Driver Authorization

Become an authorized driver

Steps to take for employees, students, or others with a NetID.

Please note: Vehicle Use Agreement (VUA) submissions requesting driver authorization take 10 business days for processing.

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Information you'll need

The following items must be prepared before you apply. Without these items, your Vehicle Use Agreement (VUA) will be rejected, and you will be required to reapply.

  • Your NetID and password
  • Your driver’s license number
  • Your supervisor’s name and email address (or other local authority such as Department Chair, Advisor). Ask your supervisor to check their VUA in the Fleet Management System to see what email they entered associated with their profile. Then use that email to search for them when entering your VUA.
  • The UDDS code for your department (e.g. UA000000, or UA for MSN campus + two digit Division code + two digit Dept code + two digit sub unit code). Ask your supervisor (or their supervisor) for appropriate UDDS code. You may also check your personal earning statement which states your UDDS code on top, middle box of the Statement following “Department.”
    • Entry of the UDDS code requires you first select “UW MADISON” from the UW CAMPUS pick list. Then, click into the UW UDDS Code text box and type the letters UA followed by the six digits of your UDDS. Then click on the search icon, the drop down box will open and highlight your code. Click on the code to populate the field.
  • Out-of-state license holders and drivers who have a WI license but were licensed in another US State, US territory, or Canada during the previous 24 months will need to upload a PDF copy of their out-of-state/prior driving abstract/driving record and a legible copy of their license (front only) via the portal (there are two upload buttons for this purpose in the Out of State section). The out-of-state driver record must be dated within 30 days of the VUA application.
    • Note – When one scans the copies, rename the documents to MVR & DL respectively. Be sure to save as PDF format. Driving records may be obtained from the applicable Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the respective State. While we only require the non-certified copy, it is recommended to obtain records directly from respective State’s DMV as these may be less expensive and more complete than commercial record sites. Records from commercial sites and non-certified state copies are acceptable if all required details are provided, (driver’s identity, license number, license status, license effective/expiration dates, including their driving record with details on: traffic accidents, traffic violations, driver license suspensions, driver license revocations, driver license cancellations, etc.).
    • Fees for obtaining one’s records are an allowable employment expense.

Register

Register with the Department of Administration (DOA) Enterprise Fleet Management System (EFMS) if you have not already.

Register with the DOA Enterprise Fleet Management System 

Complete the New Fleet Driver Vehicle Use Agreement (VUA)

Complete the New Fleet Driver Vehicle Use Agreement, sometimes referred to as the VUA.

Access the Vehicle Use Agreement – VUA Download Fleet System User Guide (PDF)

You will need to login to the Fleet Portal system to access the VUA and user guide.

Approval

Once the Vehicle Use Agreement process is completed your record will be uploaded and reviewed against established driver authorization criteria by UW–Madison Risk Management Office.

Applicants and Supervisors will be notified of approval/denial within 10 business days via email.

Full Vehicle Use Agreement forms must be completed and submitted through the Enterprise Fleet Management System (EFMS) by each individual requesting, and has been directed and authorized by campus, to drive for university business. The purpose for driving must be for official University business as determined by campus Supervisor/Department/Unit.

Required criteria

The established driver authorization criteria at UW–Madison that one must meet includes:

  • Must have a valid driver’s license. Note: per Wisconsin Law new residents to Wisconsin must obtain a WI driver’s license within 60 days of residence.
  • Drivers from Other Countries: The only acceptable international driving permit/license is from Canada. Any driver who has an out-of-country license or permit (other than Canada) and is requesting approval to drive on University business must pursue a Wisconsin driver’s license within 60 days of establishing residency.
  • Must have a minimum of two years licensed driving experience. International driving experience will be considered if evidence is provided.
  • Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
  • Met all driving record standards. In summary authorization to drive University vehicles will be denied if a driving record reflects any of the following:
    • Three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents in the past two years.
    • Six or more points (Students/Volunteers).
    • Seven or more points (Faculty/Staff or TE’s)
    • An Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), Driving Under the Influence (DUI), or Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) violation within the past year,
    • Reckless driving violation within past year,
    • License has been reinstated for less than one year after revocation.
  • In addition: out of state residents and drivers who have a WI license but were licensed in another US State, US territory, or Canada during the previous 24 months must submit a copy of their applicable out of State Driver’s License (WI license copies are not needed) and Driving Abstract from their respective state for evaluation by Risk Management. Fees for obtaining one’s out of state records are an allowable employment expense through the employee’s department.

Need assistance? Please review the “Tips! Top Reasons Your VUA was Rejected” guide (PDF) to help you navigate and troubleshoot the application process.

Volunteer driver authorization

Eligible volunteers (see required criteria section above) who have a volunteer appointment letter may apply to become an authorized driver.

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Passenger bus or van drivers

The University allows the use of 14-passenger buses for transportation of larger groups when necessary. See Transportation Services for more details on 14-passenger buses and reservation information.

All drivers of 14-passenger buses must be at least 25 years of age, have completed the appropriate bus-driver training course (see section below), and meet all other driver requirements.

Madison College offers 14-passenger bus training programs to UW–Madison drivers. See the Bus Training Instructions section below for schedule details. You may also find details for required refresher trainings in the Recertification section below.

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14-passenger bus training instructions

Madison College has released a Schedule of 14-passenger bus training classes which are available to UW–Madison drivers who may require training.

Instructions can be found on the Madison College Training Schedule and Registration guide (PDF).

These courses are not sponsored by UW–Madison therefore you must register directly with Madison College as instructed on the document. If you have any questions on registration, you may work directly with Madison College.

A bill will be sent to individual participants by Madison College once the course is completed, at the address provide during registration. Once paid, the cost of the training course may be eligible for reimbursement by your School/College/Division through the expense reimbursement process.

Certificates

After successful completion of the course, Madison College will issue a 14-Passenger Bus Training Certification Card. Drivers shall provide certification of successful completion to Risk Management at driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu in order to update Enterprise Fleet Management System (EFMS) for reporting purposes. School/College/Division shall also maintain all Training Certifications in their applicable employee training record/file. 

In the EFMS Reports section there will be a Y/N statement in the “certified van” column if a driver is approved to drive 14-passenger buses, (or historically vans) and a date when they completed the training in the corresponding column.

Recertification

Drivers certified for 8-passenger sprinter vans (Athletics only), and those previously certified to drive 12/15 passenger vans, must be at least 25 years of age, have completed the appropriate driver training course, and meet all other driver requirements to drive these types of vehicles.

To maintain these certifications, drivers must take a refresher van driving course every three years or more frequently if required by their Supervisor. Refresher training may be completed through online courses.

An online course is available through Madison College, and the current cost is $11.55 per student. Please follow the instructions in the Madison College Van Driver Refresher Guide (PDF) to register. The cost of this refresher training course may be an allowable employment expense through the employee’s department.

Certificates

Once the course is completed, the driver must provide certificate of successful completion to Risk Management at driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu in order to update Enterprise Fleet Management System (EFMS) for reporting purposes. School/College/Division shall also maintain all Training Certifications in their applicable employee training record/file. 

In the EFMS Reports section there will be a Y/N statement in the “certified van” column if a driver is approved and a date when they completed the training in the corresponding column.

Recertification is not currently required for 14-passenger bus training.

12- or 15-passenger vans

The University no longer allows the use of 12/15 passenger vans, unless, with very limited exception, authorized in writing by UW–Madison Risk Management and appropriate campus Dean or Vice Chancellor. All requirements of UW System Administration (UWSA) and State of WI Department of Administration’s 12/15 Passenger Van policy (UWSA Policy 615, 6. A.I.b.) must be fulfilled before exceptions can be approved.

  • Only properly trained and certified drivers will be considered for approval, in accordance with State of WI Department of Administration’s 12/15 Passenger Van policy (UWSA Policy 615, 6. A.I.b.)
  • UW–Madison does not offer 12/15 passenger van training resources. UW System Administration or Madison College may have training programs available to drivers interested in becoming certified. If in the future sources become available, links may be posted here for reference.
  • Note: The 14-passenger bus training program does not satisfy the 12/15 passenger van training requirement. You must complete a specific 12/15 passenger van training session.

