University-owned disability parking spaces are provided adjacent to the Pinkerton, Dougan, and Cherry Parkes buildings. There are six spaces in front of the Cherry Parkes Building that are marked on the pavement with the universal wheelchair logo and are free of charge to those who have state-issued disability placards or license plates visible on their cars.

All University-owned disability parking spaces are available for a weekly or quarterly fee to UW Tacoma students, staff and faculty who have presented acceptable medical evidence of a temporary or permanent disability affecting mobility to the UW Tacoma DRS office.

More information about disability parking on campus is available on the Parking & Transportation website.

Students

To receive a permit for disability parking as a student, you must first qualify for this kind of assistance and register with Disability Resources for Students. Once you have ben pre-approved by DRS, you can purchase a permit through the UW Tacoma Parking Portal.

Please note: Disability parking is authorized for a specific timeframe only. Students requiring additional parking beyond the specified end date will need to provide DRS with either a new Healthcare Provider Form or copy of a new DOL disability permit.

Employees

To receive disability parking as an employee of UW Tacoma you may seek accommodations through the Disability Services Office (DSO) on the Seattle campus. Once documentation of a mobility-limiting condition is provided to DSO, a similar process as that for students is put into action. The UW Seattle Disability Services Office may be reached at:

  • Disability Services Office
    Box 354560 (via Campus Mail)
    206-543-6450 (voice)
    206-543-6452 (TDD/TTY)
    206-685-7264 (fax)
    dso@uw.edu (email)

Please note: Any space that is designated for disability parking, whether or not it is in a parking lot owned by a private business, requires the proper disability permit for use. You could be subjected to a substantial parking violation fine issued by the Tacoma Police if you do not have a documented disability and state-issued disability license plates or a disability placard hanging from your rear-view mirror.

UW Tacoma provides an easier way for the campus community to purchase quarterly parking passes for the campus parking lots through the Cashier's office. All parking lots and the Court 17 parking garage provide disability parking spaces. View parking lot locations.

City Street Parking

Any driver with a documented disability and a disability placard hanging from his or her rear-view mirror (or disability license plates) is eligible for unlimited parking in all designated city street parking spaces. This applies to all city street parking spaces whether or not the spaces are time-limited. Unlimited parking does not apply to loading zones or designated no-parking zones. City parking does not guarantee wheelchair access spaces or nearby curb cuts. Also, this eligibility may change without notice, so it is important to check with your local Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) to ensure that time constraints have not been put into effect.