A Blue Badge is a lifeline for those with disabilities, offering wider parking access to make everyday tasks and socialising more manageable. It’s strictly personal to the individual named on it, meaning it can’t be borrowed for errands like shopping.
But there’s an exception: if you’re being dropped off or collected by someone, they can use your badge legally. Misuse, however, could land you a hefty £1,000 fine and see your badge snatched away and sent back to the council that issued it.
And don’t forget, when the badge isn’t needed anymore, you’ve got to return it to avoid fines.
The Department for Transport is clear: “You must use the Blue Badge properly. The badge and its concessions are for your use only. It is a criminal offence for you or anyone else to misuse the badge. Doing so could lead to a £1,000 fine and confiscation of the badge. Making sure that the scheme is not abused will benefit genuine badge holders, such as yourself.”
“If you are using the parking concessions as a passenger, it is your responsibility to make sure that the driver is aware of all the rules.” And it adds: “You must never give the badge to friends or family to allow them to have the benefit of the parking concessions. You must never use a copied badge to park or try to change the details on a badge.
“The badge remains the property of the issuing local council. They can ask for the badge to be returned if it is being misused.” The Blue Badge is not a licence to park anywhere. Like other road users, you must obey the rules of the road, as laid out in the Highway Code.”
Places where a ban on loading or unloading is in force, as indicated above by kerb markings. You may wish to check whether a particular local council has, exceptionally, chosen to allow Blue Badge holders to park where there are loading restrictions.
Places where you cannot park even with a Blue Badge
- Parking places that are reserved for specific users, such as residents’ bays or loading bays. You may wish to check whether a particular local council has chosen to exempt Blue Badge holders from these restrictions.
- Pedestrian crossings (zebra, pelican, toucan and puffin crossings), including areas marked by zig-zag lines.
- Clearways (no stopping).
- A bus stop clearway during its hours of operation.
- An urban clearway within its hours of operation. You may pick up or drop off passengers. All parking is forbidden.
- School ‘keep clear’ markings during the hours shown on a yellow no-stopping plate.
- Bus, tram or cycle lanes or cycle tracks. Badge holders are not entitled to drive in bus lanes during their hours of operation.
- Where there are double white lines in the centre of the road, even if one of the lines is broken.
- Suspended meter bays or when use of the meter is not allowed.
- Where temporary parking restrictions are in force, as shown for example by no-waiting cones.
Where can I park?
If you do not drive yourself, it is important that you share this information with anyone who will be carrying you as a passenger. These are the parking concessions available to you as a Blue Badge holder. However, you must always check signs to see what the rules are when parking.
Yellow lines
Badge holders may park on single or double yellow lines for up to 3 hours, but in general not where there are restrictions on loading or unloading – indicated by yellow kerb dashes and/or signs on plates. You may wish to check whether a particular local council has chosen to exempt Blue Badge holders from this restriction.
Where local schemes apply, such as those that apply in parts of central London, you should check the rules for that area. You are not entitled to park on yellow lines in off-street car parks.
You must display the Blue Badge and the blue parking clock showing the quarter-hour period during which you arrived. You must wait for at least one hour after a previous period of parking before you can park the same vehicle in the same road or part of a road on the same day.
‘On-street’ parking meters and pay-and-display machines
Badge holders may park for free and for as long as they need to. You must display the Blue Badge.
‘On-street’ disabled parking bays – signs have a blue wheelchair symbol
You may park for free. Unless signs say otherwise, you may park without time limit. You must display the Blue Badge (and the blue parking clock if the bay is time limited). Always try to use these bays instead of parking on yellow lines.
Places you need to check before parking
There are a number of restrictions and local parking schemes which you need to be aware of. Here is a list of those places and the parking restrictions in force. If in doubt, ask the relevant council before you travel.
Off-street car parks (such as supermarket, hospital or local council car parks)
Off-street car park operators should provide parking spaces for disabled people. However, it is up to the car park owner to decide whether badge holders can park free of charge. Do not assume you can always park for free.
Town centres where local schemes are in operation
Check local signs for information.
On-street parking areas where all motorists can park for free but only for a limited time
Badge holders may park for free and generally without time limit. However, if signs show there is also a time limit for badge holders, you must comply with the time limit shown and display your parking clock set to show the quarter hour period when you arrived at the bay.
Road systems at airports
Contact the airport in advance to check the parking arrangements.
Private roads
Do not park unless you have permission from the owner.
Red Routes (major roads in Greater London which are marked with a single or double red line)
Transport for London (TfL) has general information on concessions for Blue Badge holders on roads that have priority (red) route controls. You can obtain this information by ringing them on 0845 305 1234 or by visiting their website. There are a small number of red routes outside of London. Contact the relevant local council for advice on parking restrictions on these routes.
For more information on the Blue Badge scheme, visit the Department for Transport here.
