All members of the campus community are held responsible for the information contained in these parking regulations. If you have any questions or need special permission, call Public Safety at (630)752-5911.
Registration Procedures
Download the Wheaton College parking map (PDF)
Parking Appeals
Any individual who receives a parking violation may submit a written appeal to the Parking Office within 5 business days of the violation date. After this period the right of appeal is forfeited. Student citations not appealed or paid within 5 business days will be automatically billed to the student’s account. A Student Appeals Board is formed each year to review student parking appeals. All decisions made by this board are final. Staff, Faculty, and Visitor appeals are reviewed by the Parking Office and the Parking Committee.
Open Student Parking
Applies to registered resident student vehicles only:
- 6 am – 10 pm Seven (7) days a week in a non-specially marked space in any resident student lot (A, E, H, M, T, X) except for Terrace “P” lot and “H” spaces in College-owned house driveways.
- 5 pm - 2 am Monday – Friday “W” and “W/C” lots
- 6 am – 2 am Saturday/Sunday “W” and “W/C” lots
- All non-registered vehicles will be ticketed
- Only “P” permitted vehicles may park in the Terrace “P” parking lot at ANY time.
- The marked spaces outside of the Banks Welcome Center are reserved for non-student/employee guests of the Welcome Center between 6 am and 6 pm, Monday – Friday. Citations will be issued to Students (and Employees) for parking in these spaces before 6 pm and/or after 2 am.
Campus Vehicle Registration
The following individuals are required to register any vehicles that they operate or park on Wheaton College property: all resident and commuting students, all College employees, and all Chrouser community members. Freshmen are not permitted to maintain or park a motor vehicle on campus.
To obtain a Wheaton College permit, proof of current liability insurance as required by state law and proof of current valid state registration (license plates) must be submitted.
Students living off-campus may register for parking as Commuting Students. Overnight parking permits on campus for students living off-campus may be available on a limited basis. There is no guarantee of lot location for students requesting this privilege and the cost for a residential permit applies.
Students who are children of Wheaton College employees may either purchase a student permit or may obtain an employee permit at no charge, but must abide by the parking restrictions of the “W” permit (including no overnight parking). No vehicle may display both a student and employee permit.
Students who change vehicles during the school year must register the new vehicle within three (3) business days of the vehicle’s arrival on campus. There is no charge for the new permit. Send an email to parking@wheaton.edu with the new vehicle information and a permit will be issued for pickup.
Permits must be permanently affixed to the vertical surface on the driver’s side rear bumper and should be visible from the rear of the vehicle.
Registration Fees
Fees are pro-rated by quad.
Registration Fees – fees are billed to your student account.
- Full-Time Residential Student Permit $350
- Commuting Student Permit (including part-time) $257
- Motorcycles* (over 50cc) $170
- Scooters* (under 50cc) $70
- "A" Permits $310
- Temporary permits Cost Varies
*Motorcycles/scooters are subject to the same regulations as other motor vehicles and may not be driven on the sidewalk or grass. Scooters, mopeds, or motorcycles may not be stored in student residences under any circumstances. Mopeds/Scooters are considered motorcycles on Wheaton College campus and thus need to be ridden following the rules of the road and parked in designated areas. Definition of a moped/scooter is a motorized vehicle under 50cc. Any vehicle over 50cc is considered a motorcycle and must be parked in a spot designated for motorcycles.
Parking/Traffic Violations and Fines
- No permit/Invalid permit $30
- Fire Lane or Reckless Driving $50
- Moving violation $30
- Handicap accessible (including hashed off area) $350
- Specially designated spaces or Restricted lot after 10 pm $30
- Restricted/Improper/Off Surface/Unmarked/Blocking Access $20
Any person with ownership responsibility of a vehicle is responsible to pay incurred parking fines irrespective of who was driving the vehicle when the fine was received. Any unpaid fines will be billed directly to the student account connected to the vehicle.
