The Blue Badge Scheme and Concessionary Travel Passes

Information about how to apply for a Disabled Persons Parking Permit (Blue Car Badge) or a Concessionary Travel Pass

About the Blue Badge Scheme

The Blue Badge scheme only applies to on-street parking.

Badge holders may park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours in England and Wales, except where there is a ban on loading or unloading.

There is no time limit for parking on yellow lines in Scotland.

Badge holders may park for free and for as long as they need to at on-street parking meters and pay-and-display machines, unless there is a traffic sign specifying a time limit for holders of Blue Badges.

Where a time limit is in force, you must display both the Blue Badge and the special blue parking disc showing time of arrival.

While the scheme operates throughout the UK, there are small variations in its application in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Please see the relevant website for further information. The information on this page relates to England unless specified.

Who can have a Blue Badge
You are automatically eligible to apply for a badge if you are over two years old and either:

• receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.
• are registered blind.
• receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement.

You may also be eligible for a badge if you are over two years old and either:

• have a permanent and substantial disability which means you cannot walk, or which makes walking very difficult.
• drive a motor vehicle regularly, have a severe disability in both arms, and are unable to operate all or some types of parking meter (or would find it very difficult to operate them).

If you are a parent of a child who is less than two years old, you may apply for a badge for your child if they have a specific medical condition which means that they either:

• must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around without great difficulty.
• need to be kept near a vehicle at all times, so that they can, if necessary, be treated in the vehicle, or quickly driven to a place where they can be treated, such as a hospital.