Cambridge resident parking permits

A resident parking permit allows you to park in a resident parking bay during your scheme area's operational hours.

Each Resident Parking Scheme area has different operational hours.

Please note that resident parking permits:

  • Are valid for one year from date of issue
  • Are specific to the scheme area you live in
  • Cannot be transferred between vehicles
  • Do not reserve or guarantee the availability of a parking space

Who can apply for a Cambridge resident parking permit

You may apply for a Cambridge resident parking permit if your main place of residence is in a defined Resident Parking Scheme area. You must own or regularly use a vehicle of the type permitted. Vehicles must not exceed 5m in length. 

Properties converted or any new developments completed after the start date of that Resident Parking Scheme are unlikely to be eligible for permits.

Cost of permit

Visit our Cambridge Resident Parking Schemes page to find out how much a resident parking permit costs in your scheme area.

Apply for a Cambridge resident parking permit for the first time

You can apply for a resident parking permit online.

When you apply, you need to:

  • Pay for your permit at the time of application
  • Provide a scanned image or readable photograph of the following documents:

We accept either:

  • Your full UK driving licence showing the address of the property you are applying for
  • A signed and dated tenancy agreement, valid for at least six months, showing your name and the address of the property you are applying for

If you don't have a tenancy agreement, or your driving licence doesn't yet show your new address, we will accept the following documents dated within the last three months:

  • A utility bill
  • A bank statement
  • A deed of conveyance

These documents must show your name and the address of the property you are applying for.

You then have three months to supply us with the correct documentation. If this is not received, we will cancel your permit and enforcement rules will apply.

The vehicle's insurance certificate showing you as the policyholder or main insured driver.

You also need to provide a letter from your insurance company acknowledging they are aware that the vehicle is parked within the relevant parking scheme.

We will accept the schedule of motor insurance showing the address where you keep the vehicle overnight and the policyholder / main insured driver.

If it is a company car with fleet insurance, we will accept a letter from the company on headed paper stating you are the main user of the vehicle.

If your vehicle has emissions of less than 75gkms, you're entitled to a 20% discount off the full cost of a resident parking permit.

If your vehicle is eligible for the discount, you need to provide a scanned image or readable photograph of your V5C document (logbook / vehicle registration document) for the vehicle.

Where your main residence is a riverboat you need to provide a scanned image or readable photograph of the following:

  • Valid Mooring Licence issued by Cambridge City Council
  • The vehicle's insurance certificate showing you as the policyholder or main insured driver
  • A letter from your insurance company acknowledging they are aware that the vehicle is parked within the relevant parking scheme

We will accept the schedule of motor insurance showing the address where you keep the vehicle overnight and the policyholder / main insured driver.

Apply online

By completing our online form, you agree to our general terms and conditions.

Apply for a Cambridge resident parking permit

After we have approved your application, we print permits on secure stationery and post them to you. Please allow five working days from the date of application to receive your permit.

Renew a resident parking permit

When your permit is due to expire, we will send you a renewal notice letter with instructions on how to renew.

On receipt of your letter, or up to 28 days before your permit expires, you can renew and pay for your permit using our online service.

By completing our online form, you agree to our general terms and conditions.

Renew your Cambridge resident parking permit

Further information

Resident parking areas

  • Within all schemes, parking bays are marked and signs located next to those bays
  • Only vehicles displaying a valid permit can park in these areas during that scheme's operational hours
  • A permit doesn't reserve or guarantee the availability of a parking space.
  • The permits are specific to the scheme area you apply for

Your scheme area may include:

  • Resident parking bays - if you are a resident, you may park for as long as you want when displaying a valid permit.
  • Shared / joint use bays - these provide short-stay, non-permit parking for people using local facilities. The waiting limit doesn't apply to permit holders.
  • Pay and display bays - these provide short-stay, non-permit parking for people using local facilities. You need to purchase and display a valid ticket or use the cashless parking option. Follow on-site instructions.

You must display permits on the inside of the vehicle windscreen during a scheme's operational hours so that Civil Enforcement Officers can easily see the details. Failure to do so may result in the issue of a Penalty Charge Notice.

If your address is not currently active on our system, please email the Parking Permits Team at parking.permits@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Not all addresses within a scheme are eligible for parking permits. Residents of new developments or properties redeveloped or converted since the introduction date of the Resident Parking Scheme for their area are generally not eligible for resident parking permits.

However, these properties may be eligible for visitor parking permits. In these circumstances, please contact the Parking Permits Team for advice.

As a resident parking permit is vehicle specific, you need to inform the Parking Permits Team if you change your vehicle by emailing parking.permits@cambridgeshire.gov.uk so we can issue you with a new permit.

There is no additional cost for this, but you need to provide a scanned copy or readable photograph of the Certificate of Motor Insurance for the new vehicle so we can action the change.

You also need to return the old permit to us. You can either:

You can obtain a paper application form by contacting the Parking Permits Team at parking.permits@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. 

If your parking permit is lost or stolen, you need to inform the Parking Permits Team by emailing parking.permits@cambridgeshire.gov.uk and we will send a replacement.

Where a resident no longer requires their permit they should return the paper permit to the Parking Services Team to receive a refund. We make refunds for each whole quarter remaining on the permit after we deduct an administration fee.

To return the paper permit, you can either:

Permits are not required on a bank holiday.

Where a resident is a disabled person who holds a Blue Badge, the Blue Badge acts as a permit for as long as the Blue Badge is valid. You must display the Blue Badge in a vehicle parked in a Resident Parking Scheme with the badge number and expiry date visible.

Any vehicle displaying a valid Blue Badge can park without any time limit and free of charge within:

  • A designated resident permit scheme holders' area
  • Limited waiting parking bays
  • Pay and display bays

If you need a courtesy car or hire vehicle because your own is temporarily off the road, please contact the Parking Permits Team on 01223 727 900 to obtain a temporary parking permit.

Policy, terms and conditions

You can contact us by:

Cambridge Parking Permits
Cambridgeshire County Council
PO Box 121
CB1 2WW