Resident visitor parking permit

Residents can apply for permits to allow their visitors to park within their controlled parking zone. 

Virtual visitor permits are now available and can be

• bought by the hour
• topped up online

Each household is entitled to a maximum of 520 hours per rolling 12 month period including scratch card books. 

When using virtual permits in a controlled parking zone (CPZ) which is over 8 hours in length, you will only need to purchase 8 hours of time which will cover the entire period of the CPZ.

Books of 1, 2 and 5 hours scratch cards are also available and there is a purchase limit of 10 books per 12 month period per household.

Refunds are not available on visitor permit purchases.

You can apply if you live within a Waltham Forest controlled parking zone this includes residents that live within a car-free development.

Households with a minimum of 1 resident over the age of 60 are automatically entitled to 3 books of 30, 1 hour visitor books, within a rolling 12 month period.

Households with a new born baby are entitled to 1 book of 30, 1 hour visitor books within the first 3 months of your child’s birth.

Proof of age and residency will be needed and normal charges will apply for additional scratch card books.

Residents undergoing maintenance work can ask their contractors to apply for visitor permits so not to affect the resident visitor permit annual purchase threshold.

Depending on the how long the works take place they may be entitled to purchase a business permit or parking dispensation.

For more advice please contact our permit team by

• email wfpshop@nsl.co.uk
• or call them on 0203 092 0112, option 3 for assistance. 

Alternatively, depending on the length of the works, it may be more cost effective to apply for a resident trader permit.  This is applied directly by the resident but is for the traders use. 

Full time carers in receipt of DWP allowance can apply for free carers permit. 

Waltham Forest Council retains the right to carry our random checks on permits in order to check the information supplied in the application.

You'll need to:

• register your account to use the service if you haven’t already
• have a debit or credit card ready pay for your permit
• have copies of your documents of proof

Photos of documents of proof will be accepted in the following file formats: DOC, DOCX, PDF, GIF, PNG or JPEG file.

Please allow 1 working day to receive a response from the parking control office about your pending online applications(s).

By post

To apply by post you’ll need to:

• fill out an application form,
• send payment and
• provide documents of proof

Payment should be made by cheque or postal order payable to 'LBWF'. Please do not send cash through the post.

Download a postal controlled parking visitor permit application form (PDF file)

To get an application form sent to you by post, call Waltham Forest Parking Control Office on 0203 092 0112 and select option 3.

Provide your full name and postal address and your application form will be sent to you the next working day.

In person - apply and collect the same day

If you need extra help and can't apply online, you can apply in person, at the relevant library for your controlled parking zone. Please note: at the library you can only make payment using credit or debit card.

Download and complete the library controlled parking visitor permit application form (PDF file). Take it to the library with your documents of proof of your eligibility for visitor permits and pay with credit or debit card.

You must provide 2 original (paper) documents (dated within the last 3 months) with your current name and address, for example:

• The current year’s council tax bill/statement
• Utility Bill dated within the last three months
• Rent Book or lease agreement
• Bank/building society statement dated within the last three months
• A valid driving license
• A valid car insurance certificate

We do NOT accept:

• Mobile phone bills
• Documents displayed on electronic devices 

Residents are entitled to a maximum purchase of 5 permit books from the libraries.

Free over 60s or newborn visitor permits can be applied for but not collected from the libraries - they will be delivered once your application is approved by the Parking Control Office.  This can take up to 10 working days to process your order.

Where to collect your visitor permits:

See controlled parking zones to find out which zone you are in.

If you don't fill in your form fully or include payment it will cause a significant delay to the process of getting your permit.

If you don’t provide telephone and email contact details in your application your application will be disregarded and your permit won't be issued.

Please allow 10 working days for your permit to arrive if you apply by post or the library drop-off service.

Proof of where you live

You must provide 2 original paper documents, dated within the last 3 months with your current name and address, for example:

• The current year’s council tax bill or statement
• Utility Bill dated within the last three months
• Rent Book or lease agreement
• Bank or building society statement dated within the last three months
• A valid driving license
• A valid car insurance certificate

Please note that if you are visiting the library you must provide two original paper documents or provide documents on an electronic device which show your current name and address.

We do NOT accept:

• Mobile phone bills
• Debit or credit cards 

Online permit

Scratch card permits

You can’t use resident visitor permits to park in:

• emergency services bays
• market traders bays (MT)
• catering bays (CAT)
• short stay bays
• PayByPhone or Pay and Display only bays
• car parks
• bays designated for a specific reason (for example: loading bays) 
• any bay that has been suspended
• or on yellow lines.

Make sure you renew your virtual parking permit before it expires. The responsibility for renewals rests with you and we don’t send reminders.

Please also note that:

• a maximum of 2 permits can be displayed at any one time, but the second permit must be validated with the time the first permit expires
• in controlled parking zones that have operational hours in excess of 10 hours per day, the display of two correctly validated five-hour visitor permits will cover the whole day
• information on forms submitted may be used by the council in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 (as amended) and it may be passed within the council or to other agencies in order to help prevent fraud
• if fraudulent applications are detected or if terms of use are breached this permit will not be valid and the associated vehicle will be subject to enforcement action
• any attempt to alter any of the details on the permit will render it invalid
• this permit is valid only on passenger and goods vehicles up to 1950 kg gross vehicle weight
• any vehicle not displaying a valid permit may be issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and may be subjected to further enforcement action
• the issue of a permit does not guarantee the user a parking space
• the council has the right to suspend parking at any time
• it is an offence to re-sell visitor permits
• the information that is provided on the application form may be passed onto third parties by the council in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 (as amended) in order to help prevent fraud
• visitor permits are not subject to refunds
• submission of the permit application form is confirmation that you agree to its terms and conditions of use

You should let us know if:

• you change a vehicle and are in possession of a valid permit
• you lose your permit or it’s been stolen

To notify us of a change of vehicle, please complete a further application form and pay the appropriate fee, or register a change of vehicle using the online form or alternatively you can register by post by downloading a visitor permit application form (PDF file) and sending it with evidence to the Parking Control Office.

If your permit is lost or stolen it will be immediately rendered invalid. You will need to report this, complete an application form and pay the appropriate fee for a replacement permit. You will be asked to provide the crime reference number supplied by the police. You can report your stolen vehicle online.

If you need a postal application form, or this permit doesn't meet your needs please contact our permit team by email wfpshop@nsl.co.uk or call them on 0203 092 0112, option 3 for assistance.