Please be aware of websites operated by private companies or individuals offering assistance with the Blue Badge application process. These sites may charge a substantial fee for their services.
Information to renew a Blue Badge has moved: Renew your Blue Badge
- A Blue Badge costs £10 to be issued to a successful applicant
- City of Leicester residents need to apply at Leicester City Council
- Check Who can get a Blue Badge (eligibility criteria) before applying
The Department for Transport (DfT) updated the Blue Badge scheme criteria on 30 August 2019 so that some people with non-visible (hidden) disabilities, including autism, dementia and mental health conditions, will be eligible for a Blue Badge.
- The new criteria are in addition to the previous criteria. If you already met (and will continue to meet) the previous criteria, you will continue to be eligible.
- If you believe you may be eligible under the new scheme, please read the new criteria very carefully as not all hidden disabilities will mean eligibility for a Blue Badge.
Before you apply for a Blue Badge
Please check Who can get a Blue Badge (eligibility criteria) before applying. Please note that some of the criteria is very specific.
You may apply online or by post
Applying online is quicker as you do not need wait for the form to get to us in the post. You can upload digital scans or photos of your supporting documents to go with your application, so you don’t need to get photocopies done.
What you will need
You can apply for a Blue Badge on behalf of someone else if they are not able to complete the form themselves.
If you're applying online – please ensure you have a digital file (a scan, document or photo) of the following information to upload during the online application process.
If you're applying by post – you will need photocopies instead (please do not send originals):
- proof of address - dated within the last 12 months (e.g. council tax bill, benefit letters or other official documents for government departments)
- proof of identity - such as your birth/adoption certificate, marriage/divorce certificate, civil partnership/dissolution certificate, valid driving licence, certificate of British nationality
- a recent, colour, passport style photo – taken in the last 4 weeks
- proof of benefit – including all pages of the letter and dated within the last 12 months (if applicable)
You may also need to provide the following, depending on your application route or your disability or condition:
- information about any medication you are currently taking (including dose and frequency)
- information about any treatments or surgery you have had or are due to have, that relate to your condition (including dates, if possible)
- official diagnosis letters
- any other relevant information or reports that are relevant to your application that demonstrate, or help to demonstrate, your eligibility. Due to the variability of the impact of various disabilities and health conditions, it is recommended that supporting information includes details of the impact of your condition on your ability to make a journey, the frequency that these impacts occur and whether they are specifically brought on by making a journey. Independent confirmation from healthcare or educational professionals are ideal, if available.
Applicants must have consent from any third parties (such as doctors) whose information is used to support the application, before it is submitted to us.
Apply for a Blue Badge online
Applying online is quicker as you do not need wait for the form to get to us in the post. You can upload digital scans or photos of your supporting documents to go with your application, so you don’t need to get photocopies done.
- The online application process requires the intended badge holder to be logged in with a Leicestershire County Council ‘Self’ account (NOT the person applying on their behalf). Carers or family members may of course still assist the badge holder with their application.
- Please see the list of documents above which may need to be uploaded as part of the online application. Please note that the call validate process cannot be used for under 16s and therefore proof of address documentation of a parent/carer with the same address as the child is required.
- A payment of £10 is required to issue a Blue Badge to successful applicants. The application process itself is free.
Preparing documents for upload
- Documents for uploading must be any type of visual electronic file, such as scanned images or documents, or photos taken on a digital camera, tablet or smartphone.
- Scans and photos should show the full page, including your name and address where relevant so we know that the document refers to you, and text must be clearly legible and not blurred.
Applicants must have consent from any third parties (such as doctors) whose information is used to support the application, before it is submitted to us.
Documents that are not clear or are incomplete cannot be used and may delay the application process. If you are unable to upload documents, you can apply by post.
Create a 'Self' account
The online application process requires the intended badge holder (NOT the person applying on their behalf) to create a Leicestershire County Council 'Self' user account, if they don’t already have one.
- It allows us to process applications quicker, and allows applicants to track progress
- We don't need any personal information beyond what is asked in the application
- Family members and carers can still assist the applicant with the online process
- New sign-ups will receive a verification email (check spam/junk folders) – click the link in the email to verify your account. You'll then be directed to a profile form to add your name and address. Register for a Self account here
Click 'Apply online' below and log in, or click 'Sign up now' to create a user account.
Applying for a Blue Badge by post
We recommend applying online. If you are unable to apply online you can complete a paper application by downloading the form below and returning it to the address shown with photocopies of your documentation.
Blue Badge Team
Customer Service Centre
County Hall
Glenfield
Leicestershire
LE3 8ST
The revised forms from 30 August 2019 are:
Please do not send the fee with your application. If your application is successful we will contact you to collect the fee.
What happens next
- Your application will be assessed according to the information provided on the application form and any additional documents provided.
- You may be invited to attend a face-to-face assessment with one of our trained expert assessors.
- You will then receive a notification of our decision and what you need to do next.
- Please allow 28 days for processing your application. If you're invited for a face-to-face assessment, your application may take a little longer (depending on the waiting times for an appointment).
Please note: face-to-face assessment may be suspended due to restrictions put in place at that time as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and for the protection of applicants and our staff. You may be offered a telephone assessment with one of our trained expert assessors in order to discuss the impact of your conditions on your ability to get from a vehicle to your destination. After the telephone assessment, the assessor may still require to see you face-to-face and you will receive an invitation. If face-to-face assessments are not able to take place, you will be added to a waiting list and invited to attend an assessment once they resume.
What happens if your application is refused
Request a review of the decision
If you disagree with the refusal, you can request a review of the decision if your application or renewal of a Blue Badge is refused. You are advised to provide further evidence as to why you believe you meet the criteria. Independent evidence from healthcare or educational professionals is ideal, if available.
Please contact us within 28 days of receiving your refusal letter:
- Write to Blue Badge, Customer Services Centre, Leicestershire County Council, County Hall, Glenfield, LEICESTER, LE3 8ST
or
- Fill in our Customer Services online contact form and send us the details of your enquiry
What happens next
Your application will be reviewed by an officer in our Transport Operations Service who is independent of the initial application process.
Once the review is complete, we will write to you about the outcome. We aim to do this within 28 days of receiving your request for a review.
In exceptional circumstances, we will consider re-applications before 6 months if your condition or disability has suddenly and significantly deteriorated. You will need to provide evidence of this change.
Make a complaint about how your application was handled
If you think that your application has not been assessed fairly or you are not happy about the way your application was processed, you may make a complaint about how your application has been handled.
Please refer to our complaints procedure.
You may also make a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman, who is independent of the County Council, by contacting the Ombudsman’s Advice Team on 0300 061 0614, but note that the Ombudsman would normally have expected the Council to have been given an opportunity to address your complaint before they investigate further.
Paying for a Blue Badge
If your application has been successful we will contact you to request payment. If we have emailed you, you can pay for your Blue Badge online. Please have your application reference number ready.
Cancellations
The Council may cancel your application if you don’t respond within one month to a request we make in connection with your application e.g. to supply further information, attend an independent assessment, or pay the fee.
If your address or name changes you must let us know
Renewing a Blue Badge
Information to renew a Blue Badge has moved: Renew your Blue Badge