Disabled Persons Parking Permit - Using

This page is about using your Blue Badge. If you would like to check your eligibility for a permit and make an application, see the Disabled Persons Parking Permit - Applications page.

The scheme

The disabled person's parking scheme is also known as the Blue Badge Scheme. The permits allow free or reduced cost parking to make it easier for people with severe walking difficulties to park closer to shops, restaurants and other places.

The scheme allows free or reduced cost parking to make it easier for people with severe walking difficulties to park closer to shops, restaurants and other places.

The disabled person's scheme does not apply at four central London boroughs and at some security-sensitive areas, such as airports.

The scheme only applies to on-street car parking. For off-street car parking, badge holders must check the conditions of use of the car park and any concessions being offered as there may be a charge.

Generally, under the disabled person's Badge scheme, Disabled Person's Badge holders MAY:

• park on single or double yellow lines outside controlled hours without time limit, or during controlled hours for up to 3 hours with Badge and clock displayed.
• park on a disabled bay indefinitely (unless a time limit is shown)
• park on-street at meters, pay and display, shared use bays etc. without charge

Disabled Person's Badge holders MAY NOT:

• park where a loading ban is in force
• park at special bays e.g. doctor, police, diplomatic, sometimes resident
• park on footways unless there is an exemption indicated by signs and white lines
• park on clearways
• park on bus stops
• park on taxi ranks
• park on pedestrian crossing or its extended markings

The badge is issued to the eligible person who can be driver or a passenger. It does not belong to the vehicle and is not issued to relatives or carers. Parents of a disabled child over 2 years old and under 16 years old can apply for a badge on their child's behalf.

Parking on double yellow lines

Parking on double yellow lines is allowed for up to 3 hours, if the parking time disc is displayed, unless there is a ban on loading or unloading and only if the vehicle does not cause an obstruction.

Displaying the Time Disc

In England and Wales a parking time disc is needed when parking on yellow lines or in a parking place for disabled badge holders that have a time limit. This will be sent together with the blue badge.

The disc must be clearly displayed on the top of the dashboard of a vehicle with the front of the disc (the side showing the wheelchair user symbol) facing upwards so that the relevant details are legible from outside the vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a dashboard the disc must be displayed in a conspicuous position on the vehicle so that the relevant details are legible from outside the vehicle.

The disc should only be displayed when using the parking benefits under the scheme, except if the vehicle is being driven by someone other than the badge holder for the purpose of entering or leaving an area which is only accessible to vehicles displaying a Blue Badge, in order to pick up or drop off the badge holder.

It is the badge holders responsibility to ensure that the disc is used correctly. The badge holder must not allow other people to use the disc. To reduce the risk of this happening accidentally, you should remove the disc whenever you are not using the parking concessions.

The details on the front of the badge must remain legible. If they become unreadable, the disc must be returned to the council for re-issuing.

Further information about the blue badge scheme is available at the Direct Gov website.

Last update: 22/03/2012