Reading parking permit: your zone and what it costs
Which residents' parking zone your house number is in — Reading files it per number, not per street — and what a permit costs your car on the 2026 emissions bands.
Check your address
The zone is set per house number, so put the number in as well as the street.
Leave it blank to see every entry the council lists for the street.
What the permit costs
The price is set by the vehicle, not by the zone.
Resident — 1st permit
£48.00
A year
Two per household is the cap. A third needs a discretionary application.
Reading files its parking zones by house number, not by street. Addington Road is zone 13R for numbers 7–105 odd and 4–122 even — and for nothing else, so the house four doors along can be outside the scheme. Since 2 February 2026 the price is set by the car rather than by the zone: the CO₂ figure on the V5C, and whether it burns petrol or diesel. The council publishes the street list and the fee schedule on different pages and joins them nowhere.
When the restriction runs
The sign in the street is what counts
Reading does not publish the controlled hours for any zone. The permit scheme page says the times differ by area and to check the signage; the “Master Street List” that defines the zones is not on the council’s website. So this page does not say when your zone is controlled, because the council does not — read the sign in your street, or ask the permit team on 0118 937 3767.
Without a permit: 2 hours in a marked limited-waiting bay, between 10:00 and 16:00, Monday to Sunday, then no return within 4 hours.
The published prices
In force since 2 February 2026. The Borough of Reading (Emissions Based Parking Charges) (Amendment) Order 2026 came into operation on 2 February 2026. The council’s own permits page banners 4 February; the order is the authority.
| Permit | 0–150 g/km | 151–170 g/km | 171–190 g/km | 191–225 g/km | 226–255 g/km | Over 255 g/km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident — 1st permit · Petrol or other | £48.00 | £57.60 | £67.20 | £76.80 | £86.40 | £96.00 |
| Resident — 1st permit · Diesel | £48.00 | £60.00 | £72.00 | £84.00 | £96.00 | £108.00 |
| Resident — 2nd permit · Petrol or other | £180.00 | £216.00 | £252.00 | £288.00 | £324.00 | £360.00 |
| Resident — 2nd permit · Diesel | £180.00 | £225.00 | £270.00 | £315.00 | £360.00 | £405.00 |
No CO₂ figure on the V5C
- The bands are the DVLA’s VED CO₂ bands. The standard rate covers 0–150 g/km.
- Above 150 g/km, each band adds 20% to the petrol rate and 25% to the diesel rate.
- Electric and ultra-low-emission vehicles pay the standard rate.
- Visitor permits are not emissions-based.
- The zone makes no difference to the price. The car does.
Charges that are not banded
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visitor packs — the first two a household each 12 monthsEach pack is 120 credits, booked in one-hour sessions. Digital since 12 November 2025. | Free |
| Visitor packs — up to five more | £26.00 |
| Visitor pack — business or community agencyA business gets up to five; a community agency has no limit. | £26.00 |
| Visitor discretionary | Free |
| Visitor discretionary (charged) | £26.00 |
| Admin feeDeducted from a refund. Refunds are only given on second resident permits, pro-rated. | £40.00 |
Who can have one
- You live at the address at least four nights a week.
- Two resident permits per household is the cap. A third car needs a discretionary application at £362 — a 1st or 2nd permit applied for by that route is refused.
- Permits run for 12 months. The council emails a renewal prompt and you renew in your account.
- Most permits are digital now: the camera reads the registration and there is nothing to display. Physical permits are issued only to accounts with no email address, and take about seven days to arrive.
- A permit is tied to one zone and works only in that zone’s resident permit bays. The code on the sign must match the code on the permit.
- The vehicle must be under 5.3 m long and 2.25 m high. Commercial vehicles are not eligible. An adapted disabled vehicle, and a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle carrying up to eight passengers, counts as domestic.
Who cannot
- Properties with a “permit-free” planning condition or informative — common on new developments. This cannot be changed or appealed.
- Houses in multiple occupation: two permits for the whole property, not two per household.
- Prior-approved properties, and properties with a certificate of lawful use: two permits for the whole development. One house converted into eleven flats still gets two.
- Properties with no planning permission, and properties with no UPRN.
- Anyone who does not live at the address at least four nights a week.
- No permit of any kind is valid in zone TC4.
A permit is not a space
What you need to show
- Proof that you live there, dated within the last four months and showing your name and address: a bank statement, a credit or store card statement, a gas, electricity, water or telephone bill, or your current Council Tax bill. Mobile phone bills are not accepted.
