Information about residents' parking schemes (RPS) across Bristol, types of permit available, what bays there are and what vehicles can park in them.
Residents parking schemes
A residents' parking scheme is a street or area where parking is controlled.
The hours of operation vary according to each scheme area. The times of operation can be found:
- under individual scheme pages see residents' parking areas
- on signs within the residents parking scheme
See pdf full terms and conditions for Bristol City Council residents' parking permit scheme (266 KB) .
Parking in a residents' parking permit scheme
To park in a residents' parking scheme area during its hours of operation you'll need to have a valid:
- parking permit for that residents' parking scheme
- visitors' parking permit for that residents' parking scheme
- pay and display session and parked in a pay and display bay or shared use bay
- Blue Badge
Sundays and public holidays
Most residents' parking schemes do not operate on Sundays or public holidays so you can park for free in permit holders' only, shared use, or pay and display bays bays without having a permit.
The only exceptions to this are Bower Ashton and Edward Road and Chatsworth Road where the schemes run all days and all hours except on Christmas Day.
Types of parking place
These types of parking place may be in a residents' parking scheme:
- Permit holders only
- Permit Parking Area (PPA)
- Shared-use: permit or pay and display parking
- Pay and Display only: pay and display parking only
- Disabled: Blue Badge holders
- Car Club: car club vehicles
- Loading: loading only
Check on signs to find out what type of parking place it is.
Residents' parking permits
Our residents' parking permits are now digital. To get a permit, you need to be a resident in the area and show that you are the registered keeper of the vehicle
Each permit can have two registration numbers on it. Only one vehicle can park in the scheme area at one time. You'll need to swap the permit between vehicles. If you have digital permits you can do this online or using the MIPermit app.
In a Permit Parking Areas (PPA's) you'll need a permit to park on any part of the adopted highway, including across your driveway. Vehicles parking in a PPA must have a valid permit on display at all times during the schemes operating hours.
Get a residents' parking permit
Residents' parking permit costs and allocations
Visitors' parking permits
You don't need to own a vehicle to get visitors' parking permits, but you need to show that you are a resident in the area.
The number of visitor permits you can get depends on your residents' parking scheme . Find out more by going to residents' and visitors' parking permit costs and allocations.
Our visitors' permits are now digital . Each digital visitors' parking permit is valid for one vehicle for one day during the schemes hours of operation.
Permits can't be transferred between households and mustn't be sold on.
Get, activate or change visitors' parking permits
Help to use your visitors' permits.
Pay and display
In some areas, people without a residents' or visitors' parking permit can park if they get a pay and display ticket or pay to park.
There will be a sign next to the parking place to show whether you need a permit, pay and display ticket or payment to park there.
You can park for up to 30 minutes free of charge using a pay and display ticket or pay to park for up to three hours. In some areas, you can park for longer than three hours. This will be shown on the signs next to the parking place and on the pay and display machine.
Permit costs
Permit costs will depend on the area you are living in. See residents' and visitors' parking permit costs
Enforcement
Residents' parking areas are patrolled daily; a Penalty Charge Notice (parking ticket) will be issued if a vehicle is not complying with the rules and regulations of the scheme.
If you park on double yellow lines at any time, you'll receive a penalty charge notice even if you have a valid residents' or visitors' parking permit.
If you see an illegally parked vehicle you can report it on our parking services contact form
Other vehicles
Motorbikes
If you have a motorbike you can park for free without time limits in any parking place except for a disabled or loading area.
Heavy vehicles
Vehicles with a maximum laden weight above three and a half tonnes may not be eligible for permits.
Other users
Car clubs
Car club Go to https://travelwest.info/drive/car-clubs (opens new window) bays can only be used by car club permit holders.
Students
You can't apply for a residents' permit if you live in a hall of residence.