Blue Badge / Disabled Parking

Contact Blue Badge team

What is the Blue Badge Scheme?

The Blue Badge scheme is for people with severe mobility problems which makes them unable or virtually unable to walk or those who are registered blind. It allows Blue Badge holders to park in restricted areas. For example, if you have a blue badge you can park free and for any length of time at on-street pay and display areas.

Blue badges can be issued to adults, children or to organisations providing care. They can be used for badge holders who are drivers or passengers in any vehicle. It is illegal for other people such as friends or relatives to use the badge when the badge holder is not travelling with them.

A Blue Badge is valid for three years and the cost of a Blue Badge is £20.

From 1 June 2023, Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) will come into force.

Further information can be found in the link below:

Further details on LEZ

How do I apply to get a Blue Badge?

You can apply online for a blue badge using the following link: Apply for a Blue Badge online .

Please allow up to 12 weeks for your application to be processed prior to making contact with the team.

Renewals - If you are applying to renew your existing badge, please do so no earlier than 12 weeks from expiry date.

The advantages of applying online:

you can apply any time, day or night
family or friends can complete the form for you if you can't do it yourself
you will get a 'tracking reference number'. You should take a note of this reference, straight away, exactly as it appears on screen
you will be able to return to a saved application and track the progress of a completed one
applicants should be aware that non-affiliated websites exist and charge fees of up to £49 for assistance. They are not associated with the Blue Badge Scheme.

How do I know if I am eligible for a Blue Badge?

You may qualify for a blue badge if you meet one of the following criteria:

Automatic Criteria (without further assessment)
You will automatically qualify for a blue badge if one of the following applies:

Child Disability Payment, higher rate mobility
Adult Disability Payment, higher rate mobility
You are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
Receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) :
- with a score of 8 points or more in the Moving Around Section
- with a score of 12 points in the 'Planning and Following Journeys' Section
Receive a War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement
Received a lump sum under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and have been assessed as having a permanent disability that means you can't walk or have considerable difficulty in walking

Discretionary Criteria (with further assessment)
You may be eligible for a Blue Badge if you meet one of the following criteria. Please note that you will be assessed by Glasgow City Council to establish eligibility and may have to attend an Independent Mobility Assessment.

Have a permanent disability that means you can't walk or find walking very difficult
Have a temporary and substantial mobility impairment that is likely to last for at least 12 months but less than 3 years and means that you are unable to walk or have considerable difficulty walking
Drive regularly and have a severe disability in both arms and are unable to operate or have considerable difficulty in operating parking meters

Mental Disorder / Cognitive Impairment

People with a diagnosed mental disorder or cognitive impairment which means they have little or no awareness of danger from traffic may be considered for a Blue Badge.

Criteria for Blue Badges for Organisations
Some organisations may be eligible for a Blue Badge:

If they care for and transport disable people who would meet the requirements to qualify for a badge themselves
Has a clear need for an organisational badge rather than displaying the individual badges of people it is transporting

DS1500
If you are in receipt of a DS1500 you should contact the McMillan Long Term Conditions Benefit Team and Improving the Cancer Journey. Their details are as follows:

McMillan Long Term Conditions Benefit Team: phone 0141 287 5901 www.glasgow.gov.uk/LTC

McMillan Improving the Cancer Journey: phone 0141 287 7077 www.glasgow.gov.uk/ICJ

What documentation do I need when applying for a Blue Badge?

The application form will detail what information you are required to submit depending on your individual circumstances. Please do not send documents to our office as our staff are working remotely, documents must be submitted electronically. Please note that failure to submit the correct documents will result in a delay in processing your Blue Badge Application.

Proof of Identity is required. This can be either:

Birth certificate
Valid driving licence
Passport

Proof of Address is required. You can provide:

Council Tax bill with your name and address, dated within the last 12 months
Alternatively, give consent for the LA to check your details on the Council Tax register

Evidence of your condition. You need to either

Provide a certificate of entitlement to the higher rate of mobility, dated within the last twelve months for Child Disability Payment
Provide a notice of determination for Adult Disability Payment plus award letter with review date
Provide your latest PIP decision letter showing the date that your award ends, including the statement of entitlement that shows the mobility points scored. You need at least 12 points for planning and following a journey OR at least 8 points for moving around.
Provide a letter of entitlement to the War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement to your local authority
The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) will have issued you with a letter confirming the level of your award under the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme.

You will also need to provide the following:

National Insurance Number
Contact details (telephone number and email address)

What happens if my application is refused?

