Parking permits

We offer different types of parking permits, season tickets and schemes.

The easiest way to obtain any of these is to apply online or by emailing us a completed form. If you need digital assistance to do this please see how we may be able to help.

Residents' parking permits

You must provide proof of residency and show you are the owner of the vehicle. There are a few exceptions, for example, company cars.

Each permit states a zone where parking is allowed. There is no guarantee residents can park outside their property or in their street.

If you live in a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), you can apply for a resident parking permit, except if you are a:

  • resident of new developments of flats/apartments and houses constructed/adapted after 1 April 2008
  • resident of a single dwelling, flat/apartment or house of multiple occupancy that has been formed as part of a conversion of a building or part of a building after 12 August 2013

Any new permits or renewals will be processed within 5 working days of receiving the request and will be posted out second class once payment has been received, this is subject to the correct supporting documents being submitted.

Apply online for a residents' parking permit

Residents' parking permits are valid for one year. You can buy up to three permits per household. 

Cost for the first vehicle is £29.20, the second £85.25 and third is £109.75. Each change to a permit is £5.85.

Apply for a residents' parking permit

You can also apply using this application form to fill in and post: 

Renewing a residents' parking permit

You can renew your Resident Parking Permit by sending a copy of your vehicle ownership and proof of address to: parkingcs@bedford.gov.uk

We accept the following documents as proof of vehicle ownership:

  • Vehicle Registration Document (V5c)
  • Hire / lease agreement
  • A letter from your employer, if the vehicle is a company car, confirming that it is owned/leased by the company and that you are the sole keeper of the vehicle
  • If the vehicle was purchased less than 4 weeks ago we can accept the Insurance certificate or cover note or garage bill of sale (the bill of sale must show your name and the address for which the permit applies)

If you are the vehicle owner or hirer, the V5c, or hire agreement, must detail your name and the address for which the permit applies.

We accept the following documents as proof of address:

  • Council Tax bill – must be the current year’s bill.
  • Tenancy agreement – must be current and signed by all the relevant parties.
  • Bank statement – must be less than three months old.
  • Utility bill – water/electric/gas/telephone – must be less than three months old.
  • Driving licence.

The document submitted must show your name and the address for which the Resident Parking Permit applies.

Please ensure you supply a contact telephone number so we can call you for payment. The Resident Parking Permit will be sent out in the post to you once payment has been made.

Visitor parking permits

Visitors parking permits are available to buy at £17.45 per book. To purchase a visitor book please email proof of your address to: parkingcs@bedford.gov.uk

Acceptable proof of address documents:

  • Council Tax bill – must be the current year’s bill.
  • Tenancy agreement – must be current and signed by all the relevant parties.
  • Bank statement – must be less than three months old.
  • Utility bill – water/electric/gas/telephone – must be less than three months old.
  • Driving licence. 

The document submitted must show your name and the address for which the visitor book applies.

Please ensure you supply a contact telephone number so we can call you for payment. Visitor books will be processed within 5 working days of receiving the request and will be posted out second class once payment has be received, this is subject to the correct supporting documents being submitted.

Visitor permits are limited to two books per household per year.

Make sure a valid visitor voucher is on display within the controlled parking zone (CPZ).

Every resident within the CPZ can apply for visitor books, except:

  • residents of new developments of flats/apartments and houses constructed/adapted after 1 April 2008
  • residents of a single dwelling, flat/apartment or house of multiple occupancy that has been formed as part of a conversion of a building or part of a building after 12 August 2013

Business parking permits

Business vehicles can park in any pay-and-display bays in the CPZ. Businesses based within the CPZ may apply for permits if they can prove a need.

Permits cost £231.15 per year for the first permit and £321.05 for the second. Each permit features the company name, but can be used by any vehicle registered by the business.

Call 01234 718057 if you have misplaced your permit or want further details.

Healthcare and voluntary organisations

Healthcare parking permits are for key healthcare workers. It helps them park in the CPZ while attending to patients. These permits are not valid on yellow lines.

Permits are valid for two years. There is a charge of £6.45 to change a permit within this period.

Permits cost:

  • £25.65 for healthcare workers
  • £6.45 for voluntary organisations

Email parking.services@bedford.gov.uk if you have misplaced or not received your renewal notice.

Parking bay suspensions

We sometimes need to suspend or partly suspend bays and spaces for specific purposes such as:

  • building work
  • roadwork
  • loading or unloading

We may suspend bays at any time and it is an contravention to park in a suspended bay. Warning notices will be displayed at the bay advising of any suspensions due. We do not carry out suspensions outside of the Controlled Parking Zone.

It will cost:

  • £38.55 per application for the first day. This can cover several bays or car lengths within a single parking place.
  • £12.90 per bay per additional day 
Use the parking bay suspension application form (PDF) if you need us to suspend a bay.

Waivers

A waiver is a form that allows a vehicle to wait on a yellow line while it is being used in an agreed way. It does not give you permission to park, but is intended to help with temporary work and short-term needs. We do not issue waivers outside the Controlled Parking Zone.

You can also email at parkingcs@bedford.gov.uk or by phone on 01234 718057.

Charges for waivers

A waiver costs £6.45 per day for up to 4 hours per vehicle and £12.90 per day for over 4 hours per vehicle. Waivers can be issued for up to a week and can be extended for further periods if necessary.

In most cases we will deal with your applications there and then. However, we may need to refer you to our Highways Service first. You don't need a waiver if you load and unload your vehicle on a yellow line. This needs to be without a break for a maximum of 15 minutes, as long there are not loading restrictions.

Vehicles marked as removals vehicles may carry out removals for as long as necessary, as long as there are no loading restrictions.

Waivers are issued for:

  • continuously loading and unloading bulky goods from your vehicle, when this will take longer than 15 minutes
  • continuously using your vehicle as a workshop, for example, fitting kitchens and using carpentry machinery
  • continuously using a tar boiler, welding cylinder, compressor or generator from your vehicle

Waivers are not issued for:

  • vehicles being used for storing tools
  • allowing you to park your vehicle while you are working elsewhere
  • trailers
  • unloading goods which are not bulky

Applications for waivers on the Town Centre pedestrian area (where there is a prohibition of traffic) must be supported by:

  • a Certificate of Public Liability Insurance for a minimum of £5 million
  • a risk assessment of the task that is to be undertaken

Car park season tickets

Season tickets are permits/passes which allow you to park in a particular car park and are available for most car parks. With a season ticket the average price of daily parking reduces. There is no need to visit a pay machine as the season ticket has already been paid for.

Please note that a season ticket is only valid for the car park for which you have paid for.

You can renew a car park season ticket by email at parkingcs@bedford.gov.uk or by phone on 01234 718057. Please tell us:

  • your contact telephone number
  • the car park you want to renew your permit for
  • your vehicle registration
  • the month you want to start from

Blue Badge Scheme

Parking is free and without time limit for holders of Blue Badges when using a marked parking bay. 

See the Blue Badge Scheme page for more information.