Traders' parking voucher

Traders or residents can apply for a voucher to allow traders to park in a CPZ if they are working on a nearby property.

We will be increasing our Traders’ vouchers from the 2nd April, more information can be found here

Buy daily traders’ vouchers if you live in a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ).

All traders’ vouchers are now virtual. You need an online account to buy and use virtual traders’ vouchers. You will not be sent anything in the post and do not need to show anything in your vehicle. When you apply for traders’ vouchers, your address will need to be validated and any requested evidence approved before you are able to activate and use any vouchers.

Businesses or residents living within a CPZ who are having works done on their property, may purchase traders' vouchers, to be used by the tradesperson.

To meet the criteria for a traders’ voucher you should have:

  • A works order or a quote for work on company headed paper which must include the Lambeth address where the works are taking place.

Please note that you must provide evidence for each application.

Once you have uploaded your evidence, this will need to be approved by our back office. Please allow up to 10 working days for evidence to be validated. Once approved you will be notified via email and will then be able to activate your traders' vouchers for use.

Failure to supply the requested proof documents within 30 days of the application will result in the application being rejected without refund.

Making an application for traders’ vouchers serves as acknowledgement and agreement of this, and all other terms and conditions.

You’ll get a confirmation email when you buy a voucher. You do not need to print this email.

Apply for a traders’ voucher online

Traders’ vouchers are not valid within an estate - they are for on-street parking, within the zone specified

Activating a voucher

It’s the responsibility of the resident or tradesperson to activate vouchers for the days the vehicle is being parked.

Once your evidence has been approved, you can activate vouchers straight away or for any time in the future. You can either activate a voucher yourself, or your tradesperson can do it. You may have to provide evidence before your vouchers can be activated. Please allow up to 10 working days for evidence to be validated.

If you choose today’s date, the voucher will activate instantly.

If you choose a date in the future, you can cancel that booking up until that date. If you cancel a booking, the voucher will be returned to your account for future use.

You can see that a voucher is active by logging into your account and looking under current voucher sessions.

An officer will input the vehicle registration into their handheld device and will be able to see that a traders’ voucher is active and will not issue any penalty. Nothing needs to be displayed in the vehicle.

Old-style paper trader vouchers

You can still use old-style traders’ parking vouchers that were issued from 2014 to 2018, often called scratch cards, but do not scratch the year out.

Please continue to scratch out the day, month and date and add the vehicle registration number.

Paper traders’ vouchers are invalid if more than one day/month/date panel is scratched off.

The vehicle registration number must be written clearly in the space provided on the front of the voucher.

Paper vouchers will have the Controlled Parking Zone they can be used for shown on the front of the voucher.

The vouchers should be displayed clearly so that it can be seen by enforcement officers. If it is not clearly shown, this may result in a penalty charge notice being issued.

Vehicle types

Your voucher can be used on either a:

  • motorcycle,
  • passenger vehicle
  • light goods vehicle with no more than 8 seats.

The overall height should not exceed 2.3 metres. The length should not exceed 5.5 metres.

Costs

As of 30 May 2023, our pricing for trader vouchers has been updated.

For more information about this change and changes to other parking charges, read about our emission-based parking charges.

See emission-based trader parking voucher charges

There is no limit to the number of vouchers that can be applied for.

Exchanges and refunds

Outside of the 14-day cooling off period, traders' vouchers are not refundable, not exchangeable and cannot be resold.

The 14-day cooling off period applies to the entire purchase. If any voucher that is part of the purchase has been used the 14-day cooling off period will not apply and no refund will be payable.

Request a traders' voucher refund

Rules of use

Traders’ vouchers are only valid in the controlled parking zone for which they are purchased and will not allow you to reserve a bay. The vouchers are valid in residents and shared used bays only. 

  • Each voucher is vehicle specific and cannot be used on any other vehicle.
  • Vouchers are restricted to one vehicle.

These vouchers are not transferable. 

See trader's voucher terms and conditions.

If you experience any difficulties applying for a traders’ voucher, please contact us.

If you require a reasonable adjustment as per the Equalities Act 2010 please contact us.

Why vouchers are virtual

Virtual vouchers mean:

  • you do not need to print, send, and display any physical document
  • you can access vouchers at short notice and can’t lose them as they are stored electronically
  • the carbon footprint of parking vouchers is smaller
  • the opportunity for misuse of the system is removed