- A tenancy agreement is not accepted for a full resident permit. It is accepted for a temporary one.
- Proof of the vehicle showing your name, your address and the registration: a current insurance document, or the DVLA V5C.
- For a company, lease or rental vehicle: a letter from the employer or a copy of the lease, and a current insurance document.
How to apply
- Check which zone your house number is in, above. The code on the sign in your street has to match the code on your permit.
- Apply or renew at reading-app.zatpermit.com/applicant.
- Upload one proof of residence and one proof of vehicle.
- No email address? Phone the permit team and ask for a postal form.
- Apply or renew online
- reading-app.zatpermit.com/applicant
- Permit team
- 0118 937 3767
- residents.parking@reading.gov.uk
The permit team answers Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00.
Worth knowing
A third car
A temporary permit is £19, lasts two months, and only one is ever issued — for a new car, a temporary car, or moving in. It is reviewed within 24 hours on weekdays. If you already hold two resident permits and buy a third car, you cannot get a permit for it until you give one up.
Visitor permits
Two digital packs per household per 12 months are free, and up to five more cost £26 each. A pack is 120 credits, booked an hour at a time, so 120 hours. The council moved from paper books to digital packs on 12 November 2025. A booking cannot be amended once it has started — only cancelled before it begins — and no confirmation email is sent. Paper scratchcards survive only in exceptional cases, such as no internet access, by email request.
Carer permits are free
For a resident over 65 and/or disabled who does not already hold a resident permit. Up to three registrations go on one permit and one carer parks at a time. These are physical permits only, one per household, and you need proof of age or disability — a passport, bus pass, birth certificate, driving licence, disabled badge, or a DLA or PIP award letter.
Tradespeople and landlords
An annual permit is £398 and works in every zone; a tradesperson’s is time-limited to 07:00–19:00. A day permit is £8 online or £12 offline, up to 30 per vehicle a year.
The evidence is checked after the permit is issued
Between April and June the council reviewed 7% of applications and cancelled 20 permits for incorrect or insufficient evidence, without a refund.
If you are refused
Discretionary applications take up to 28 days. A refusal can be appealed to the Traffic Management Sub-Committee.
If you get a ticket
| Ticket | Full | Paid early |
|---|---|---|
| Higher level — parking on yellow lines | £70.00 | £35.00 |
| Lower level — an expired permit or ticket | £50.00 | £25.00 |
The discount applies if you pay within 14 days of a ticket handed to the vehicle, or 21 days if it arrived by post. After 28 days a Notice to Owner and then a Charge Certificate add 50% — £105 and £75 — and registering it at the Traffic Enforcement Centre adds £9 on top. These amounts come from the council’s 2022/23 Parking Services annual report, the most recent published: the council’s own 2026 penalty page states the 50% discount but no amount, and the car park terms of April 2026 still say “currently £50 or £70”. Re-check before relying on the figures. The council also warns that it will never text you asking you to pay a parking fine.
The zones
20 zones across 285 street entries. Many streets are in a zone only for part of their numbers.
