If your trade involves working at other people's homes, you may need to leave your vehicle in residents parking zones while carrying out your work. You can avoid parking fines by registering for a trade parking permit.
A trade permit allows the holder to activate digital parking stays to park in a council owned Bath car park, residents’ parking bay, or on-street Pay & Display bay for as long as required, without having to purchase a ticket at a Pay & Display machine. This provides the flexibility of allowing the permit holder to stay for longer periods than the maximum time advertised.
Use this page to find out about Trade Parking Permits, the cost and duration of available permits, how to apply, and how to use a permit.
Check your eligibility
You must consider the following criteria to determine whether you are eligible for a trade permit; however, we will consider all applications on a case by case basis:
- If you are a tradesperson who requires parking in a restricted area to access goods and materials whilst on a job, you are eligible to apply for a trade parking permit.
- If you are a landlord who rents out at least one property in the parking zone in question, you are eligible to apply for a trade parking permit. If applying as a landlord you will need to tell us the Council Tax account number for the properties you own, so that we can validate your status.
- You do not need to be based locally to be eligible to apply for a trade parking permit.
You can register multiple vehicles for your business once your permit is approved.
Check the cost
Trade parking permits are free to obtain, but you will need to pay each time you use your permit via your pre-registered MiPermit account. Charges vary, depending on the location you are parking in.
| Zone | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Inner zone | Bath Central Zone and Zone 1, all city centre car parks | £3.60 per hour (up to £28 per day) |
| Outer zone | All other residents' parking zones | £7.50 per day |
Before you apply
You will need to provide the following documents and information:
- An image of your letterhead, or similar, to prove your business is legitimate
- The details of the current vehicles you wish to register against your permit
How to apply or renew your permit
You can apply for a free trade permit through our online permit management service, MiPermit.
How to use your permit
Trade parking permits are digital, so you will not need to print or display anything in your vehicle.
You must ensure you have a valid Trade stay to avoid receiving a parking fine.
To activate a parking stay, you will need to know the location code of the area you are parking in and the duration you will need to park. You must activate your stay immediately when you arrive. Trade parking permits are available on an hourly or a daily basis, depending on the zone you need to park in.
The location codes for use with a trade permit are as follows:
| Location code | Zone | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 755999 | Inner Zone | Bath Central Zone and Zone 1, all city centre car parks |
| 755998 | Outer Zone | All other residents' parking zones |
The easiest way to activate your stay is to use the MiPermit smartphone app (available on iOS or Android). Log in using your mobile number and PIN, go to the Trade Parking page and select your vehicle, location and duration required. Save and confirm your selection to finish.
You can find full details of the Trade Parking Permits in our Parking Permit Terms and Conditions.