Frequently asked questions about business parking permits

See Business parking permits

No. The business permit aims to make parking easier for rate-paying business owners. It is not meant to provide cheaper parking for employees.

Businesses can apply for up to five parking permits depending on the vehicle emission band they are in. See Business parking permits for details. These permits are intended to help with the essential running of your business, such as deliveries and visiting clients. They are not for cheaper parking for employees.

You can't apply if:

• you are a business and your vehicles was designed for more than 12 passengers (not counting the driver) or it's over 2.28m in height (a market trader parking permit can be issued to vehicles that exceed 2.28 meters in height)
• you have three or more unpaid penalty charge notices in your name or for the vehicle in the application, that are beyond the appeal stage
• your company's property is not in a controlled parking zone eg the Imperial Wharf development
• your vehicle is not registered with the DVLA within six months of arriving in the UK
• your company doesn't need a vehicle for the essential running of your business, ie for use by employees to commute into the borough.

Parking permits can be purchased for one month, six months or twelve months.

Your permit is valid from the first day of the month in which you buy it and you should renew your permit before the expiry date. We'll send you a reminder one month before the expiry date.

H&F have introduced emissions based parking charges. See Business parking permits for details.

With a permit you can park in any bay in your zone except bays marked for:

• blue badge holders
• personalised disabled permit holders
• motorcycles
• taxis
• parking bays restricted to pay and display users only
• diplomatic vehicles
• doctors
• traders
• loading by goods vehicles only.

Your business parking permit does not allow you to park within housing estates or on private roads.

No. Attaching a trailer makes the permit invalid and you may be fined.

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 about parking problems, and how close the zone is to the borough's three major football venues. Once we have chosen a zone to review, we consult local residents and businesses about improving the zone.

If you are unhappy with our decision, you can contact us using the parking contact form. We can't accept appeals from residents or businesses outside the borough or from those who have been refused a permit at a permit-free property.

Please contact us using our parking permits contact form

The DVLA requires all foreign-registered vehicles to be registered in the UK within the first six months. This makes vehicle owners accountable for their actions. We support this by only offering six-month permits to all drivers of foreign-registered vehicles. We will not renew your permit unless you register your vehicle with the DVLA.

We do not issue permits to anyone who has three or more unpaid parking fines that are beyond the appeal stage. This also applies if you want to renew your existing permit. Once you've paid the fines, you can apply in the usual way.