You need a valid parking permit to park in some off-street residential parking areas owned by Oxford City Council.
Permits are free, but you must apply for one before you park. You could receive a Parking Charge Notice if you park without a valid permit.
Who can apply
You can apply for an Oxford City Council parking permit if:
- you live in one of our permit-controlled parking areas
- you do not have a driveway
Check the list of eligible permit parking areas to see if your area is included.
Check which permit you need
There are 4 types of resident parking permit available.
Resident permit
For residents who live in an eligible parking area. Valid for 2 years. Renew at least 10 working days before it expires. If you change your vehicle, you must apply for a new permit.
Carer permit
For registered care providers or family members who provide essential care for a resident. You must provide evidence that you are a carer.
Visitor permit
There are 2 types of visitor permit: short stay (up to 3 hours) and overnight (3pm to 10am). These paper permits must be displayed in the visitor's vehicle. A resident must apply for the permit, not the visitor. This is different from Oxfordshire County Council's CPZ visitor permit.
Visitor holiday permit
For visitors staying for up to 2 weeks. A resident must apply for the permit, not the visitor.
Apply for a permit
Use our online form to apply for or renew a permit.
You will need:
- proof of residence dated within the last 3 months, e.g. bank statement or utility bill
- your vehicle registration number, make and model, and proof of ownership, e.g. V5C registration document
- the expiry date of your current permit, if applicable
- a copy of your completed visitor permit, if applicable
- proof that you are a carer, if applicable, such as a hospital or doctor's letter
You must also read and accept the parking terms and conditions.
Apply for a resident parking permit
What happens after you apply
We will process your application within 5 working days.
Visitor permits
We will post the permits to your home address. These paper permits must be displayed in the visitor's vehicle.
All other permits
If your application is approved, we will issue you a virtual permit linked to your vehicle registration number. You do not need to display a paper permit in your vehicle. We will email you when your permit is active.
Eligible permit parking areas
You need a valid permit to park in any of these Oxford City Council permit-controlled areas:
- Albert House
- Amory Close
- Andromeda Close
- Atkyns Court
- Banbury Road Flats
- Bath Street
- Bears Hedge
- Birch Court Headington
- Blackbird Leys Road (17-31)
- Blackbird Leys Road (112-134)
- Blackbird Leys Road (136-162)
- Boundary Brook
- Bradlands
- Bramwell Place
- Butterwyke Place
- Cannon Court, Harefields
- Cardinal Close (38A-38C)
- Cardinal House
- Cosin Close
- Cress Hill Place
- Cumberlege Close
- Daisy Bank & Purs Lane
- David Walter Close (21-32)
- Druce Way
- Edmund Road
- Evenlode Tower
- Ferry Hinksey Road
- Fisher Vale Close
- Foresters Tower
- George Cooper House/Malcolm Stone House
- George Moore Close
- Glanville Road
- Headley House
- Heath Close
- Hundred Acres Close
- Iffley Road (310-340)
- John Snow Place
- Knights House
- Lake Street (off Stewart Street)
- Littlehay Court (1-8)
- Lydia Close
- Mattock Close
- Mogridge Drive
- Normandy Crescent
- North Place
- Paradise Square
- Pegasus Road
- Pike Terrace
- Plowmans Tower
- Preachers Lane/Friars Wharf
- Riverside Court
- Russell Street
- Sandy Lane
- School Court and Great Clarendon Street
- Singletree
- South Bridge Row
- Spooner Close
- St Nicholas Road Flats, 1 to 47 (odd numbers only)
- Stockleys Road
- The Grates Garage Forecourt
- The Oval - Rose Hill
- Tilehouse Close
- Townsend Square
- Tucker Road
- Venables Close
- Venables Close (1-9)
- White House Road/Salter Close
- Windale House
- Windrush Tower
- Wood Farm
- Youngs Way (1-10)
New permit areas
We may introduce new permit schemes if residents have difficulty parking in one of our council-owned parking areas. This can happen if:
- commuters or tourists take available spaces
- a new Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) displaces vehicles into our parking areas
If we introduce a new scheme, we will contact all affected households in the area with information about parking permits.
Parking enforcement
We use Vehicle Control Services (VCS) to manage and enforce parking. They regularly patrol council parking areas and check vehicles.
To help enforce parking restrictions, we share your vehicle registration number, make, model and colour with VCS. We do not share personal information.
VCS uses Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to check that vehicles parked in permit areas have a valid permit. ANPR works by:
- recording vehicle details on the VCS system
- scanning vehicle number plates when vehicles enter permit-controlled parking areas
- checking whether a valid permit is linked to the vehicle
Parking Charge Notices (PCN)
You may receive a PCN if:
- your vehicle is not registered on ANPR
- your permit has expired
- your vehicle does not have a valid permit for the area
- your vehicle is not parked appropriately in a bay or space, or obstructing another vehicle
Any appeal against a PCN must be made directly to VCS. The Council cannot intervene or waive charges. Details of the appeals process and applicable fines are provided on the PCN.
Parking terms and conditions
- The permit is only valid in your designated scheme.
- The permit will become void after the expiry date.
- If your vehicle is stolen or sold, you must notify Oxford City Council immediately (no longer than 72 hours after the event).
- If a loan or temporary vehicle is in use, Oxford City Council can issue you with a visitor's permit in the interim.
- In the event of a permanent change of vehicle, you must inform Oxford City Council within 7 days. You must apply online for a new resident permit for your new vehicle. A temporary permit for a period of 6 weeks will be issued until your new vehicle details are registered to you.
- If you are issued with a visitor's permit in the interim, the visitor's permit must be displayed on your dashboard until your vehicle details are registered on ANPR (notes will not be accepted in place of a permit). Failure to display a visitor's permit can result in a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) being issued by Vehicle Control Services and you will be liable for payment of the PCN.
- You must ensure that you renew your ANPR application within 10 working days before the expiry date.
