Temporary congestion charge permits

Apply for a personal car used by community health or care worker permit

Apply

If you don't already have an account (for your parking permit), you'll need to create one.

You'll need access to an email account to apply online. Need help setting up an email account?

View our permit user guides for help creating an account.

Apply for a permit

Note that permits are 'virtual'. You will not receive a physical permit to display in your car. The cameras at the charging locations will read your number plate and check for a linked permit.

What you need to know

The free personal car used by community health or care worker permit allows unlimited travel through all six congestion charging locations during charging hours.

The permit only covers the car when it is used for qualifying purposes.

  • you are limited to 1 permit
  • you can have up to 3 cars on your permit
  • your permit only covers the car set as active in your account at the end of the day (23:59)
  • if you travel through a congestion charge location in a car not set as active without paying, you may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)
  • the permit must not be used for private travel
  • the permit must not be used for commuting on days when you don't expect to make any operational journeys

How long your permit lasts

Your permit will be valid for 12 months. 

You cannot use your permit until we confirm that we have approved your application. Your permit will not be available to use until the scheme begins.

Who can get a community health or care worker permit

To get a community health or care worker permit, you and the provider must qualify.

The car(s) on your application must be one of the following:

  • registered to you
  • if not registered to you, it must be registered at your home address

In addition:

  • you must use the car(s) for operational work purposes, on behalf of a qualifying provider (including some voluntary organisations)

Operational work purposes

Operational work purposes mean you:

  • provide clinical health services or social care services at multiple locations in the Oxford permit area on the same day
  • travel to a location in the Oxford permit area urgently and at short notice to deal with any matter involving patient, student or staff welfare, or building security or safety
  • transport patients to or from any hospital or healthcare facility in the Oxford permit area 

To qualify, the provider you work for must be one of the following:

  • a registered healthcare provider providing services in Oxfordshire
  • a relevant provider of social care services (this includes some voluntary organisations) 

What you need to get a community health or care worker permit

You must provide the following evidence to support your application:  

  • the V5C (logbook) or V5C alternative (listed below) of each car on your application
    • if the car is registered to you, the submitted document(s) must show your full name
    • if the car is not registered to you, the submitted document(s) must show your home address

If you are employed, you must provide:

  • a letter or email dated within the last 12 months from your employer:
    • showing your name
    • detailing your eligibility

If you are self-employed, you must provide:

  • proof of business status, such as a certificate of good standing, a certificate of incorporation or a business rate demand for the business address
  • evidence of qualifying health or care work within the Oxford permit area or central permit area within the last six months (such as invoices) 

V5C alternatives

You can use the following documents in place of your V5C:

  • the most recent vehicle tax reminder showing your full name, address and postcode
  • a garage sales invoice or new keeper supplement (V5C2) - if the vehicle has been purchased within the last 6 weeks

A V5C not registered in your name

If the V5C of the car you use is not registered in your name, you can apply for a permit using one of the following alternatives.

For a company car, you must provide:

  • a copy of the V5C
  • a letter or email from your employer showing your full name and confirming that only you use the car

For a long-term lease, hire-purchase or other financial agreement, you must provide:

  • a copy of the lease agreement showing your full name and address

Add or change vehicles on your permit

Log in to your account to:

  • add a car to your account (select 'vehicles' on the account menu)
  • change the car on your permit (select 'my permits' on the account menu)

View our permit user guides to learn how to add or change cars on your permit.