You can request authorization to use 12-15 Passenger Van from Office of Risk Management by emailing the following information to driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu:

  • A summary of the trip’s purpose and how it is necessary for the fulfilment of the campus unit’s mission.
  • Name, title, and contact information of responsible campus staff member who will provide direction and supervision on the trip.
  • Authorization letter and support of the 12/15 passenger van exception from the applicable School/College/Division’s (S/C/D) Dean or Vice Chancellor. See the note below* regarding damage financial responsibility acknowledgment by the S/C/D to be included in this letter.
  • Details of requesting unit’s compliance with UWSA Policy 615, 6. A.I.b. including:
    • Names and ages of proposed drivers
    • Evidence of proposed driver’s fulfillment of UW-Madison driver authorization requirements
    • Documentation of completion of appropriate 12/15 passenger training requirements for all proposed drivers
  • Planned trip details related to the 12/15 passenger van utilization, including: trip origin and destination locations, number of days of planned use, number of travel hours planned per day, any off-road use, number of passengers, any external (non-UW) passengers planned, and all equipment to be stored inside the van.
  • Name and contact details of the vehicle rental company, and rental agreement details (copy of proposed agreement including insurance coverage).
  • *Note: if renting any vehicle outside the Big Ten contract, the requesting unit must secure and purchase all available insurance coverages from the rental agency. Any damage not covered by insurance (such as off-road use or other restrictions imposed by rental agency) will be the full financial responsibility of the requesting campus S/C/D. This includes any insurance coverage exclusions under the Big Ten Contract’s coverage.
    • This financial responsibility acknowledgment must be included in the Dean/Vice Chancellor authorization letter. This is a very important consideration as there can be many insurance restrictions/exclusions with 12/15 passenger van rentals.

Pre-employment checks

Departments needing to check an applicant’s driving record in pre-employment or post-offer situations will use the Pre-Hire Driver Authorization Check web form.

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Travel reimbursement/expense policy & driver authorization

Review UW-3019 Vehicle Use/Rental Policy for information related to travel and the need for driver authorization. Individuals must be authorized in order to reserve and drive fleet vehicles, drive and be reimbursed for personal vehicle business-usage mileage, and to rent a vehicle from external providers for university business.

For more information on rental vehicle insurance requirements, see the Managing Risk Automobile insurance webpage.

Once you have received confirmation your Vehicle Use Authorization (VUA) is approved, it can take up to 7 days for your VUA to be recognized in the Expense System. If you receive error messages when submitting expenses, please attach your confirmation that your VUA was approved to your expense report for review. Please contact the following team with expense reimbursement questions:

UW-Madison (only): expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu

If you haven’t received confirmation that your VUA was approved, and it’s been longer than 10 business days since your submission, you may log in and search the EFMS database by selecting Vehicle Use Agreement from the dashboard page to check the status. If you need further assistance with your VUA, email driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu.

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Expiration, deactivation, and renewal

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Expiration of driver authorization

Volunteer, Canadian, and out of state driver’s license holder authorizations will expire within one year of date of application. Drivers must sign a new Vehicle Use Authorization (VUA) with current valid information prior to the expiration date to renew their VUA.

All drivers holding a Wisconsin driver’s license are evaluated monthly and any individual no longer meeting the driver criteria will be deactivated with notification to employee and their supervisor.

Driver deactivation

It is the employing department’s responsibility to notify the Risk Management Office of terminated or retiring employees on a regular basis to remove them. Email these terminations to driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu.

Renewal

The Driver Authorization Renewal “How To” Guide (PDF) provides instructions and guidance to applicants wishing to renew their Vehicle Use Authorization (VUA) and continue to their UW–Madison authorized driver status.

Passengers in vehicles

In general, only employees, agents, and students are allowed to ride in University/State owned vehicles. Exceptions to this rule arise when transportation is necessary or convenient for individuals who are dealing directly with, or involved in, University business. Passengers who are not employees, students or agents must have approval from the Office of Risk Management.

