Blue Badge holders can use their permit in 27 countries in Europe - full list

A Blue Badge allows you to park for free in disabled parking bays and may exempt you from other parking restrictions – and it’s accepted in a number of countries abroad.

You can use your Blue Badge in a number of European countries(Image: Getty)

British travellers may not be aware that their disabled parking permits can be used in several countries abroad. Your Blue Badge could be valid for use in certain parts of Europe.

If you have a physical disability or health condition that affects your ability to walk safely, or if you live with a hidden illness such as dementia, autism or Parkinson’s, you might qualify for a Blue Badge. This badge can help you park closer to your destinations.

Whether you’re behind the wheel or a passenger, a Blue Badge allows you to park for free in disabled parking bays and may exempt you from other parking restrictions.

The Government website provides full guidance as to where you can park with a Blue Badge(Image: Getty)

However, many of the 2.6 million Blue Badge holders in the UK may not know that numerous countries worldwide have reciprocal parking agreements with the UK. These arrangements aim to make travel easier for disabled individuals between countries, without the need for extensive paperwork to validate their parking card or permit.

As reported by Daily Record, these concessions typically include access to parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities, extended parking durations, or exemptions from parking fees. According to guidance on GOV.UK, you can use your UK Blue Badge when travelling in some EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

This guidance also provides a list of countries with links to pages that contain:

Information about parking for disabled people in the country
Disabled parking notices that you can print off and display with your Blue Badge.

Where you can use your Blue Badge

The GOV.UK website provides a comprehensive list of countries where the Blue Badge can currently be used. These include:

Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Cypress
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sweden
Switzerland.

However, the rules are less clear for some other European countries. For instance:.

France – May not recognise non-EU issued parking cards
Italy – Non-EU parking cards accepted in some regions only
Spain (including Balearic and Canary Isles) – UK Blue Badge recognition across Spain decided by local administrations.

The Government website advises that while it’s not mandatory to display a local parking notice in another country, it could be beneficial. It’s also important to note that:

Local parking rules may vary within a country
Some countries may have updated their rules since the advice was published.

A Blue Badge allows you to park for free in disabled parking bays and may exempt you from other parking restrictions(Image: Getty)

How to apply for a Blue Badge

To apply for a Blue Badge, you will need to provide:

Proof of identity
Proof of address
A recent head and shoulders digital photo
Your National Insurance number (if you have one)
Contact details (phone number, email and postal address).

To verify your identity, acceptable documents include a copy of your birth or adoption certificate, passport, driving licence, marriage or civil partnership certificate, or divorce or dissolution certificate.

For address verification, you can provide a copy of a recent council tax bill, a recent letter from a government department such as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), your driving licence, or a recent letter from a school (if you’re under 16).

Certain people automatically qualify for a Blue Badge. The criteria for this is if you are aged three or over and at least one of the following applies:

You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
You receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you can’t walk more than 50 metres (a score of eight points or more under the ‘moving around’ activity of the mobility component)
You are registered blind (severely sight impaired)
You receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
You have received a lump sum benefit within tariff levels 1 to 8 of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
You receive the mobility component of PIP and have obtained 10 points specifically for descriptor E under the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity, on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress.

Other conditions also qualify you for a badge but not automatically. These are if:

You have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition that means the child must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
You are constantly a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks
You struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
You find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others
You regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations causing temporary loss of behavioural control
You frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces.

For more information and to apply visit gov.uk/apply-blue-badge.

A Blue Badge costs up to £10 in England and £20 in Scotland. It’s free in Wales. They usually last up to three years.

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