Pavement parking explained: is it illegal to park on the pavement?

Be it in the centre of a busy city or on a quiet rural cul-de-sac, pavement parking is ubiquitous in the UK, yet the rules surrounding it aren’t all that clear. General parking rules state that parking on double-yellow lines isn’t allowed, however, whether you’re allowed to stop on the pavement changes depending on the situation and where you are.

If you’re in London, then the rules are nice and clear: you must not park on the pavement at all, whether your car is partially or fully on the path. The Highway Code makes that clear, and doing so could result in you receiving an unwelcome fine through the post.

As soon as you leave the capital, things get a little more confusing. That’s where our handy guide comes in as we give you the full rundown on pavement parking and how councils may soon be given the power to enforce blanket bans on the practice.

What is pavement parking?

Putting any of the wheels of your vehicle onto the pavement – the path for pedestrians at the side of the road – is defined as pavement parking. If you do so even slightly, whether it’s one wheel or all four, in a place where it’s not allowed, then you could receive a fine from a parking attendant.

It’s discouraged in some places and outright banned in others because it blocks the path for pedestrians, especially those with children and those with disabilities. It’s selfish and doing it in a place where it’s not allowed can be dangerous to vulnerable people, who might be forced onto the road to proceed.

Is it illegal to park on the pavement?

In London and all of Scotland, yes, it’s illegal to park on the pavement. Elsewhere in the UK, the Highway Code states that one “should not” park on the pavement, rather than “must not”. This implies the rules are advisory, provided you do not breach any other laws.

For example, parking on the pavement in a location where a specific Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is in place could see you receiving a fine through the post; TROs are usually confined to small areas, aside from a few exceptions like Exeter where it applies to the whole city, and will be signposted. It’s also illegal under Rule 242 of the Highway Code to leave your vehicle anywhere that causes an obstruction – including on the pavement.

With this in mind, putting one or two wheels up on the kerb may be fine, depending on the width of the pavement and whether there’s a TRO in place. You should always consider other road users when driving and parking, so think about whether your car might be in the way of anyone else at any point. If so, you could be fined by the police, or your car could be towed away.

If there are signs that explicitly permit pavement parking, or bays painted onto the tarmac, you can be sure you’re allowed to park there legally.

While data suggests roughly half of local councils in the UK – bar those in London and Scotland, of course – allow permit parking, the Government may soon give them the power to enforce blanket bans. TROs usually require a long legal process to implement and thus typically only stretch across small areas of a couple of streets at most.

However, the Labour Government under now-ex-Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, announced in early 2026 that new powers would be granted to local authorities to make it easier to “proportionately” enforce blanket bans on the practice of pavement parking. 

This has been well-received by disability advocate groups, with the chief executive of Guide Dogs, Andrew Lennox, pointing out how pavement parking is “especially dangerous for people with sight loss, who can be forced into the road with traffic they can’t see. Pavement parking is also a barrier that shuts people out of everyday life. When pavements are blocked, people with sight loss lose confidence, independence and the freedom to travel safely.”

What are the penalties for pavement parking?

You could be fined up to £130 (£100 in Scotland), which is usually halved if you pay within 14 days. However, parking on the pavement can leave you liable to being towed, which will result in even more fees for collection.

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