This might sound like a daft question – your van is your primary vehicle and you have probably assumed it’s ok to park it at home after a long day working. However, there are some restrictions. Read on for our advice.
If you aren’t the owner of your business find out if your company allows you to park at home. Always worth checking what the rules are!
- Are you sure if any parking restrictions on your road?. Not parking on yellow lines is obvious, but if you’re in a controlled parking area, make sure you know the times when the lines are active. If you live in a resident permit area, some zones exclude vans so make sure you know the rules in your area.
- You’re unlikely to have a business van with a maximum laden weight of over 7.5 tonnes, as this is truck territory, but in case you do, the law says these vehicles must not be parked on a verge, pavement, or any land situated between carriageways, without police permission. The only exception to this parking rule is when parking is essential for loading and unloading, but even then the vehicle shouldn’t be left unattended.
- Did you know that if your van weighs more than 2500kg and is parked on the street between sunrise and sunset, it must be left with its lights on. The same is true of any passenger vehicle with more than nine seats. All lights must be left lit and unobscured.
- If your van has an unladen mass of less than 2500kg, you needn’t leave it parked with its lights on, provided the road it is on has a limit of 30mph or less.
- Your van must be parked in an authorised parking space or a marked lay-by. Your van must and also be further than 10m from a junction.
- All vehicles should be parked with their nearside close to and parallel with the nearside kerb.
- Will you need planning permission? Sounds slightly crazy but….maybe! Local councils are now quite used to receiving complaints about commercial vehicles parked in the gardens and driveways of private houses. Many are now saying ‘this is going against the enjoyment of the property’ and this has led to a consideration “material change of use” and planning permission might be needed.
We advise that you double check all of the restrictions – just to be on the safe side.