Home Can You Park on a Single Yellow Line?

Can You Park on a Single Yellow Line?

Almost everywhere we drive there seems to be parking restrictions and laws in force. Other than the police, local councils in particular appear to be finding new methods to increase parking regulations they can impose on motorists.



The question ‘can you park on single yellow lines’ depends on whether the lines have parking restrictions at that particular time. Pulling up at the side of the road on any line other than a solid white line has a possible three restrictions, depending on the type of line it is. These three restrictions are as follows:

No stopping – literally prohibits you to stop at the side of the road at any time except in emergencies.
No waiting – Allows you to stop on the lines momentarily to set down or pick up passengers and load or unload goods, except if there are loading or unloading restrictions in place.
No parking – Parking is defined as exiting and leaving your vehicle unattended.

When the restrictions are in force, single yellow lines have the no waiting and no parking regulation, meaning it is permissible to stop, load or unload goods, set down or pick up passengers. Providing this action is continuous and does not exceed a reasonable amount of time that the actions in question would normally take, it is not defined as parking. whilst setting down or picking up passengers, you must remain in your vehicle unless the person(s) require physical help in order to enter or exit the vehicle.


When can you park on a single yellow line

Single yellow line parking time sign

Times displayed restricting parking on a single yellow line

Most single yellow lines have part time parking restrictions. Those that do have a sign, or time plate close to the lines detailing what times it is prohibited to park there. An example of the yellow time plate can be seen on the image o the right.

The circular blue and red no waiting sign is contained within the plate along with the hours that the lines are in force. If no days of the week are displayed, it means the line restrictions are in force during the times shown, 7 days per week.

Using the image to the left as an example, it is permissible to park on the yellow line from 6.30pm through to 8am Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday. If a time plate is not on display, you can assume restrictions apply 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

In many cities there are Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) that display parking restriction on a sign before entering the zone.

Single Yellow Line Without a Time Plate

Single yellow lines that are within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) do not require time plates showing the hours of operation provided that their hours of restriction are the same as the CPZ hours. Single yellow lines that are not in a CPZ, must be accompanied with a time plate detailing the hours of restriction. In this instance, if you have received a Penalty Charge Notice, there may be grounds for appeal.



disabled drivers parking on single yellow lines

Disabled drivers who display a blue badge are permitted to park on single yellow lines within its hours of operation for a maximum of three hours.

Can I unload on a single yellow line

During a single yellow lines hours of operation loading or unloading is permitted for a maximum of 20 minutes for private vehicles and 40 minutes for large commercial vehicles although specific times are dependent on location.

No loading at any time sign and road markings

No loading at any time

No loading during times shown markings and road sign

No loading during times shown

Extra time can be applied for by contacting the council authorised for that area. You must ensure however that you are not causing an obstruction and that there is no loading restrictions in place.

Kerb markings as shown in the diagrams below dictate whether loading and unloading is permissible. Single kerb markings indicate a part-time restriction where specific times are displayed on a time plate close to the markings.

Two yellow kerb markings close together indicate a no loading at any time restriction ban.



Can you get a ticket for parking on a single yellow line

Although possible, police tend to not get involved in issuing parking tickets unless the vehicle is causing an obstruction or is hazardous to pedestrians or other road users in parking restricted areas.

Councils are appointed with the authority to manage and maintain parking restrictions within their boundaries. Traffic wardens, otherwise known as Civil Enforcement Officers will issue parking tickets to any vehicle that is parked illegally, including single yellow lines inside their times of operation. This falls under the contravention code 01 parking prohibition: Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours.

Parking tickets otherwise known as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), usually see a motorists fined around £60 or more for serious parking offences that cause potential hazard or danger for pedestrians or other road users. Fines are typically reduced if paid within a certain time.





Driving Test Tips
Comments: 16
  1. Karen Grindrod
    at

    If there is Single yellow lines in a Car Park does this mean it is purely for Disabled parking only?

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  2. at

    Hello Karen,
    Car parks are a little different to normal roads. It depends on whether the car park falls under regulation from local authority, or whether it is private land owned by a supermarket for example. If it is local authority, the same rules will apply on the car park as those on the road, so single yellow lines will have restricted parking (for any driver) and typically bays will be used for parking (same as on a normal road). Private property that has public access such as a supermarket car park still must follow the Road Traffic Regulation Act, so you can’t drive on it uninsured for example. In terms of parking, this will be for the land owners to enforce if at all.

