Parking Permits in Utrecht: Resident Permits, Waiting Lists and Visitor Discounts

This guide is for internationals living in Utrecht, or about to move there, who own a car or have visitors who drive. After reading it you will know how a resident parking permit works, what happens if your area has a waiting list, which local rules apply, and how to give visitors discounted parking through My Parking Action.

• How resident parking permits work
• When you end up on a waiting list
• The local parking rules
• Using visitor parking discounts
• Topping up parking credit
• FAQ

How resident parking permits work

The municipality’s resident parking page brings together every parking product for people who live in the city. Next to the standard resident permit (parkeervergunning bewoner), it lists separate permits for disabled drivers, shared cars, rental or borrowed cars, care providers and informal carers of terminally ill people, plus a citywide permit and a permit linked to the U-pas. The same page covers garage subscriptions for residents, changing your licence plate, setting up direct debit, and what to do with your permit when you move.

The basic rule is set out on the waiting list page: as a resident you get 1 parking permit per address. In some neighbourhoods a second permit per address is possible, but only if there are enough parking spaces. Some addresses get fewer permits or none at all, so check how many permits your address qualifies for before you sign a lease or bring a car to the city. The bewoner page links to the overview of permits per address, the street lists for permits and the parking map.

The pages used for this guide do not state what a resident permit costs. The bewoner page links to a separate section on parking costs, and the municipality sets the amounts. Check the current fee there instead of relying on a figure from a forum or an old article.

When you end up on a waiting list

A waiting list starts when every permit in a parking area has been issued. The municipality says it tries to share the available spaces fairly among everyone who needs them: residents, businesses, their visitors, people visiting the city, disabled drivers, delivery traffic and doctors.

The waiting list page has an overview by parking area. Read it like this:

• If your parking area is not in the overview, there is no waiting list.
• If the column “Wachtlijst voor” shows only “vergunning bewoner”, you cannot get a second resident permit for an address in that area.
• For each area, the overview shows the application date of the next person in line. Your own application date is in the letter the municipality sends you, so you can compare the two.

The municipality points out that typing errors are possible and that you cannot derive rights from the overview. Municipal parking garages have their own waiting lists. In most of them residents and businesses share a single list.

There are 2 waiting lists per area: one for a first permit at an address and one for a second permit. If you apply for your first permit, you get priority over everyone applying for a second one. Beyond that, nobody can get priority. A permit only becomes available when a holder moves away or cancels, and it then goes to the next person on the list. The municipality notifies you when it is your turn.

If you join the list before you have a car, register your licence plate before your turn comes up. If you do not do this in time, you lose your place. On waiting times, the municipality says plainly that it does not know how long you will have to wait, because it has no influence over how many people move or cancel. While you wait, the page suggests using the shared cars (deelauto’s) available from various companies in many neighbourhoods.

The local parking rules

The parking rules page explains the policy behind the system. The city has chosen less street space for parked cars and more for pedestrians and cyclists. The main points for residents:

• Two types of spaces. Designation decisions mark spaces as either paid public spaces at a parking meter or spaces reserved for permit holders (belanghebbendenparkeerplaatsen).
• Who gets a permit. The Parkeerplaatsenverordening contains the rules on using parking spaces and issuing permits. A further regulation on issuing permits and garage places decides who qualifies. In practice, the municipality applies these rules to your address and your situation.
• Parking fees. The municipality’s parking tax regulation sets where and when you pay to park, how you pay and what it costs.
• Trial scheme. If you cancel your permit to try another way of getting around, you can get it back within 2 years if the alternative does not suit you. This is the Probeerregeling parkeren, and it also applies to businesses.
• Leidsche Rijn. Many homes there come with one or more parking spaces on private ground or designated spaces, under the leasehold (erfpacht) conditions. Residents must keep these spaces clearly recognisable and reachable as parking spaces. If you do not follow the leasehold conditions, you can be fined. The obligation passes from seller to buyer.

Disabled drivers have their own parking facilities, which fall under the national disabled parking card scheme and a local policy on creating disabled parking spaces.

Using visitor parking discounts

If you have a parking discount for visitors, informal care, home care or maternity care, you activate it through My Parking Action. The municipality’s English guide to parking discounts explains the two ways to use it. Visitors do not put anything in the car, because enforcement checks licence plates by scanning them. The discount applies to street parking in your own parking area.

Option 1: you pay

Sign in to My Parking Action, select “I pay”, choose a start time and end time, pick the discount, enter your visitor’s licence plate and click “Plan session”. You can schedule sessions for another day by changing the date. You can stop a session early from the “Session overview” tab, and it ends automatically at the end time you set. You need enough balance in your account.

If you would rather not do this online, call 14 030 and give your address, the licence plate, the date, the start time and the end time. Sessions registered by phone must have an end time.

Option 2: your visitor pays with a discount code

Select “Visitor pays”, choose the discount scheme if you have more than one, and set how long the code is valid: one day, one week or one year. Add a clear description, such as a name, then create and share the code together with your house number by WhatsApp, email or copied text. Several people can use the same code at the same time.

Your visitor goes to My Parking Action, selects “I have a discount code”, enters the code and your house number, picks the times and the licence plate, and pays through iDEAL. They see the price before paying. Once they have paid, the session cannot be changed or ended early. You can also request a code by calling 14 030 with your address, your citizen service number (BSN), your type of discount and how long the code should stay valid.

Each quarter you receive a number of discounted hours, which you can see under the “Balance” tab. The guide does not state how many hours you get. The municipality decides this for your discount, so check your own account.

Topping up parking credit

If you pay for your visitors, you need parking credit. You can add it in three ways:

1. iDEAL: under “Balance”, click “Payment” and choose an amount between €5 and €100.
2. Bank transfer: transfer to NL82 BNGH 0285 1784 90 in the name of Gemeente Utrecht, with “Permit number” followed by your permit number as the description. The credit appears within three working days. Payments by credit card or from a foreign account can take longer, which matters if you still bank abroad. Without your permit number the payment cannot be processed. You can find the number under “Permits” in My Parking.
3. Service desk: pay cash or by debit card at the municipal office, again between €5 and €100. No appointment is needed, but your My Parking Action account must already be activated.

FAQ

How many resident permits can I get for my address?

Residents get one permit per address. In some neighbourhoods a second permit is possible if there are enough spaces, and some addresses get fewer permits or none. The municipality decides per address, and the bewoner page links to an overview where you can check yours.

How long will I wait for a permit?

The municipality says it does not know, because permits only become available when holders move or cancel. You cannot get priority, although a first permit at an address always comes before a second one. Compare the application date in your letter with the date shown for your area on the waiting list page.

Can my visitors use my discount anywhere in Utrecht?

No. The visitor discount is valid for street parking in your own parking area. Use the parking map to see which area you live in.

What happens if I cancel my permit and later want it back?

Under the trial scheme, residents who cancel their permit to try another way of travelling can get it back within two years if the alternative does not work for them.

Official sources: utrecht.nl · utrecht.nl · utrecht.nl · utrecht.nl

Last verified: 14 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins. General information, not legal or tax advice.