If your application is refused and you disagree with the decision you can ask us to reconsider your application. You must do this within 20 working days of the date from your refusal letter.

Please complete our online form here by signing up / logging into MyAccount (see below). You must provide reasons why you think the decision should be reviewed and include any relevant information about your disability, medical conditions or walking ability that you think should be considered.

We will contact you to inform you of the outcome of the review and this will be the final decision on your application

How do I report a lost or stolen Blue Badge?

If your blue badge is lost or stolen you must notify us via our online form here by signing up / logging into MyAccount (see below).

If your badge has been stolen you must also report this to your local police station who will provide you with a police incident reference number which you must quote when making contact with us.

What if the Blue Badge is no longer needed?

You should destroy your badge if: -

Your badge has expired
You are no longer eligible / no longer require a badge (advise us via our online form here.)
You have found the badge you thought was lost or stolen (we will have cancelled the original)
The badge holder has died (you do not need to notify us of the death)

What if I change my Name, Address or Telephone Number?

You should tell us of any changes as soon as possible so that your details can be kept up-to-date and accurate.

If you are moving from Glasgow to another local authority area, please contact the existing authority asking them to transfer your badge details to Glasgow.

If you are moving to Glasgow from another local authority, please contact the local authority directly for advice.

Any changes should be made via our online form here.

Where can I use it?

If in doubt about where to park at any time, you should check with the local authority.

Badge holders:

may park free of charge and without time limit at parking meters on-street and 'pay-and-display' on-street parking
may be exempt from time limits imposed on other users
may usually park on single or double yellow lines in Scotland without any time limit. In England and Northern Ireland, there is a time limit of up to three hours. Badge holders should also check for loading or unloading restrictions indicated by yellow markings on the kerb. When these restrictions are in force the badge holder is not permitted to park
can park in greenways out-with times of operation

Remember, the blue badge must be displayed at all times when parking.

The badge belongs to you, and not to the vehicle you are travelling in. You will therefore only be issued with one badge.

As long as the journey is being made for you, and you are in the car with your badge, you can travel in any car.

How long is a Blue Badge issued for?

The majority of blue badges are issued for a three year period. However the regulations provide for certain exceptions which are detailed below:-

Where a temporary badge has been issued for a period of at least 12 months, but less than three years
Where a badge has been issued for a condition that is unlikely to last longer than 12 months
Where entitlement for a blue badge is linked to the Higher Rate of Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMCDLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement (WPMS) and the Armed forces and Reserved Forces (Compensation) Scheme (AFCS) the period of issue is linked to the period of receipt of the allowance, where that period is less than three years. Note in this regard there is no minimum period of issue e.g a badge could be issued for less than 12 months if this corresponds with the period of issue of the allowance
Where a blue badge is issued by reason of an extended award of disability living allowance (DLA) whilst an application for PIP is being considered the period of issue is determined by period of receipt of the previous award of DLA, where that period is less than 3 years. No minimum period of issues applies in this circumstance.
Where a blue badge is issued under regulation 4(2)(ab) the badge has an issue period of 1 year
Where badge is issued to a child under three, the badge is issued for a maximum period ending on the day following their third birthday.

Misuse of a Badge

Misuse of a Blue Badge is a serious offence, If you misue your badge or allow others to misuse your badge, your badge will be withdrawn.

In Scotland, police, traffic wardens and local authority car parking attendants have the power to inspect blue badges. These people should produce an identity card with a photo on it to prove who they say they are.

Blue Badges should only be used by the registered badge holder or for their benefit. Please remember your blue badge should be displayed at all times when parking. Your Blue Badge can only be used if:

you're travelling in the vehicle as a driver or passenger
someone is collecting you or dropping you off and needs to park at the place where you're being collected or dropped

Badge holders must not allow other people to use the badge for their own journeys. Allowing someone else to use a badge is a criminal offence. To reduce the risk of this happening accidentally, the badge should be removed from the vehicle whenever the parking concessions are not in use.

Badge holders must ensure that the details on the front of the badge remain readable. If it becomes unreadable, the badge must be returned to the local authority for re-issue.

Any other circumstances are a criminal offence and you may be liable for a fine of up to £1000

What is myaccount?

MyAccount gives you the ability to set up an online account using a single user name and password to access a range of online public services including some Glasgow City Council services. Read more about MyAccount

To update your MyAccount details follow this link: -

MyAccount update details link

If you have forgotten your password - you can reset via this link: -

MyAccount password reset link