For guidance on passenger allowances in all vehicle situations, see information in the UW System Administrative Policy 615 – Vehicle use and Driver Authorization.

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Important – Vehicle use prohibitions/restrictions

Use of State of Wisconsin/Fleet vehicles is only allowed for university business purposes. Rental and personal vehicle usage: see important information on the Automobile Insurance page for coverage requirements for business versus personal use; also see UWSA Travel for further details and eligible renter requirements.

Student drivers

University of Wisconsin student drivers must meet the requirements of university business use as defined in UWSA Policy 616 in order to drive a State/Fleet vehicle or to utilize the State of Wisconsin/NASPO Hertz Rental Contract. Non-business use situations require the use of a non-university vehicle, such as personal vehicle or the Non-Business Use Big Ten Vehicle Rental Contract Option (requires purchase of insurance by driver). Student drivers must receive authorization from a campus official (supervisor, academic department, or administrative official) to qualify for University business use. Drivers renting a vehicle from UW Fleet will be required to document the name of the authorizing campus official through the Fleet Reservation System (document in the “Customer Comments” field) and/or at the Fleet counter prior to vehicle being released. In the event of an incident requiring response by State of WI insurance (liability or property) an investigation by State of WI Department of Administration to confirm valid business use will be conducted. Non-compliance with the policy will result in State of Wisconsin coverage denial and resulting in personal liability.

After reviewing the vehicle use against the UWSA Policy 616, methods of documenting business use by the applicable campus unit include:

  • Evidence of Employment of the Student
  • Volunteer Letter on file
  • Authorization via email from Dean, Associate Dean, Director, Supervisor or their designee to the Student Driver.

Here is an example of what should be documented by the Schools, College, or Department (“S/C/D”) for each specific event/instance:

“UW-Madison Student [insert name], is authorized by [insert name, title, email of the campus official], of [insert campus S/C/D name], to drive fleet vehicle for [list purpose and date(s)]

Please note: if a fleet vehicle is reserved for the usage, the information shall be updated and added within the Fleet Reservation System‘s Reservation Information section Customer Comments field.

If other documentation exists with the campus Schools, Colleges, or Departments as evidence of authorization (such as email direction, agreements, or other), that documentation may be utilized to aid in confirmation of business use. The information must be retained by the S/C/D and made available in the event of a claim or for audit purposes.

Questions on determination of business use may be directed to driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu.

Vehicle use restrictions

  • Drivers are not permitted to use a state/fleet vehicle for a personal purpose. The only exceptions to this rule are incidental stops during authorized business use.
    • Examples: stops at a restaurant for a meal, an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) or financial institution, urgent care or emergency room, or a gas station / convenience store.
  • Drivers should remember public perception of state employees is important and influenced by how and where the public sees state vehicles being used. Drivers should not make incidental stops at locations the public would perceive as inappropriate.
    • Examples: gaming and sports venues, liquor outlets, and other locations where it is unlikely that any state business or allowable incidental use is involved.
  • Drivers required to stay overnight(s) away from home may, with permission of their supervisor, use a state vehicle for the types of necessary activity that could be expected of a traveler away from home.
    • Examples: evening use to go to a pharmacy, grocery, laundromat, fitness center, or other locations to purchase goods or conduct activities necessary for the employee’s health and well being.

The above guidelines also apply to use of personal and rental vehicles during business use. Operation of these vehicles outside of the above parameters would be considered personal use; State Self-Funded Liability Program excess automobile liability coverage is not extended in these situations.

All applicable rules of the road must be followed at all times for any University business purpose vehicle operation.

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Contact

Risk Management's location

Risk Management
21 N. Park Street
Madison, WI 53715

Note – Please contact the email address with questions and/or to schedule an in-person meeting. Advanced meeting scheduling is necessary in order to meet with Risk Management staff; drop-in appointments are not available.

Email Risk Management

Driver Authorization and Automobile
driverauth@bussvc.wisc.edu