Improper parking includes parking in more than one space, parking to obstruct traffic, parking with wheels over a line, facing the direction of oncoming traffic in parallel spaces
Moving violations include but are not limited to failure to obey posted traffic signs, driving too fast for road conditions, loud noise coming from a vehicle, unnecessary use of horn, driving on grass or the pedestrian parkway, and driving without valid state registration.
Reckless driving is a willful or wanton disregard for persons or property.
ADA accessible parking spaces (hashed-off area included) incur a $350 fine for vehicles parked illegally and are required by law. These may also be enforced by Wheaton Police Department. Vehicles using State issued handicap plates or permits must be driven by or transporting a disabled person (the Parking Office cannot issue handicap parking permits)
Public Safety Officers do not have to make traffic stops to witness and write a ticket for reckless driving or moving violations. Citations are forwarded via CPO.
All vehicles must be parked in a marked parking space. Please note the NO PARKING AREAS highlighted in pink on the map.
Campus parking areas are designated for three general uses: resident students, commuting students, and employees. Registered vehicles are permitted to park in the lot indicated by their permit. There is no overnight parking in any W or W/C lots from 2 am to 6 am.
Loss of Parking Privileges
- Receipt of ten (10) citations during one academic year will result in the loss of parking privileges until the following Fall semester.
- If a total of fifteen (15) citations are received, the student will also forfeit the privilege of parking on campus the following academic year.
The Dean of Residence Life is informed of any forfeiture of parking privileges on campus.
Regulations Applicability
The Wheaton College Parking Regulations are enforced over all holidays and College breaks. Only Public Safety and the Parking Office may authorize special parking permission. Temporary permission for overnight or semester break parking may be available when arrangements are made with Public Safety. If you plan to leave your vehicle during summer break you must register your vehicle with the Parking Office and relocate your vehicle to a designated lot as directed (an additional fee may be required). Any non-registered vehicle left on campus during the summer may be towed and stored at the owner’s expense.
Visitor Information
Visitors may park on city streets or in any “W”, “W/C” or designated space. Visitor parking permits are available for frequent visitors. For details contact the Parking Office at parking@wheaton.edu. There is no overnight parking for visitors. Students (including spouses) are never considered visitors.
Additional Responsibilities and Regulations
You are ultimately responsible for how many tickets you have received, including tickets received by people borrowing the vehicle.
A vehicle will be considered in violation of College regulations if it is stopped or parked in a(n) ADA accessible space, fire lane, no parking area, or restricted zone.
Vehicles parked improperly due to mechanical difficulties, overcrowded parking lots, temporary loading/unloading, or other problems must be reported immediately to Public Safety (630-752-5911) Public Safety is available 24 hours a day.
Any altering, copying, borrowing, swapping, or misuse of a permit will result in the loss of parking privileges for all individuals involved, for a minimum of two full semesters.
Wheaton College assumes no responsibility for any damage to vehicles (or losses of their contents) resulting in theft, vandalism, flooding, necessary towing, or acts of God regardless of where the vehicle is parked on campus.
Wheaton College reserves the right to relocate vehicles that constitute a safety hazard, that are illegally parked or that interferes with the snow removal, construction, asphalt maintenance, or necessary access to parking lots, sidewalks, and buildings at the expense of the vehicle owner.
Abandoned or inoperable vehicles are subject to ticketing, towing, and/or storage at the owner’s expense. Vehicles are considered abandoned when they do not display a current license plate or permit.
Some parking lots are subject to flooding during heavy or persistent rain. When such rain events occur it is your responsibility to contact Public Safety for temporary authorization to relocate your vehicle to another parking lot. If flooding appears imminent, Wheaton College reserves the right to relocate endangered vehicles to higher ground. The College cannot predict whether a parking lot will flood and cannot guarantee that any endangered vehicles will be relocated. In these situations, the College assumes no responsibility for damages caused to vehicles or their contents (whether caused by towing or flooding).
Occupied RVs are not allowed on Wheaton College property. Temporary parking (if space allows) may be arranged by contacting parking@wheaton.edu.
Vehicles parked on campus receiving more than two citations may be identified by investigating vehicle registration data. Information connecting a vehicle to a student by name and/or address will be added to the student’s account.