Bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and other personal wheeled devices and vehicles – with and without motors – are your Personal Wheels (PWs) while you’re on campus. The Parking & Transportation Office provides guidelines to promote the safe operation, parking, and storage of PWs at MIT. View the PW guidelines in full. 

• Note that these rules and guidelines don’t apply to wheeled devices and vehicles designed for and used by individuals with mobility-related disabilities or medical conditions. 

Personal Wheels registration (bikes, scooters, etc.) 

You can register your PW online here; registration stickers are provided at no charge by the Parking & Transportation Office. 

• Registration and UL certification is required for motorized PWs on campus. Learn more about UL certification and MIT’s registration process. 
• Registration of non-motorized PWs is recommended as it can deter theft or facilitate the recovery of a PW that is stolen. 
• Document your PW’s serial number, color, make/model, etc., in case your PW is lost or stolen. Note that the Cambridge Police Department no longer registers bicycles. 

Safe operation on campus 

Look out for others and use common sense: Wear a helmet, have good brakes and lights, and keep your speed reasonable. Use bike lanes and signal your turns. 

• It is prohibited to operate your PW inside any building or parking structure on the MIT campus. (As noted above, this only applies to non-medical transportation devices.) 
• Yield to pedestrians, including at crosswalks, and give audible warnings when passing. 
• Follow all traffic laws – observe the speed limit and stop at red lights and stop signs. 

Outdoor parking on campus 

MIT provides outdoor racks for parking and storing bicycles and other PWs, and some of these racks are under overhangs or in breezeways (including those outside Buildings 3, 26, and 39). A heavy-duty U-lock is recommended. If the racks are full or don’t accommodate your PW, find a secure location for it outside, but remember:  

• Do not obstruct building entrances, sidewalks, paths, etc. Don’t park on a wheelchair ramp, including the ramps outside the Student Center. 
• Avoid damaging campus artwork, landscaping, or infrastructure; do not attach to trees, plantings, benches, railings, etc.  

Indoor parking on campus (a limited exception) 

PW owners are only authorized to park or store PWs indoors on MIT premises under limited circumstances. These circumstances are detailed in the PW guidelines. If your non-motorized or registered, UL-certified, motorized PW meets the conditions and is allowed indoors, remember: 

• All PWs must be walked indoors. Follow the most direct route to your room to avoid impeding others in the hallways. 

• Don’t park your PW in a hallway, classroom, common area, stairwell, entryway, or any group space or common area, even temporarily. Your PW will be subject to removal. 

Follow the required safety procedures when charging a PW 

PW charging is not allowed on the MIT campus except under limited circumstances and only in accordance with MIT’s required safety procedures. Review the details of when charging is allowed and how to follow the required procedures. 

Violations and confiscation 

Any PW that is operated, parked, stored, or charging in an improper or unsafe manner in disregard of MIT’s guidelines is subject to removal by the MIT Police and/or a representative from the Parking & Transportation Office. MIT (including MIT Police and the Parking & Transportation Office) is not responsible for any alleged damage to or missing accessories/equipment from an impounded PW. If your PW has been removed, contact Parking & Transportation.