Apply for a Blue Badge parking permit

Following the consultation undertaken by Department for Transport (DfT), changes to the Disabled Blue Badge scheme will come into effect from 30 August 2019. These changes mean people with hidden disabilities will be granted access to the scheme too. The idea is that people with less obvious health conditions, such as autism, will have the same right to park in disabled bays as those with physical disabilities.

Eligibility

The new criteria will extend the current eligibility to include people who:

• cannot undertake a journey without there being a risk of serious harm to their health or safety or that of any other person (such as young children with autism)
• cannot undertake a journey without it causing them very considerable psychological distress
• have very considerable difficulty when walking (both the physical act and experience of walking)

Check your eligibility and apply or renew a Blue Badge 

If you’re a Blue Badge holder, you can use your badge to park a car you’re driving, or a car in which you’re the passenger.

Only the Blue Badge holder can use the badge. It's a criminal offence to use someone else’s Blue Badge, or to drive a vehicle displaying a badge unless the badge holder is in the vehicle. There is a fine of up to £1,000.

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 776KB)

If you're a resident within a controlled parking zone (CPZ) and hold a Blue Badge, you can also apply for a free annual resident parking permit.