Blue Badge scheme

About the Blue Badge scheme

The Blue Badge Scheme helps people who have an ongoing substantial disability or condition which can restrict and impair them.

An individual could be eligible for a blue badge under one of the following criteria:

  • children under the age of three years (who need to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment or be near to vehicle)
  • severely sight impaired (registered blind)
  • be unable to walk
  • individual receiving certain benefits (Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and, or Personal independent Payment) (PIP))
  • experience very considerable difficulty whilst walking, which may include psychological distress
  • be at risk of serious harm or pose a risk to other people whilst walking
  • in receipt of War Pensioners Mobility Supplement
  • receive benefit under armed forces and reserved forces scheme
  • non-visible condition causing severe struggle with journeys
  • severe disability in both arms

You can apply for yourself, someone else or an organisation.

The Blue Badge is issued to a person, not a vehicle. The badge holder must be in the vehicle when it is being used unless they are being picked up or dropped off.

Read more about the rights and responsibilities of Blue Badge Holders.

Apply for or renew a Blue Badge

Please note that the application process is the same for new applicants and for renewal applications.

You must check if you are eligible to apply for a Blue Badge on GOV.uk You can also use the service to reapply for a Blue Badge.

The quickest and easiest way to apply is online.

If you are unable to apply online, please email the Blue Badge Team at disabledcarparking@lincolnshire.gov.uk and we will send you a paper application form.

Do not pay anyone offering to help you complete the Blue Badge application form. They are not affiliated with the scheme and it could be a scam.

Within your application, we will ask you some questions about how you meet the criteria for a badge to be approved. You must provide us with medical evidence. This will be considered when we assess your application. Some examples include copies of your:

  • patient summary
  • prescriptions
  • diagnosis letters
  • clinical reports

If you have applied online and wish to send any supporting documents for your application, you can email these to us at disabledcarparking@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

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What happens next?

If your application or renewal is sent to us, we aim to assess it within six to eight weeks.

We may ask you to attend an Independent Mobility assessment (IMA) following the review of your application. If we do, a health care professional will look at your ability to carry out a range of mobility activities. You will be notified by us if an IMA is to take place.

If we approve your application, we will be in touch to arrange payment of the £10 fee.

Once we receive and process your payment your badge will be ordered and sent to you. Please expect receipt within 5 to 10 working days.

Appeals

If we refuse your application:

  • we will contact you to tell you why
  • you will have an opportunity to appeal against the decision

Report a lost or stolen Blue Badge

We will ask you to fill in a replacement form if your badge has been: 

  • lost
  • stolen
  • damaged

You must pay a £10 fee for the replacement badge. Once payment has been received, ordered and sent to you, please expect receipt within 5 to 10 working days.

You should report a stolen badge to the police. Blue Badges are valuable in the wrong hands.

If the badge was issued by us:

If the badge was issued by another organisation, please contact them directly.

Report misuse of a Blue Badge

You can only let someone else use your Blue Badge if:

  • you are in the car with them
  • they are picking you up or dropping you off and they need to park close to where you need to go

If someone else is driving you, you must let them know the rules. Read more about the rights and responsibilities of Blue Badge Holders.

If proven misused, we may ask for your Blue Badge back.

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It is a criminal offence to use a Blue Badge if you are not disabled. You could be fined up to £1,000.

How we can help you further

Please contact us for any of the following, preferably by email at disabledcarparking@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

  • To update your name
  • To update your address
  • To update your contact details
  • To report a death of a badge holder

Once you have been issued with your blue badge, please read the guidance booklet that is sent with your badge. Please note that some parking rules may differ, dependent upon different locations. You can use the location centre to check.

What you should do with an expired badge

You will receive a letter from the Department for transport (Dft) with your new badge. The letter will advise you to return your expired badge to us. We do not require you to return your expired badge to us; please destroy and dispose of your expired badge yourself.

Please note that every badge will have a 'valid from' and an 'expiry date', please ensure that you are using a valid badge on your journeys.

12 weeks before your badge is due to expire, we will send you a reminder about this so you can consider applying for a renewed badge in good time, if one is required.

Other services available

See below for other services provided by us that you may find useful: