Local parking guide

Parking in Cambridge

What a parking ticket costs in Cambridge, which zones apply, what a resident permit costs, who enforces it and how to challenge one.

Cambridgeshire County CouncilCambridgeshireEngland

In Cambridge, on-street parking and resident permits are run by Cambridgeshire County Council, and the permit price follows the hours a scheme operates. The cheapest, Milton, costs £70 a year and runs only on weekdays from 9.30am to 3pm; six schemes that run every day until 8pm cost £136. A permit is valid for a year, is tied to your scheme area and to one vehicle, and never guarantees a space. In several schemes some roads have no permit-holder bays at all, so a permit may not let you park outside your own home.

Cambridgeshire County Council Cambridgeshire England

23Controlled parking zones

The county does not state its on-street hourly rates as text. Charges are shown on the pay and display machines.

What a ticket costs in Cambridge

We have not found the amount of a parking penalty charge on the county council's parking pages. The amount is on the notice itself.

Paying by phone

Cambridgeshire County Council accepts MiPermit. Check the sign in the bay for the location code before you start a session — it is the code, not the street name, that decides what you are charged.

Controlled parking zones

ZoneHoursDaysNotes
Milton (formerly Ascham) 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday £70 a year — the cheapest scheme.
Benson North, Coleridge West 9am to 12 midday; 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday £73 a year.
Newnham 11am to 2pm Monday to Sunday £73 a year.
Morley 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday £78 a year.
Accordia, Benson, Castle, De Freville, Petersfield, Riverside, Shaftesbury, Victoria 9am to 5pm (Castle: some roads to 6pm) Monday to Saturday £86 a year.
Silverwood, West Cambridge 9am to 5pm Monday to Sunday £100 a year.
Tenison 9am to 8pm Monday to Saturday £119 a year.
Guest 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday £128 a year.
Brunswick, Kite, Newtown, Park, Staffordshire, Regent 9am to 8pm (Regent from 8.30am) Monday to Sunday £136 a year — the dearest.

Resident permits

Valid for12 months

The price depends on the scheme: £70 to £136 a year. In Castle, for example, a resident permit is £86, a motorcycle permit £43, a low-emission permit £68.80 (20 per cent off) and a business permit £129, with a limit of three permits per household. Vehicles over 5.4 metres long are not eligible. Permits are digital and handled through MiPermit.

Who enforces, and where to appeal

Cambridgeshire County Council runs Cambridge's resident parking schemes and on-street parking, and enforces bus lanes and bus gates.

How to challenge a ticket, step by step →

Related rules

Other cities

Common questions

How much is a resident parking permit in Cambridge?
Between £70 and £136 a year, depending on your scheme. The cheapest is Milton, which operates on weekdays from 9.30am to 3pm; the dearest are Brunswick, Kite, Newtown, Park, Staffordshire and Regent, which operate every day until 8pm.
Why does my Cambridge permit cost more than a friend's?
Because the price follows the scheme's hours. Schemes that run on weekdays only cost £70 to £78, Monday-to-Saturday schemes £86 to £128, and schemes that run seven days a week until 8pm £136.
Does a Cambridge permit guarantee me a space outside my house?
No. The county says a permit does not reserve or guarantee a space, and in several schemes some roads have no permit-holder bays at all. On those roads a permit lets you park elsewhere in your scheme, not outside your door.
Is there a low-emission discount on Cambridge permits?
Yes, 20 per cent. In Castle, a resident permit costs £86 and a low-emission permit £68.80. A motorcycle permit there costs £43, half the car price.
Who runs parking in Cambridge — the city or the county?
On the street, Cambridgeshire County Council: it runs the 23 resident parking schemes, on-street pay and display and bus-lane enforcement. The city council runs its own car parks separately.

Sources

Figures last checked 29 September 2026