What is the Blue Badge Scheme?

The Blue Badge Scheme provides a national arrangement of parking concessions for people with severe walking difficulties, who travel either as drivers or passengers. The scheme also applies to registered blind people, and people with very severe upper limb disabilities who regularly drive a vehicle but cannot turn a steering wheel by hand.

The scheme allows the badge holder to take advantage of certain parking privileges whenever they are travelling, as a driver or passenger, anywhere in the European Union.

Who can get a Blue Badge?

The Blue Badge Scheme in the City of Nottingham is administered by the Traffic and Parking team in Nottingham City Council, who issue badges in accordance with guidelines and regulations provided by the Department for Transport.

Anyone who meets one of the following criteria is eligible for the automatic issue of a Blue Badge:

• Receives the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance.
• Receives a War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement.
• Is registered blind.
• Uses a motor vehicle supplied for disabled people by a Government Health Department.
• Has a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob.

Those who do not meet any of the criteria above may be eligible for a discretionary issue of a Blue Badge if they have:

• A permanent and substantial disability which means they are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. When considering an applicants ability to walk, other things such as carrying parcels, cannot be taken into account.
• People with a psychological disorder will not normally qualify unless they also have very considerable and not intermittent difficulty in walking.
• People with temporary disabilities, such as a broken leg will not qualify for a Blue Badge.
• Children under the age of 2 years do not normally qualify for a Blue Badge.

How much does the Blue Badge cost?

There is just an administration fee of £2.00

How long is the Blue Badge valid for?

Blue badges are usually issued for 3 years.

If your badge was issued by Nottingham City Council, we will write to you approximately 6 weeks before your badge is about to expire to remind you to re-apply for a new one.

How do I get a Blue Badge?

Anyone who wishes to apply for a Blue Badge must complete an application form and return it with the appropriate documents to Parking Services, Lawrence House, Talbot Street, Nottingham NG1 5NT.

A downloadable form is available here or phone 0115 915 6655 for one to be sent to you.
(Please note that this form is only for residents who live within the boundary covered by Nottingham City Council - i.e. those who pay their Council Tax to Nottingham City Council).

You must supply:-

• A photocopy of the qualifying evidence for an automatic entitlement if applicable.
• Proof of residency
• Two recent passport-style/size photographs of yourself signed on the back.
• A cheque/postal order for £2 made payable to Nottingham City Council (non-refundable)

Please do not send cash or original documents to us in the post

Can I apply on behalf of someone else?

Yes, you can apply on behalf of a person with a disability if you are a parent or guardian of a child between the ages of 2 and 16 years or helping someone who has difficulty writing, for example due to poor eyesight or poor co-ordination. However all sections of the form should be completed with the name and details of the person who qualifies for the badge, NOT the person applying on their behalf.

If the application is for a child under the age of 12 years, the signature can be provided by their parent or guardian. In all other cases the named applicant must sign the form and photographs.

Who can use the Blue Badge?

The Blue Badge is issued to a person, not a vehicle. This means the badge holder may use the concessions whenever he/she travels as a driver or passenger, regardless of who owns the vehicle.

Only the Blue Badge holder may use the concessions, so the Badge holder must be in the vehicle when the concession is being claimed.

It is now a criminal offence for someone other than the badge holder to use the Blue Badge concessions. If they do, they are liable to a fine of up to £1,000. The Blue Badge can be withdrawn if the holder misuses it or allows others to use it.

What happens if I move?

You may continue to use your existing Blue Badge.

If you’ve moved away from Nottingham City Council, you will need to apply to your new local authority for a new badge when your current badge expires

What happens if my Badge is lost or stolen?

You should report the matter to the Police – Blue Badges are valuable in the wrong hands. You should ask for a crime number and quote this when you request a replacement badge. You will be asked to fill in a new application form and will need to provide two recently taken passport sized photos, proof of residency such as a recent utilities bill (not a mobile phone bill) and a £2 administration charge.

Where can I Park?

A list of streets in Nottingham that offer disabled parking bays can be accessed here. The times when the bays are operational are also given.

Customer Surveys

Parking Services will from time to time invite customers to take part in surveys. From the questions we ask and the responses we receive we hope we will be able to see what aspects of our service customers are happy with and which aspects customers would like to see improved. We will publish a summary of the surveys and inform our customers of any changes that are made in response to suggestions.from these surveys.

Click here for a summary of the 2005 Blue Badge Scheme Survey

Click here for a summary of the 2007 Blue Badge Scheme Survey

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