Blue Badge Information
The Blue Badge Scheme allows eligible disabled people, travelling either as drivers or passengers across the UK, to park in certain restricted areas. As long as the journey is being made for you and you are in the car with the badge, you can travel in any car.
The Council administers the Blue Badge Scheme and is legally entitled to issue badges ONLY to those applicants who meet the criteria.
Warning: Non-affiliated websites charging assistance fees. Please be aware, non-affiliated websites charge fees for “assistance” with the Blue Badge application process. We would recommend you avoid using these sites and contact the Council if you have any queries.
Please note, Blue Badge holders can park free of charge in all East Dunbartonshire Council’s car parks, regardless of whether parked in a disabled bay or not. There is no need to obtain a ticket provided your badge is on show.
Further information on the Blue Badge scheme can be obtained by visiting Transport Scotland.
Apply for a blue badge
The best way to apply for a Blue Badge is via the online application form.
Eligibility Criteria
There are two main routes to eligibility:
- No Further Assessment (or Automatic qualification). People who are in receipt of certain benefit awards will automatically qualify for a Blue Badge without the need for assessment, as long as proof of eligibility is provided.
- Subject to Further Assessment There are a number of ways to qualify for a Blue Badge via this route, including Walking Disability, and these applications will be subject to assessment by the Council’s Occupational Therapy service. Some applicants will be asked to attend a face-to-face meeting known as an Independent Mobility Assessment.
Scotland’s Blue Badge Scheme has been permanently extended to allow people, who pose a risk to themselves or others in traffic, to get a badge, provided they meet eligibility criteria. This route is known as Risk in Traffic. Some people with a diagnosed mental health, cognitive or behavioural condition (this includes any mental health problem, personality disorder or learning disability, however caused or manifested, examples are dementia, autism or Down’s Syndrome) may lack awareness of danger from traffic, which is likely to compromise their safety or the safety of others as a result. It is these people who are covered by the extension. This part of the Blue Badge Scheme can only be applied for via the downloadable paper application form on this page. If you are eligible under this route, you will be required to submit a letter confirming your diagnosis and your application will then be assessed.
How to Apply for a blue badge
The best way to apply for a Blue Badge is via the online application form. Apply for or renew a Blue Badge.
Other ways to apply
If you are unable to apply online, there is now a separate application form for each of the individual circumstances listed below. The application forms can be downloaded from this page.
Application forms:
- Automatic Eligibility
- Walking Disability
- Child Under Three Years Old
- Severe Disability in Both Arms
- Not for Reassessment **
- Organisational Badges
- Risk in Traffic
Not for Reassessment **
This applies when an application has been assessed by the Council’s Occupational Therapy Team who have determined that there will be no need for any assessment of future badge applications. The new “Not for Reassessment” application form still requires to be completed to provide proof of identity and address only.
You should have been advised of your “Not for Reassessment” status by the Blue Badge Team when your last badge was issued. If you are unsure if this applies to you, please contact the Blue Badge Team on 0300 1234510 who will be able to confirm your assessment status.
You can also complete a “Not for Reassessment” application via the online system as long as you are able to input your current/previous badge number. The system will automatically know if a “Not for Reassessment” status applies, and will therefore only ask information about identity and address.
Assistance and advice regarding completion of Blue Badge application forms is available at any of our Community Hubs or by contacting the Blue Badge Team on 0300 1234510. Whether you apply online, or by paper application, you will require to come along to one of our Community Hubs to submit your supporting documents and pay for the badge. The Hubs operate an appointment system. Please call 0300 1234510 in advance to arrange an appointment. Further information about the Council’s Community Hubs can be found here. (link to Contact Us - East Dunbartonshire Council). Your application will not be processed until all supporting information and the payment have been provided.
Please note that applications under the Subject to Further Assessment route can take up to 12 weeks to be completed, so renewal applications should be submitted in sufficient time to allow for completion of the assessment process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There is an administration fee of £20 for each Blue Badge issued. The fee requires to be paid at the point of application and can be made as follows:
- By debit card, credit card or cheque at any of our Community Hubs. There is no surcharge for credit card payments. Cheques should be made payable to East Dunbartonshire Council.
The charge applies to all Blue Badges, including replacements. Please note that for security reasons your payment will be processed immediately upon receipt. If your application is not successful, the fee will be reimbursed to you.
The maximum period of issue for a Blue Badge is three years.
Temporary badges may be awarded if the applicant meets the eligibility criteria and their condition is likely to last for a period of at least twelve months, but less than 3 years.
Blue Badge holders are responsible for the security of their badges. All lost or stolen Blue Badges must be reported to the Police. Before we issue a replacement badge, the badge holder must submit a lost property slip or an incident reference number, which will be provided by the Police, and pay the fee of £20 for a new Badge to the Council.
For stolen Blue Badges, the badge holder must provide a crime reference number and pay the fee as above.
If you have changed address since your Blue Badge was originally issued, you must also provide proof of your new address.
The Scottish LEZ Blue Badge Exemption System is live for personal Blue Badge holders to register their vehicles for a LEZ exemption. The Vehicle Checker is also available on the LEZ website allowing members of the public to check if their vehicle will comply with LEZ standards.
You can find out more about Low Emission Zones on the Transport Scotland website.
If your application for a Blue Badge is refused, you are entitled to appeal the decision. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 28 days of the date of the refusal letter and must include the grounds for the review request, along with any further supporting evidence not already submitted.