| Zone | Where | Streets listed |
|---|---|---|
| 01R | Caversham | CARDINAL CLOSE, CHESTER STREET, CAVERSHAM, CHURCH STREET, CAVERSHAM, CROMWELL ROAD, GOSBROOK ROAD, HAMPDEN ROAD, HEMDEAN HILL, HEMDEAN RISE, HEMDEAN ROAD, NORTH STREET, CAVERSHAM, OXFORD STREET, PATRICK ROAD, PRIEST HILL, PRIORY AVENUE, PROSPECT STREET, CAVERSHAM, RECTORY ROAD, SHORT STREET, CAVERSHAM, SOUTH STREET, CAVERSHAM, WESTFIELD ROAD, WOLSEY ROAD |
| 02R | Caversham | COLDICUTT STREET, CAVERSHAM, GEORGE STREET, CAVERSHAM, KINGS ROAD, CAVERSHAM, QUEENS ROAD, CAVERSHAM |
| 03E | Abbey | YORK ROAD |
| 03R | Abbey | ADDISON ROAD, BARRY PLACE, BRIGHAM ROAD, CARDIFF ROAD, CAVERSHAM ROAD, DE MONTFORT ROAD, LYNMOUTH ROAD, NEWPORT ROAD, NORTHFIELD ROAD, RANDOLPH ROAD, ROSS ROAD, SWANSEA ROAD, THAMES AVENUE, THAMES SIDE, VASTERN ROAD |
| 04R | Abbey | BLAKE COTTAGES, CASTLE STRET, SACKVILLE STREET, STANSHAWE ROAD, TUDOR ROAD, VACHEL ROAD, VALPY STREET |
| 05R | Battle · Abbey · Caversham | BATTLE STREET, BEDFORD ROAD, BURFORD COURT, CAROLINE ST, CAMBRIDGE STREET, CANNON STREET, CAROLINE STREET (INC. BURFORD, CHARLES STREET, CHATHAM STREET, DERBY STREET, GEORGE STREET, READING, GOWER STREET, GREAT KNOLLYS ST, HART STREET, JAMES STREET, LITTLE STREET, MASON STREET, STANLEY GROVE, STANLEY STREET, WILLIAM STREET |
| 06R | Battle · Park · Abbey | AUDLEY STREET, BARNWOOD CLOSE, BERESFORD ROAD, CATHERINE STREET, CURZON STREET, OXFORD ROAD, SALISBURY ROAD, VALENTIA ROAD |
| 07R | Battle · Tilehurst · Kentwood · Norcot | ALBANY ROAD, BARON COURT, BELMONT ROAD, CANFORD COURT, CONNAUGHT CLOSE, CONNAUGHT ROAD, CRANBURY ROAD, EDGAR MILWARD CLOSE, EDINBURGH ROAD, ELM LODGE AVENUE, ELM PARK, ELM PARK ROAD, GLOUCESTER ROAD, HILCOT ROAD, KENSINGTON ROAD, KENT ROAD, LANCING CLOSE, MARSH COURT, NORCOT ROAD, NORFOLK ROAD, OXFORD ROAD, PRINCE OF WALES AVENUE, RICHMOND ROAD, RUTLAND ROAD, SUFFOLK ROAD, TILEHURST ROAD, WANTAGE ROAD, WAVERLEY ROAD, WESTBOURNE TERRACE, WESTERN ELMS AVE, WILSON ROAD, WILTON ROAD, WOOD GREEN CLOSE |
| 08R | Abbey · Battle · Minster | ALEXANDER COURT, ANSTEY ROAD, ARGYLE ROAD, ARGYLE STREET, BAKER STREET, BELLE VUE ROAD, BODY ROAD, BRANKSOME COURT, BRUNSWICK HILL, CAREY STREET, CASTLE HILL, CLIFTON STREET, DEEPENE CLOSE, EPPING CLOSE, FRANKLIN STREET, GOLDSMID ROAD, HOWARD STREET, JESSE TERRACE, LORNE STREET, MARLOW COURT, NICHOLAS COURT, ORMSBY STREET, OXFORD ROAD, PROSPECT STREET, READING, RUSSELL STREET, SOMMERSTOWN COURT, TAYLOR COURT, TETBURY COURT, TILEHURST ROAD, WAYLEN STREET, ZINZAN STREET |
| 09R | Minster · Abbey · Katesgrove | BERKELEY AVENUE, BROOK STREET WEST, CASTLE CRESCENT, CASTLE HILL, COLEY AVENUE, COLEY HILL, COLEY PARK ROAD, COLEY PLACE, DOVER STREET, FIELD ROAD, GARNET HILL, GARNET STREET, LIMA COURT, LOWER BROOK STREET, LOWER FIELD ROAD, MANSFIELD ROAD, ST SAVIOURS TERRACE, WOLSELEY STREET |
| 10R | Katesgrove · Redlands | ALLCROFT ROAD, ALPINE STREET, BASINGSTOKE ROAD, BOULTS WALK, CHESTERMAN STREET, DOROTHY STREET, EDGEHILL STREET, ELGAR ROAD, ESSEX STREET, FOUNDRY PLACE, FRANCIS STREET, GLEBE ROAD, HENRY STREET, HIEATT CLOSE, MOUNT PLEASANT, HIGHGROVE STREET, HIGHGROVE TERRACE, HILL STREET, KATESGROVE LANE, LANCASTER CLOSE, LINCOLN ROAD, MILMAN ROAD, MITCHAM CLOSE, MORGAN ROAD, MOUNT PLEASANT, NEWARK STREET, PARTHIA CLOSE, PELL STREET, RIVER ROAD, SHERMAN ROAD, SHORT STREET, READING, SOUTHHAMPTON STREET, SOVEREIGN COURT, MOUNT PLEASAN, SPRING GROVE, SURREY ROAD, SWAINSTONE ROAD, UPPER CROWN STREET, WALDECK STREET, WEST HILL, WHITBY DRIVE, WINCHESTER ROAD |
