Wis. Stat. § 346.50 — WI Code / Chapter 346 / Section 346.50
Exceptions to stopping and parking restrictions.
Status: in_force

(1) The prohibitions against stopping or leaving a vehicle stand contained in ss. 346.51 to 346.54 and 346.55 do not apply when:

(a) The vehicle becomes disabled while on the highway in such a manner or to such an extent that it is impossible to avoid stopping or temporarily leaving the vehicle in the prohibited place; or

(b) The stopping of the vehicle is necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to comply with traffic regulations or the directions of a traffic officer or traffic control sign or signal.

(c) The vehicle of a public utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (5) , a telecommunications carrier, as defined in s. 196.01 (8m) , or a rural electric cooperative is stopped or left standing and is required for maintenance, installation, repair, construction or inspection of its facilities by the public utility or a rural electric cooperative when warning signs, flags, traffic cones, or flashing yellow lights or barricades, have been placed to warn approaching motorists of any obstruction to the traveled portion of the highway.

(1m) In subs. (2) and (2a) , the terms “municipal” and “municipally” include county.

(2) Except as provided in sub. (3m) , a motor vehicle bearing a special registration plate issued under s. 341.14 (1) to a disabled veteran or on his or her behalf is exempt from any ordinance and any administrative rule promulgated by the University of Wisconsin System imposing time limitations on parking in any street or highway zone, on any University of Wisconsin System campus, as defined in s. 36.05 (3) , and in any parking lot, whether municipally owned or leased, or both municipally owned and leased or a parking place owned or leased, or both owned and leased by a municipal parking utility, with one-half hour or more limitation but otherwise is subject to the laws relating to parking. Where the time limitation on a metered stall is one-half hour or more, no meter payment is required. Parking privileges granted by this subsection are limited to the disabled veteran to whom or on whose behalf the special plates were issued and to qualified operators acting under the disabled veteran’s express direction with the disabled veteran present.

(2a) Except as provided in sub. (3m) , a motor vehicle bearing special registration plates issued under s. 341.14 (1a) , (1e) , (1m) , or (1q) or a motor vehicle upon which a special identification card issued under s. 343.51 is displayed or a motor vehicle registered in another jurisdiction upon which is displayed a registration plate, a card, or an emblem issued by the other jurisdiction designating the vehicle as a vehicle used by a physically disabled person is exempt from any ordinance and any administrative rule promulgated by the University of Wisconsin System imposing time limitations on parking in any street or highway zone, on any University of Wisconsin System campus, as defined in s. 36.05 (3) , and in any parking lot, whether municipally owned or leased, or both municipally owned and leased or a parking place owned or leased, or both owned and leased by a municipal parking utility, with one-half hour or more limitation but otherwise is subject to the laws relating to parking. Where the time limitation on a metered stall is one-half hour or more, no meter payment is required. Parking privileges granted by this subsection are limited to the following:

(a) A person to whom plates were issued under s. 341.14 (1a) .

(b) A qualified operator acting under the express direction of a person to whom plates were issued under s. 341.14 (1a) when such person is present.

(c) A person to whom plates were issued under s. 341.14 (1m) when the disabled person for whom the plates were issued is present.

(d) A person for whom plates were issued under s. 341.14 (1q) .

(e) A qualified operator acting under the express direction of a person for whom plates were issued under s. 341.14 (1q) when such person is present.

(h) A person or organization to whom a special identification card was issued under s. 343.51 .

(j) A qualified operator acting under the express direction of a person to whom a special identification card was issued under s. 343.51 when such person is present.

(k) A qualified operator of a motor vehicle registered in another jurisdiction upon which is displayed a registration plate, a card or an emblem issued by the other jurisdiction designating the vehicle as a vehicle used by a physically disabled person if the vehicle is transporting the disabled person for whom the plate, card or emblem was issued.

(L) A person to whom a plate was issued under s. 341.14 (1e) .

(m) A qualified operator acting under the express direction of a person to whom a plate was issued under s. 341.14 (1e) when such person is present.

(3) Except as provided in sub. (3m) , a 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 a motor vehicle registered in another jurisdiction upon which is displayed a registration plate, a card or an emblem issued by the other jurisdiction designating the vehicle as a vehicle used by a person with a physical disability is exempt from s. 346.505 (2) (a) or any ordinance in conformity therewith prohibiting parking, stopping, or standing upon any portion of a street, highway, or parking facility reserved for persons with physical disabilities by official traffic signs indicating the restriction. Stopping, standing, and parking privileges granted by this subsection are limited to the persons listed under subs. (2) and (2a) (a) to (m) .

(3m)

(a) In this subsection, “motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person” has the meaning given in s. 346.503 (1) .

(b) The city council of a 1st or 2nd class city may enact an ordinance imposing a 3-hour or less limitation on parking of a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility reserved by the city for physically disabled persons by official traffic signs indicating the restriction if the following conditions are complied with:

1. Before enactment, the city council seeks the advice and recommendation of a disabled parking council of at least 7 members established by an ordinance of the city or, if the city has established a disabled parking enforcement assistance council under s. 349.145 , by that council, and holds a public hearing on the proposal. The majority of the members of any disabled parking council shall be appointed by the city council from among those residents of the city to whom or on whose behalf the department has issued a special registration plate under s. 341.14 (1) to (1q) or a special identification card under s. 343.51 .

2. The ordinance may apply to not more than one-third of the number of spaces reserved by the city for use by a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person, and no time limitation may be imposed on a reserved space in a parking facility unless an adjacent space without any such time limitation is reserved for use by a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person. The ordinance shall require that the disabled parking council or, if applicable, the disabled parking enforcement assistance council give advice and make a recommendation on the location of such reserved spaces.

3. The official traffic sign for such reserved spaces shall include information on the applicable time limitation for use by a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person.

4. The ordinance may not impose a penalty for a violation of the ordinance that is greater than the penalty for violation of any ordinance of the city imposing time limitations on parking upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility.

5. The ordinance shall require the city to submit a report by December 31 of each odd-numbered year to the council on physical disabilities under s. 46.29 (1) (fm) on implementation and administration of the ordinance, including an evaluation of the effectiveness of time limitations imposed by the ordinance. With respect to spaces reserved by the city for use by a motor vehicle used by a physically disabled person upon any portion of a street, highway or parking facility, the report shall include the total number of spaces; the total number of spaces in a parking facility and the number of those spaces that are subject to a time limitation, and the duration of any such limitation; and the total number of spaces upon a street or highway and the number of those spaces that are subject to a time limitation, and the duration of any such limitation.

History: 1977 c. 29 , 418 ; 1979 c. 55 , 276 , 288 ; 1981 c. 119 ; 1981 c. 255 ss. 5 , 6 , 13 ; 1983 a. 53 s. 114 ; 1983 a. 227 ; 1985 a. 87 ; 1989 a. 304 ; 1991 a. 239 ; 1993 a. 256 , 496 ; 1995 a. 422 ; 1997 a. 92 ; 2001 a. 103 ; 2009 a. 246 ; 2013 a. 359 ; 2023 a. 59 .