Blue Badge Scheme

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The purpose of the Scheme is to give disabled people the ability to park on-street, close to the facilities and services they need so as to improve their lifestyle, independence and freedom of choice.

The scheme only applies to on-street car parking. For off-street car parking such as shopping centres and multi-storey car parks, badge holders must check the concessions offered, as these can vary widely.

You can get a badge if:

you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance;

you are registered blind;

you use a motor vehicle supplied by the Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre, Musgrave Park Hospital;

you get a grant towards your own vehicle from the Department of Health and Social Services;

you receive a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement;

you have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty walking. In this case your doctor may be asked to answer a series of questions to help the Disabled Persons Badge Scheme Central Office determine whether or not you are eligible for a badge;

you have a severe disability in both upper limbs, regularly drive a motor vehicle but cannot turn the steering wheel by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob.

(Note: Children under 2 years of age do not qualify for a badge because they would not normally be expected to be able to walk independently.)

Concessions available to Blue Badge Holders

A Blue Badge is personal to the disabled person whose name and photograph it bears and is for his/her use only. When the badge is displayed it entitles its holder to leave his/her vehicle:

without charge or time limit at on-street 'pay and display' equipment;

without time limit in streets where otherwise waiting is allowed only for limited periods;

for up to 3 hours on yellow lines except in a clearway, bus lane or where there is a ban on 'loading' or 'unloading'.

IMTAC Blue Badge Scheme Advice

Traffic attendants have begun to increase enforcement against people who misuse Blue Badges.

Common abuse of the badge scheme includes: family or friends using a badge without the badge holder travelling in the vehicle; overstaying the concession time allowed; and displaying the badge back to front, which prevents traffic attendants from identifying the serial number.

To read more about this click here.