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How to use your Blue Badge

Misuse of Blue Badge is a criminal offence, so we advise you carefully read the Blue Badge scheme: rights and responsibilities booklet that is provided with all badges.

How to use your badge

The badge must:

  • only be used in the vehicle that the badge holder is travelling in
  • be clearly displayed and visible through the windscreen, with the photo face-down
  • not be used by friends or relatives to run errands without the badge holder
  • be accompanied by a correctly set 'parking-clock' (provided with the badge) when parking on yellow lines, or where there is a time restriction unless a ban on loading or unloading is in force

Where to use your badge

The badge is for on-street parking.

Off street car parks, supermarkets, hospitals, and privately owned roads, have separate rules and you should check the signs on display. The rules for parking in council-operated car parks can vary between councils.

Your badge is valid across the UK, but there are some restrictions in Central London, so you should always check before travelling.

You can also register for congestion charge exemption on the Transport for London website.

Parking concessions vary in each country within the European Union (EU). Before travelling with a blue badge, you should check the government's latest advice on using your badge in the EU.

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