles under this subsection when no citation has been issued.
2. The form and manner of display of notice necessary to qualify as “properly posted" under par. (a) 2.
3. Guidelines for towing services to notify law enforcement under par. (d) upon removal of a vehicle when no citation has been issued.
(4) In counties having a population of 750,000 or more whenever any traffic officer finds a vehicle disabled so as to cause a hazard on any portion of the interstate system, limited access highway or any expressway, even though it may be impossible for the operator to avoid stopping or temporarily leaving the vehicle thereon, the county may remove such vehicle to a position where parking is permitted or to either private or public parking or storage premises. The removal may be performed by such officer or under the officer's direction or such removal may be contracted for by such counties and any charges shall be regulated by ordinance. The operator or owner of the vehicle removed shall pay a reasonable charge for moving or towing or any storage involved based upon said ordinance.
(5)
(a) No person who removes or stores a vehicle under subs. (3) to (4) or otherwise at the request of a law enforcement officer, and no person who removes or stores a disabled vehicle, accident debris or other object that obstructs the roadway of a freeway or expressway, as defined in s. 346.57 (1) (ag), may incur any civil liability for the act, except for civil liability for failure to exercise reasonable care in the performance of the act or for conduct that is willful, wanton or malicious.
(b)
1. As used in this paragraph:
a. “Personal property" means all property within the vehicle which is not mounted, attached or affixed to the vehicle.
b. “Proper identification" means identification which would be sufficient to establish ownership to release the vehicle.
2. A person who has custody of a vehicle removed or stored under subs. (3) to (4) or otherwise at the request of a law enforcement officer, traffic officer, parking enforcer, property owner or property owner's agent, or operator, as defined in s. 704.90 (1) (d), shall release the personal property within the vehicle to the owner of the vehicle during regular office hours upon presentation by the owner of proper identification.
3. No charge may be assessed against the owner for the removal or release of the personal property.
4. If the owner removes the personal property from a motor vehicle under this paragraph, the vehicle shall be deemed abandoned unless the person enters into a written agreement to pay the full charges for towing and storage. The owner shall be informed of this subdivision by the person who has custody of the vehicle before the property is released. A vehicle deemed abandoned under this subdivision may be disposed of as are other abandoned vehicles by the local authority.
5. The personal property is subject to forfeiture under ss. 961.55 to 961.56 and 973.075 to 973.077.
(c) A traffic or police officer or parking enforcer who requests removal of a vehicle under subs. (3) to (4) by a towing service shall, within 24 hours of requesting the removal, notify the towing service of the name and last-known address of the registered owner and all lienholders of record of the vehicle if the vehicle is to be removed to any location other than a public highway within one mile from the location from which the vehicle is to be removed and if the officer or parking enforcer is not employed by a municipality or county that has entered into a towing services agreement which requires the municipality or county to provide notice to such owner and lienholders of the towing.
(6) Notwithstanding s. 346.54 (1) (e), the governing body of any municipality may, by ordinance, consider mopeds as motorcycles rather than bicycles for the purpose of parking, may establish parking areas for mopeds only marked by appropriate signs, and may regulate the parking of mopeds.
History: 1973 c. 248; 1975 c. 299; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1654 (3), (8) (a), 1656 (43); 1977 c. 116, 272, 418; 1979 c. 34, 59, 231, 276, 325; 1981 c. 227; 1981 c. 255 ss. 10, 11, 13; 1983 a. 77 s. 15; 1983 a. 213; 1985 a. 29; 1985 a. 87 s. 5; 1989 a. 304; 1991 a. 269, 316; 1993 a. 246; 1995 a. 448; 1997 a. 27, 159, 258; 1999 a. 85; 2003 a. 142; 2005 a. 326; 2009 a. 246; 2011 a. 73; 2013 a. 76, 326, 327, 359; 2015 a. 60, 73, 124, 176, 195; 2017 a. 207 s. 5; 2017 a. 325; 2019 a. 50; 2021 a. 238 s. 45.
Legislative Council Note, 1977: The last 2 sentences of sub. (1) are eliminated as unnecessary. These sentences contain explanations of what is meant by a sign which indicates that stopping or standing is prohibited and what is meant by a sign prohibiting parking. Although these explanations attempt to explain the conduct required of motorists by these signs, they do not define the key terms, “park or parking" and “stand or standing". In place of these explanations, definitions of the terms “park or parking" and “stand or standing" are created in s. 340.01 (42m) and (59m) in this bill. “Stop" is presently defined in s. 340.01 (62). [Bill 465-A]
It is not a violation of due process to tow an illegally parked car without first giving the owner notice and the opportunity to be heard regarding the lawfulness of towing the car. Sutton v. City of Milwaukee, 672 F.2d 644 (1982).

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