Parking Meter Regulations and Zones.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 101-32
in effect101-32. Parking Meter Regulations and Zones.
1. PURPOSE. As a means of partially relieving traffic congestion in certain sections of the city caused by the increased volume of traffic, general abuse of parking privileges, and the limited number of parking spaces available in said sections; to afford better control and regulation of traffic moving to and from said congested sections, and to establish a more efficient system for the enforcement of parking regulations; to facilitate greater freedom for vehicle operators in transacting business requiring a relatively short period of time, and as an exercise of the police power, the installation, use and maintenance of parking meters in the city is authorized.
2. DEFINITIONS. The following words and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
a. "Parking meter." Any mechanical device or meter, not inconsistent with this section, placed or erected for the regulation of parking by the authority of this section including, single space and multi-space parking meters.
b. "Single Space Parking Meter." Any parking meter installed upon the curb or sidewalk immediately adjacent to a parking space.
c. "Multi-Space Parking Meter." Any parking meter that accepts payment in the form of coins, credit and debit cards for vehicles parked in spaces designated with space markers.
d. "Space Marker." Any marker installed, in parking meter zones that have multi-space parking meters, upon the curb or sidewalk that designates the number of the parking space immediately adjacent to the space marker.
e. "Parking meter zone." Any restricted area, street, alley, avenue, road, highway, lane, off-street parking area or structure, upon which parking meters are authorized to be installed.
f. "Parking meter space." Any space within a parking meter zone adjacent to, and within 2 feet of, a parking meter or space marker.
3. PARKING METER ZONES. a. Parking meter fee rates in parking meter zones shall be set, solely at the discretion of the commissioner, between $0.25 and $5.00 per hour, except for event parking when meter fee rates shall be set between $5.00 and $50.00 per event. Parking meter fees shall be paid as required by the directions on the meter.
b. Restrictions on the maximum time a vehicle may be legally parked in a parking meter zone shall be set solely at the discretion of the commissioner for each parking meter zone. The commissioner’s authority to set maximum parking restriction in a parking meter zone is limited to the following restrictions:
b-1. Fifteen minutes.
b-2. Twenty-five minutes.
b-3. Thirty minutes.
b-4. One hour.
b-5. Two hours.
b-6. Three hours.
b-7. Five hours.
b-8. Ten hours.
c. Specific locations of parking meter zones are to be found in the common council proceedings; the official record on file in the city clerk's office; and the code on file in the legislative reference bureau.
4. DESIGNATION OF PARKING METER SPACES. The commissioner of public works is directed to mark off parking meter spaces of appropriate length in parking meter zones.
5. OPERATION OF PARKING METERS. The commissioner of public works shall install single-space parking meters or space markers nearby upon the curb, sidewalk or surface area immediately adjacent to each metered or marked space. Where space markers are used to designate a space number, a multi-space parking meter should be within approximately a one-block distance that regulates the designated space. The commissioner shall be responsible for regulation, control, operation and maintenance of such parking meters and the space markers. Each single-space parking meter shall be set so as to display automatically a signal showing legal parking upon the deposit therein of the required coin or coins of the United States for a period of time prescribed by ordinance. Each single-space meter shall be so designed that it will indicate by an appropriate visible signal that the lawful parking period has expired. Each multi-space parking meter shall indicate the time parking in the designated space will expire upon payment with coin or coins of the United States, or MasterCard or Visa credit or debit cards. The multi-space meters shall offer the option of printing a receipt showing the space number, date paid and expiration time.
6. USE OF PARKING METERS. The operator of every vehicle, upon entering a parking meter space adjacent to which a parking meter or space number is located shall deposit into the single-space meter or a multi-space meter nearby the proper coin or coins of the United States, or MasterCard or Visa debit or credit cards as required by the directions on the meter and to remove his or her vehicle therefrom prior to the expiration of the maximum legal parking time of the parking meter zone. Adding an additional payment in excess of the maximum time limit designated for a particular space is prohibited.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/CH101.pdf#page=37Fetched: 10/26/2026