How and where to use a blue badge

Your blue badge means that you can park in more places, longer and in some cases, free of charge.

On-street parking

Blue badges are intended for on-street parking only. With a valid blue badge on display in your vehicle, you can park:

• on a single or double yellow line for up to three hours in England and Wales, unless there's a ban on loading or unloading. There may be other local restrictions, so always check any signs before you park
• all day in any on-street pay-and-display parking bay free of charge
• all day in any on-street limited waiting bay
• in any on-street disabled parking bay showing the blue badge sign. Some are limited to three hours and this will be shown on the signs

Off-street parking

Off-street car parks are covered by separate rules and you will need to check signs at these car parks before you park.

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.

Who can use the badge?

The badge is for your use and benefit only. It must only be displayed if you are travelling in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, or if someone is collecting you or dropping you off and needs to park at the place where you are being collected or dropped.

Don’t allow other people to use the badge to do something on your behalf, such as shopping or collecting something for you.

• you must never give the badge to friends or family to allow them to park for free, even if they are visiting you
• you should not use the badge to allow non-disabled people to take advantage of the benefits while you sit in the car
• it’s a criminal offence to misuse a badge. This includes people other than the badge holder taking advantage of the parking concessions provided under the scheme

How to display the badge

You must display the badge on the dashboard or facia panel, where it can be clearly read through the front windscreen. If there is no dashboard or facia panel in your vehicle, you must display the badge in a place where it can be clearly read from outside the vehicle.

The front of the badge should face upwards, showing the hologram. The side showing the photograph should not be visible through the windscreen.

You must also ensure that the details on the front of the badge remain legible. If they become unreadable through fading or wear and tear, you must return the badge to us so we can issue you with a new one. Displaying a badge that is illegible may result in a parking fine.

Blind people need to ensure that people displaying the badge or clock on their behalf understand how to display them correctly. Incorrect display of the badge may result in a parking fine or a penalty charge notice.

When you need to use a parking clock

When you park on yellow lines or in other places where there is a time restriction, you need to display the blue parking clock to show your time of arrival. The clock should be sent to you together with the blue badge.

If you need to use a parking clock, you must display it on the vehicle’s dashboard or facia panel so that the time can be seen clearly through the front windscreen. The clock should be set to show the quarter hour period during which you arrived. If there is no dashboard or facia panel in your vehicle, you must still display the clock in a place where it can be clearly read from outside the vehicle.

Badge inspection

Police officers, traffic wardens, parking attendants and civil enforcement officers have the power to inspect blue badges.

If any of these people ask to see your badge, you must show it to them. If you do not, you will be breaking the law and you could be fined up to £1,000. Enforcement officers also have a right to retain the badge, without police presence, if they have reasonable grounds to do so.