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  3. Peter
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    Is there a regulation that stipulates how many signs there need to be, or how often the signs must be repeated on any given single-yellow-lined road?

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  4. at

    Hi Peter,
    There are regulations regarding the size of the sign, size of the font, colour etc and no waiting signs must be placed at locations such as where vehicles have access to the said road (see page 22 legislation). Not too sure about repeater signs and distances. Perhaps someone could comment if there is such a regulation?

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  5. Gerson Benjamim
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    If there’s not yellow plates with restriction time and only a plate saying resident permit holders only or pay by phone, what does mean? Can I park on the yellow line if I have a resident permit?

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  6. at

    Hello Gerson, If it says on one sign resident permit holders or pay by phone, it means you can park there if you have a resident permit or if you don’t have one, then you can pay.

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  7. Steve
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    As a home care worker displaying a badge in the window am I allowed to park on a single yellow line whilst dealing with a client inside there house

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  8. at

    Hi Steve,
    As the rules vary depending on the local authority that issued the permit, I would advise you to contact those that issued it for the specifics.

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  9. Narinder
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    If there is a White Board stating Parking restriction for Permit Holders within the designated area with white lines, from Mon -Sat and Sun for few hrs. Does these resticted hours only apply to the designated parking spaces marked with white lines Or does it also apply to Single Yellow which is beyond these Boxes. As generally on Sunday i should be able to park in Single yellow, unless there is a Yellow board stating restrictions.
    I am asking as i was recently fined for parking in Single Yellow on Sunday , when the parking restrcition was on white board for the area marked with White lines fo permit holder parking. But i parked in Single yellow line beyond this white marked area.And there was no restrcition for Yellow marking.

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  10. at

    Hi Narinder,
    If there are no time plates for the yellow lines and the area is a controlled parking zone (CPZ), the single yellow line restrictions normally have the same times of control as the controlled parking zone. If the restriction times are different, there must be a separate time plate for the single yellow lines. If the area is not a CPZ, the single yellow lines must be accompanied by a time plate. In terms of time plates, single yellow lines are different to double yellow lines in that double yellows do not require (by law) a time plate if the restrictions are in place 24 hours a day and every day of the year.

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  11. Narinder
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    Thanks for your reply.
    So below i have summarized with an example so that its clear for all to understand :
    [DY=Double Yellow, SY= Single Yellow, CPZ = Controlled Parking Zone]

    ======DY=======———SY——–[……….CPZ………..]——–SY——-======DY======
    I cant park in Double yellow line at any time.
    Now CPZ restriction Mon-Sat 08:30 – 18:30, Sun 12:00 – 18:00. Which means i can park in CPZ after the mentioned restricted hours and also in the SIngle Yellow Line as there is no seperate restriction shown for Yellow line. So the CPZ restrictions automatically apply to Single Yellow if no separate Yellow Sign restriction board is dsplayed.

    So why not the council includes the Single Yellow into CPZ to make more parking space available and clear for the people to pay & park, rather then confusing people and generating revenue by imposing fines.

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  12. at

    Councils across the UK raised almost half a billion pounds in the previous financial year from parking fines alone. That might help in answering your question as to why they might not be overly incentivised in making things too clear.

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  13. Narinder
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    Yes its easy free money for the Council.
    Merton Council charged me 110£ for parking on Single Yellow line for 10mins on a Sunday Afternoon.
    How have they arrived at such high Fine charges ? Its ok to fine 10times the actual parking hourly rate, but 110£ is almost 100times. 🙁

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  14. at

    Whether it makes you feel any better or not, the money accumulated from parking fines usually goes towards road and highway infrastructure.

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  15. Santos
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    Thanks for replying all these messages. I parked on a single yellow line, for less than 5 minutes in Manchester sometimes in March this year, to pick up my laptop which my employer had just bought for its staff for us to be able to work from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. I put on my flashing lights and I told our reception lady that I would come back soon. When the ticketing officer came, the reception lady told him but he just ignored him. Anyways, I appealed against it but no response from the council. I then got a Notice to Owner (NTO) which I appealed again. Still no response, a just two days ago, I got a charge certificate with the charge increased to £105. What should I do?

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  16. at

    Hello Santos,
    It depends on if you believe that you were issued the ticket that was not in accordance with the regulations. What was your appeal based on?

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