Can I park here? Read any UK parking spot in seconds

The 30-second checklist

Standing at the kerb, not sure if you'll come back to a ticket? You can usually settle it by reading four things in order. Each one only tells you part of the story; the answer comes from how they stack up together against the day and time you are parking.

The lines on the road. Yellow lines restrict waiting; red lines restrict stopping. One line is lighter than two.
The dashes on the kerb. Short yellow or red marks on the kerb face mean a loading restriction, on top of whatever the lines say.
The time plate. The small black-and-white sign on a nearby post tells you the days and hours everything applies.
What's nearby. Junctions, pedestrian crossings, dropped kerbs and bus stops carry their own restrictions, often with no lines at all.

What the lines tell you

The colour and number of lines set the type of restriction. For the full picture, see UK parking signs explained, but the short version is:

Single yellow line: no waiting during the hours on the plate. Outside those hours you can usually park. Single yellow line rules.
Double yellow line: no waiting at any time, though you can still stop briefly to load or drop off. Double yellow line rules.
Single red line: no stopping during the signed hours, stricter than yellow. Red route rules.
Double red line: no stopping at any time, for anything, unless you are in a marked bay.

Why the time plate decides it

A line tells you the type of restriction; the plate tells you when it bites. A single yellow line with a plate reading "Mon–Sat 8:30am–6:30pm" is free to park on every evening and all day Sunday. The same line with a different plate might run to 8:00pm or include Sundays. The plate always wins over what you assume, which is why "it's always fine after six" is such a reliable way to collect a fine. The official rules are set out in the Highway Code on waiting and parking.

Don't miss the kerb dashes

Short marks painted on the face of the kerb signal a loading restriction, with their own small plate. They sit on top of the line rules, so a stretch where you could otherwise load or unload can still be off limits at certain times. If you see kerb dashes, read their plate before you start unloading.

Where you can never park, lines or not

Some of the most common tickets and tows happen where there are no lines at all. You must not stop or park:

Across a dropped kerb, including someone's driveway.
On the zig-zag lines beside a pedestrian crossing or outside a school.
Within the markings of a bus stop, taxi rank or cycle lane.
So close to a junction that you block the corner.

Sundays and bank holidays

Plenty of restrictions ease off on Sundays and public holidays, but only where the plate says so, and the calendar differs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A Monday-to-Friday plate usually flips to free on a bank holiday, while a Monday-to-Sunday plate does not. Check the plate's day range rather than trusting the calendar in your head.

Or skip the reading

If you would rather not stand on the pavement puzzling over small print, that is the whole reason Kerbnow exists. Point the camera at the sign and it reads every part of the restriction, then weighs the current day and time, including Sundays and bank holidays, and gives you a straight answer: can you park here right now, and until when. Your first three scans are free.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if I can park somewhere right now?

Check four things: the lines painted along the road, the short dashes on the kerb, the time plate on a nearby post, and how close you are to a junction or crossing. The lines tell you the type of restriction, the kerb dashes cover loading, and the plate tells you which days and hours it all applies. Weigh those against the current day and time and you have your answer.

Can I park on a yellow line right now?

It depends on the time plate. A single yellow line only restricts waiting during the hours on the plate, so outside those hours you can usually park. A double yellow line means no waiting at any time, though you can still stop briefly to load or drop off if there are no kerb dashes.

Is there a no-lines way to tell if parking is allowed?

Not entirely. Some restrictions need no lines at all: you must never park across a dropped kerb, on zig-zag lines by a crossing or school, or within the markings of a bus stop or taxi rank. When in doubt, look for a nearby sign and assume a restriction is live until you can confirm otherwise.

What is the fastest way to check if I can park?

Point your phone at the sign. Kerbnow reads the restriction, works out the current day, time and bank-holiday rules, and tells you whether you can park there right now, with the rule it used shown alongside. Your first three scans are free.

This guide is general information about UK parking rules, not legal advice. Kerbnow is a sign-reading aid, so always check the answer against the sign in front of you.