It’s no secret or surprise that finding free streetside parking can be a bit of a hassle in the UK, especially in busy cities or towns. Understanding how ‘permit holders only’ signs work can help make this a bit easier, and often help you find something other than an overpriced parking garage.
You will find various ‘permit holders only’ parking signs across the UK. The majority look like the example and will include the required parking permit in white lettering in a black box, along with indicated times for parking restrictions in some cases. The type of permit might vary between residential, business, doctor, or general (as in our example), but they all work similarly.
‘Permit holders only’ parking is fairly self-explanatory. Only vehicles with a class ‘3’ permit may park in the designated area. Parking here without a valid permit could land you a penalty charge notice (PCN) or a fixed penalty notice (FCN).
In this example, only Business permit holders ‘WG’ may park in the indicated area during the stated times. However, the parking area is open to others outside of the stated times, meaning you can freely park there overnight from 6:31 pm to 7:59 am from Monday to Saturday without the risk of incurring a fine. The parking restrictions for this area do not apply on Sundays.
In this final example, only permit holders ‘CE’ may park freely between 9 am and 5 pm Mondays through Fridays. This sign differs from the previous one in that non-permit holders may park in the designated area provided that they make use of the pay and display machines, in this case, located to the left and right of the sign. In many places, paying by phone or app is also now an option. You can park here overnight for free, provided that you
park after 5 pm and leave before 9 am. These parking spaces are free to park in over the weekend.
Planning a trip somewhere new and not sure what to expect regarding parking? Check out our free parking guides for the North and South of the UK and save yourself a few pounds!