| 11R | Abbey · Redlands · Katesgrove | BOULT STREET, ELDON PLACE, ELDON ROAD, ELDON SQUARE, ELDON STREET, ELDON TERRACE, FATHERSON ROAD, KINGS ROAD, READING, LONDON ROAD, MONTAGUE STREET, READING, PRINCES STREET, QUEENS COTTAGES, QUEENS ROAD, READING, SIDMOUTH STREET, SOUTH STREET, READING, ST JOHNS HILL, ST JOHNS ROAD, ST JOHNS STREET, THE GROVE, TOWN PLACE, VICTORIA STREET, WATLINGTON STREET |
| 12R | Park · Abbey | AMITY ROAD, AMITY STREET, AVON PLACE, CANAL WAY, CHOLMELEY PLACE, CHOLMELEY ROAD, CHOLMELEY TERRACE, COVENTRY ROAD, CUMBERLAND ROAD, FILEY ROAD, FRESHWATER ROAD, KENNET SIDE, KINGSGATE PLACE, KINGSGATE STREET, LIVERPOOL ROAD, MANCHESTER ROAD, NORTON ROAD, NORWOOD ROAD, ORTS ROAD, RADSTOCK ROAD, REGENT STREET, RUPERT STREET, SCHOOL TERRACE, SUN STREET, WOODSTOCK STREET |
| 13R | Redlands | ADDINGTON ROAD, ALEXANDRA ROAD, BLENHEIM GARDENS, BLENHEIM ROAD, CARDIGAN GARDENS, CARDIGAN ROAD, CARNARVON ROAD, DE BEAUVOIR ROAD, DENMARK ROAD, DONNINGTON GARDENS, DONNINGTON ROAD, ERLEIGH ROAD, FOXHILL ROAD, GRANBY GARDENS, HATHERLEY ROAD, JUNCTION ROAD, UPPER REDLANDS ROAD |
| 14R | Park | COLLEGE ROAD, CULVER ROAD, GRANGE AVENUE, LONDON ROAD, NORRIS ROAD, PALMER PARK AVENUE, PITCROFT AVENUE, ST BARTHOLOMEWS ROAD, TUNS HILL COTTAGES, WOKINGHAM ROAD |
| 15R | Redlands | AVEBURY SQUARE, CHRISTCHURCH ROAD, EASTERN AVENUE, ELMHURST ROAD, MARLBOROUGH AVENUE, NEW ROAD, REDLANDS ROAD, THE MOUNT, UPPER REDLANDS ROAD, WHITLEY PARK LANE |
| B2 | Redlands | EASTERN AVENUE |
| C4 | Tilehurst | NORCOT ROAD |
| W1 | Southcote | GREENWOOD ROAD, NEW LANE HILL |
| Z1 | Norcot | CRAIG AVENUE |
Where the street list comes from
This is the council’s published list, not a decision. The map page it comes from is headed “Testing site - disclaimer”, and the council’s own wrapper says the map “indicates the outline of the zone only. Not all streets or property within the outlined areas are necessarily fully included in the scheme.” The permit team decides, on 0118 937 3767.
Street list from Reading Borough Council’s own residents’ parking permit zone dataset, read in full on 18 October 2026.
- Reading Borough Council — residents’ parking permit zone mapThe council’s own interactive map. Its heading still reads “Testing site - disclaimer”.
Official pages
- Parking permit schemeThe council’s overview, including the limited-waiting rule for non-permit holders.
- Permit chargesThe full fee schedule, every permit type and both fuel tables.
- Parking zonesThe zone map page. The council last updated it on 13 April 2022.
- Resident 1st and 2nd permits
- Apply for or renew a parking permit
- Digital visitor parking permits
- Permit management rules and definitions
- Parking permit terms and conditions
- Introduction to emission based charging
- Parking public notice 2026The statutory order that brought emissions-based charging in.
- Parking Services annual report 2022/23Where the £70 and £50 penalty figures above come from. It is the most recent parking annual report the council has published.
- Challenge a parking fine
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