Yes, many disabled people get temporary ULEZ exemptions (grace periods) for vehicles registered as disabled or with specific adaptations, extending to October 2027, but Blue Badge holders alone don't qualify unless their vehicle meets emissions or tax class rules; they need to register for the grace period if their vehicle doesn't meet standards.
Blue badge holders will need to pay the ULEZ charge unless their non-compliant vehicle qualifies for one of the following 3 grace periods. We've provided a brief summary of these grace periods here, but you should visit our discounts and exemptions page for full details, eligibility criteria and the online application.
From 24 October 2027 you will need to pay the daily ULEZ charge for your 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle' tax class vehicle if it does not meet the ULEZ emission standards. The vehicle must be registered with the DVLA (or equivalent EEA body) in the name of the applicant.
The Blue Badge is a legal document that allows persons with disabilities (document holders) to park their vehicle, or the vehicle in which they are travelling in, in reserved parking bays (blue bay) due to difficulties in their mobility or other disability.
A Blue Badge doesn't automatically give you free road tax, but it usually means you'll qualify for a full exemption or 50% discount if you receive specific disability benefits, like the higher mobility component of DLA or PIP, and meet other criteria, requiring you to apply to the DVLA for the exemption, which is tied to your benefits, not just the badge.
Check ULEZ discounts and exemptions | Transport For London
Can I use my wife's Blue Badge to do her shopping?
No, you generally cannot use your wife's Blue Badge to do her shopping unless she is with you in the vehicle as a driver or passenger, as the badge is strictly for the holder's use and benefit; letting someone else use it to shop for them (even if for the holder's benefit) is misuse, a criminal offense, and can result in fines and badge confiscation.
Can two cars use the same Blue Badge for congestion at the same time?
The terms and conditions of the Blue Badge discount entitle the badge holder to nominate up to two vehicles to use to travel in or around the central London Congestion Charging scheme.
Can I park on double yellow lines in London with a disabled badge?
You can park on single or double yellow lines for up to 3 hours if there isn't a ban on loading. You have to use your blue parking clock. You have to wait for at least 1 hour before you go back and park there again. Red routes in London.
Disabled people whose vehicles are registered with the DVLA as having 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle' tax class benefit from a grace period which exempts them from paying the ULEZ charge until 24 October 2027. This is valid as long as their vehicle doesn't change tax class.
Yes, you do need to pay the £12.50 ULEZ charge for Heathrow Airport if your vehicle isn't compliant with the emissions standards, as the airport is within the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for Greater London, effective from August 2023, and the charge applies for driving in the zone 24/7 (except Christmas Day). You'll pay this fee in addition to any other airport drop-off/pick-up charges if your vehicle doesn't meet the ULEZ criteria.
You can use the badge throughout the UK, the European Union and some other European countries. You can use the badge when you are driving or are a passenger in a car. Other people, such as your friends or relatives, can not use the badge unless you are travelling with them.
Blue Badge holders can apply for an 100% discount from the tunnels charge. If you have an active Blue Badge discount with TfL you will get the 100% discount automatically, you don't need to do anything as long the vehicle you drive through the tunnels with is on your discount.
Can you park for free in London with a Blue Badge?
You may park for free. Unless signs say otherwise, you may park without time limit. You must display the Blue Badge (and the blue parking clock if the bay is time limited). Always try to use these bays instead of parking on yellow lines.
If you have a Blue Badge you can park in places other drivers can't, for example parking spaces for Blue Badge holders. The Blue Badge is linked to you rather than a vehicle, so you can use it with any car. This includes taxis and hire cars that you're driving, or travelling in as a passenger.
On the 31st December 2020 the EU transition period ended and with it so did the ability for British Blue Badge holders to use their Blue Badges in many EU countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal.
To qualify for historic vehicle tax exemption in the UK, cars must be at least 40 years old. If your car or van was built before 1 January 1984 or registered before 8 January 1984, you do not need to pay road tax as of this past April (1 April 2024).
In 2025, Blue Badge changes focus on clarifying hidden disabilities, updating local authority guidance, and addressing vehicle tax/Motability scheme impacts, with a major shift seeing Electric Vehicles lose tax-free status from April, affecting some Blue Badge holders claiming vehicle tax exemptions, while ongoing improvements in Wales and England aim for fairer assessments and better processes, including new digital tools for parking payments and stricter enforcement.
