Using your Blue Badge

Visit GOV.UK to see your rights and responsibilities as a Blue Badge holder.

This includes:

where you can and can't park
using your badge abroad

Important things to remember:

Please note that disabled permit bays on Housing Estate Land are only for permit holders - Blue Badges are not valid in these type of bays.
You must be a passenger or driver of the vehicle at all times when a Blue Badge is displayed
You can’t use your badge if you remain in the vehicle while an able bodied passenger leaves the vehicle
You mustn’t let anyone else use your badge including carers carrying out business on your behalf
You cannot use your badge if its out of date, or when the information on it is wrong or faded
You can’t allow anyone else to reproduce your badge

Displaying your badge

Your Blue Badge must be displayed on top of the dashboard of the vehicle.

The side showing the wheelchair symbol must face forward so the expiry date can be seen from outside the vehicle.

Parking clocks

A parking clock if needed, must be displayed so it can be read clearly through the front windscreen.

It must be:

on the dashboard or fascia panel
set to show the quarter hour period during which you arrived

It must not be:

used instead of, or without, the Blue Badge

When to use parking clocks

Type of parking bay	What to display
Waiting restrictions for three hours	Badge and clock displayed to arrival time
PaybyPhone bays	Badge displayed
Shared use bays	Badge displayed
Market trader bays for three hours	Badge and clock displayed to arrival time
Short stay parking bays without time restrictions	Badge displayed
On street disabled bays max stay three hours, no return same day	Badge and clock displayed to arrival time
Car park disabled bays max stay three hours, no return same day	Badge and clock displayed to arrival time
Car parks, other bays without restrictions	Badge displayed

Where can I park?

The rules on where Blue Badge holders can park vary depending on which Local Authority you park in.

For Waltham Forest, please download our Blue Badges parking guide (PDF)

Resident within a controlled parking zone (CPZ) who hold a Blue Badge, you can apply for a free annual resident parking permit.

Using your Blue Badge in Europe

You can check which European countries recognise your UK Blue Badge on GOV.UK.

Using a European Blue Badge in the UK

The UK recognises badges issued by EU and EEA countries used by visitors to the UK. If you are a UK resident, you should apply for a Blue Badge from your local authority.

Return a badge

Your Blue Badge is the property of Waltham Forest Council.

Badges should be returned to us if:

they are found
they have expired
they are no longer needed due to the owner being deceased
your mobility improves
your automatic entitlement ceases

You must send the badge with a note explaining why it is being returned to the Mobility team.

Report misuse

Misuse of a Blue Badge is a criminal offence, which can carry a fine of up to £1,000. If you think a Blue Badge is being misused please contact Parking Enforcement.