Use of your Blue Badge

Guidance on using your Blue Badge is set out in this Department for Transport booklet.

Where you can use it

In general you can use your badge for parking:

• on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, unless there is a ban on loading or unloading
• at 'on-street' parking meters and pay-and-display machines for free and for as long as you need to
• in disabled parking bays. You can find out which car parks have disabled parking bays by checking the car parks information on the relevant district council website.

Where you cannot use it

The Blue Badge is not a licence to park anywhere. If you park where it would cause an obstruction or danger to other road users you could be fined or have your vehicle removed.

Particular places where you must not park include:

• where a ban on loading or unloading is in force
• where parking places are reserved for specific users such as resident’s bays or loading bays
• 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 only pick up or drop off passengers
• school 'keep clear' markings during the hours shown on a yellow no-stopping plate
• Bus, tram or cycle lanes or cycle tracks
• Where there are double white lines in the centre of the road (even if one of the lines is broken)
• Where temporary parking restrictions are in force, as shown by no-waiting cones or temporary signs.

Displaying your badge

Make sure the badge is facing upwards, so that the details on the front can be clearly seen. It should be placed on the dashboard.

You will get a time clock with your badge This must also be displayed when you are parking on a parking restriction, such as a double or single yellow line. Many disabled bays also have time restrictions and you must check the signs before leaving your vehicle.

Displaying the badge and clock on your dashboard helps the Enforcement Officers (traffic wardens) check that the badge is valid and that you have not exceeded the parking time.

Destroying expired badges

Once a badge has expired we ask that you destroy it to prevent fraudulent use by others.  You do not need to return an expired badge to us.