Parking permit FAQs
CPZs and Parking Permits
How do I get a parking permit?
We have two cars. Will we have to pay £450 for a second permit?
Only if both cars are registered to the same person; if the two cars are registered to different people you can buy a £99 permit for each car.
Is there a limit to the number of resident permits available to each household?
No. All adults in a household are able to buy a resident permit at a cost of £99 per year. However, any resident requiring a permit for a second vehicle registered in his/her name would have to buy a second permit at a higher cost.
Why is the price of a second parking permit so high?
To reduce the demand for parking in our busy borough we must either limit the number of parking permits available or increase their price to an extent that will discourage the use of cars. A majority of the residents and businesses asked in a consultation were against limiting the number of permits available per household. Therefore the price of a second resident permit was set high to encourage a reduction in the number of second cars parked on public roads.
I pay council tax and road tax, why do I have to pay for a parking permit as well?
Council tax and road tax contribute towards services that are available to the entire population such as education, social services and highway maintenance. Controlled parking schemes only affect a local area and are expensive to set up and run. By law, the costs need to be met by the scheme itself through selling parking permits.
Will owning a parking permit guarantee me the right to park outside my house?
No. We cannot reserve parking spaces for groups or individuals. However, by preventing commuters from parking in the area throughout the day, controlled parking zones make it much more likely that residents are able to find parking spaces near to their homes.
Can my visitors park in the Controlled Parking Zone?
Visitors are able to park during the controlled hours if they buy a ‘pay and display’ ticket. In Zones F, S and G where resident priority hours operate and White City Estate , visitors also need to display a resident visitor permit, which are available free-of-charge to residents of these zones.
» Apply for a visitor parking permit
Residents in Zones A, X and Y can now apply for a new SMART Visitors Permit which is being trialled.
» SMART Visitor Permit more information
I am a business owner; are my staff allowed a business parking permit?
No. The business permit aims to make parking easier for rate-paying business owners who require a vehicle for operational reasons. It is not meant to provide inexpensive parking for employees.
» Apply for a business parking permit
Why can’t tradesmen working at my house/flat park for free?
It would be difficult for us to justify providing parking discounts for tradesmen when residents in the borough are often unable to find parking spaces.
Do I need a resident permit to park my motorcycle?
No. Motorcyclists are entitled to free and unlimited parking in all bays.
Is my disabled parking badge (Blue Badge) valid in controlled parking zones?
Yes. In line with the disabled parking policy in the rest of the borough, as a Blue Badge holder you are entitled to:
- free and unlimited parking in all bays
- a three-hour exemption from the waiting ban on single and double yellow lines if you do not cause an obstruction and there is no loading ban.
Why can’t I get a parking permit for my high vehicle?
We do not issue permits for vehicles measuring over 2.28m in height. This policy was established 25 years ago after the Traffic Authority for Greater London had received many complaints about overshadowing caused by parked high vehicles, especially on frontages with windows close to the road.
How do you decide which parking zones need changes to their restrictions?
We choose which zones to review according to the level of parking demand at different times of the day (including commuter parking), the number of complaints we receive about parking problems, and how close the zone is to the borough’s three major football stadia. Once we have chosen a zone to review we carry out a full consultation with local residents and businesses.
