Who can have a permit
Parking permits are usually issued to the full-time residents of an address, for use with a vehicle which is also registered at that address. If your primary address is elsewhere, you should not hold a residents’ permit. Those who own and use second homes in the county may still apply for residents’ permits to park when they are making use of those homes. Your supporting proof documents must show the address in our zone, and vehicle supporting document show the applicants name and vehicle registration number you need a permit for.
Private cars, minibuses and motor caravans not able to carry more than 12 passengers and light goods vehicles (maximum laden weight 3500kg) may use a resident parking permit. Larger minibuses, motor caravans (mobile homes) and long wheel based commercial vehicles should be parked elsewhere if they will take up more than one average sized family car space.
Residents who are reliant on regular visits from family, friends or professionals for essential support to allow them to live independently in their own home, can apply for an essential visitor permit to share with their visitors to park whilst they are with you.
Resident zone parking permits must be issued in the name of the person, who according to the DVLA is the registered keeper of the vehicle. We accept new occupants may not have their vehicle registered at the permit address at time of application and the V5C shows a former address. We’ll accept it if details show the applicant’s name and registration number being applied for.
A vehicle may only have one active permit at any given time and that should be issued in the name of the person on record as the registered keeper of that vehicle for the address stated on the V5C.
May we remind you that it is an offence not to inform the DVLA of any change of registered keeper or change of address. This applies to updating a driver’s licence and any vehicle you are the registered keeper of. Updating one will not update the other at the DVLA.
Foreign registered vehicles must be registered with the DVLA after six months of residency in the UK.
Do not allow any unused parking permits you may have for your own address to be used by a non-resident or neighbours. They are not transferable and will be cancelled if sold to another person.
Addresses eligible for permits
You should not assume that because a road sign nearby shows ‘resident only permit holders’ that every postal address is eligible for permits, and that every car-owning person living at a postal address will be able to have a permit.
We strongly recommend prior to buying or starting a tenancy of an address in a residential zone without enough off-road parking for your needs you ensure you or your legal representatives check to ensure the prospective home is eligible to buy resident parking permits.
We can only issue permits to an eligible address as defined in our legal Traffic Order. An eligible address checklist can be found here.
New developments or conversions are often subject to conditions imposed by the local council’s planning office in the planning consent which restrict or exclude that property from access to on-street permits. Any such information will be contained in the planning documentation held by the local planning authority.
If eligible, most houses and flats in a zone will be eligible for two resident permits and two allocations of visitor permits per year. Visitor permits are not available to buy for the following resident permit zones: Dartmouth, Kingswear, Kingsbridge, Instow, Salcombe, Sidmouth & Tavistock.
Any property divided into flats, a house in multiple occupation (HMO), change of use or any ‘new build’ developments completed after the start date of that resident permit scheme, will most likely not be eligible for parking permits.
It is not possible to add in a new address without undertaking a public consultation to change the traffic order which is a lengthy and expensive process and would require support from the local county councillor to even be considered.