How much are the new car parking charges?

The cost will be £5 per day for all vehicles and will be paid via a pay-and-display system. The charges will apply to those who live outside the 20-mile radius.

Car parking charges will be in effect from 9am until 5pm, seven days a week.

When will charges come into effect?

Car parking charges will come into effect from Monday 1st September 2025. Car parking charges will apply from 9am until 5pm, seven days a week.

Local people living within 20 miles of Dumfries House can apply for their permit from Wednesday 16th July 2025.

Will parking remain free for disabled people?

Yes, parking will remain free for blue badge holders.

There is no need to apply for a Dumfries House permit if you already have a blue badge, simply continue to display this in your car.

Who is eligible for a free parking permit and how do I apply?

Residents living within 20 miles of Dumfries House are eligible to apply for a parking permit.

The parking permit is a sticker that you can display in your car for year-round free parking on the Dumfries House estate.

To apply for a parking permit, fill in our online application form with your details. The form will only allow you to submit your application if you live within 20 miles of Dumfries House.

Once submitted, our team will check your application. We will email you when your application is approved, and post your permit to you within 7-10 working days.

What if I or a family member aren’t comfortable applying online?

You can come to Dumfries House reception with proof of address, and we can process your application for you in-person.

How is the permit radius measured?

The radius is measured using our online application form.

The form will only allow you to submit your application if your address is within 20 miles of Dumfries House.

The 20 miles is measured ‘as the crow flies’ (the straight-line distance), not the distance by road.

If you believe you are eligible but the form isn’t allowing you to submit, please contact parking@kings-foundation.org.

How many permits are allowed per household?

We can provide up to two permits per household.

We won’t post more than two permits to any one address.

To apply for a second permit for your household, you will need to re-submit the application form.

How long is the permit valid?

The 2025 permits will be valid for two years.

How long will it take for my permit to arrive?

Local people can apply for their permit from 16th July 2025.

We aim to post permits out within 7-10 working days once they have been approved by our team, ahead of the car parking charges coming into effect on 1st September 2025.

How will parking charges be reinvested into the estate?

All revenue generated from car parking fees will be invested into protecting and developing the 2,000-acre estate for local people and visitors. This includes expanding children’s play facilities, planting trees to benefit the environment and investing in the education facilities and programmes that take place on the estate.

Is car parking covered in my ticket to a Dumfries House tour or event?

Unless otherwise stated, your ticket to one of our House Tours or Events at Dumfries House will not include parking.

I’m getting married at Dumfries House. Will my guests have to pay for parking?

Temporary permits will be issued to those attending weddings at Dumfries House, so your guests won’t need to pay for parking.

I’m staying at Dumfries House Lodge. Do I need to pay for parking?

No, you will be issued with a temporary permit to park at Dumfries House during your stay.

What happens if I haven’t got a permit by the time the charges come into effect?

If you aren’t displaying a local resident permit or a blue badge from 1st September, you will need to pay for parking if visiting the estate.

Will there be fines for those that don’t pay?

We will have staff monitoring the car parks to ensure those without permits pay to park.

I live within 20 miles but the online form doesn’t recognise my address. How can I apply for a permit?

Please contact us via email at parking@kings-foundation.org.

If I leave the estate and return within the same day, do I need to pay twice for parking?

No, the car parking fee is for one day’s parking. You can leave and re-enter the estate in that day and you don’t need to pay twice, just continue to display your pay-and-display ticket in your car.

I’ve completed the online form. How will you use my personal data?

Please visit our Privacy Policy for more information on how we process your data.

What were the results from the public engagement exercise?

Earlier in the year, we ran a community engagement exercise to gather your views on how car parking charges should be implemented.

We collected your views who should benefit from free parking, how you would like to see revenue from parking invested, and how much is reasonable to pay for a day’s parking on the estate.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your views about car parking. We received more than 1,000 responses to the online questionnaire, and these have been invaluable in shaping the way that car parking will work and how the revenue will be invested going forward.

We have used feedback from the consultation to shape the roll-out of car parking charges on the estate. Suggestions that were taken on-board included setting the eligibility radius for free permits to 20 miles, and the car parking fee at £5 per day. We have also taken into consideration many of the suggestions about how you’d like to see revenue in the estate invested, including to expand children’s play areas, plant more trees and invest in our on-site education programmes.