Flexi stay car park permit

Who can get a flexi stay permit

You can apply if you are:

• a Dorset Council resident
• a business registered for Dorset Council business rates
• a non‑resident who works in the Dorset Council area
• a second homeowner who pays council tax to Dorset Council and has the vehicle registered to the Dorset property

Vehicle requirements

Your vehicle must be roadworthy, taxed, insured and have a valid MOT.

Each Flexi permit is limited to one registered vehicle.

Costs

You can choose a monthly or a yearly payment for your permit:

• monthly costs £31 per month (you'll pay £372 over the course of a year)
• yearly costs £330 for 12 months (saving you £42 compared to paying monthly)

When it starts

Flexi permits cannot be used the day you apply. Plan ahead. Approving your permit usually takes about 3 days. See your MiPermit account to check the date your permit is active from.

How to apply

If you are a new user

If you are a new user, register for a MiPermit account:

Register for a MiPermit account

1. Log into your MiPermit account.
2. Choose 'Buy Digital Permits' then 'Car Park Permits'.
3. Select the relevant Flexi stay car park permit, either 'Resident' or 'Worker/Business'.
4. Upload proof based on your situation, for example:
   • resident: car ownership document (V5C) in your name, or an insurance document showing your Dorset address
   • business: your Dorset Council business rates statement
   • non‑resident worker: headed confirmation letter with home and work address
   • second homeowner: proof vehicle is registered in your name and at your Dorset address
5. Enter your vehicle registration. The permit will be linked to this vehicle.
6. Select whether you'd prefer a 1-month permit or a 12-month permit.
7. Check your start date (allow 3 working days for the permit to be approved).
8. Choose whether you'd like to automatically renew your permit each time it is expiring and provide your payment details.

If you already have a MiPermit account

You will need to sign in to your MiPermit account to buy a permit:

Apply now on MiPermit

The flexi stay permit is a virtual one. This means there is nothing to display in your vehicle, we do not send out a paper version of this permit.

To use your permit in:

• included car parks, you can just park up for an unlimited stay. We will check your registration on our device and see your permit
• additional car parks, you will need to open the MiPermit app when you park and start your free 3‑hour session for that day

Check our 'where you can use a flexi stay permit' page.

Permits cannot be used with other concessions and do not guarantee a space.

If a car park has its own restrictions (these will be written on the car park charges boards at the car park), those apply above the rules of the permit. For example, each car park has rules about the type of vehicle it allows. If you have a permit for a motorhome, but the car park does not allow motorhomes, you cannot park there.

Manage your flexi stay permit

This permit is managed by MiPermit.

If you already have a MiPermit account

You will need to sign in to your MiPermit account to manage your permit:

Start now on MiPermit

If you are a new user

If you are a new user, you will need to register for a MiPermit account.

Changing your vehicle

To change your vehicle, you will need to go to the MiPermit website (you cannot update your vehicle from the mobile app).

You need to go to 'Buy digital permits' then 'Car Park permit vehicle change'.

Update your registration in your MiPermit account before you park your new vehicle. You will need to provide a car ownership document (V5C), an insurance document showing your Dorset address or the new car owner slip as long as you send a picture of the completed slip, with the address details showing. Approval of your new vehicle usually takes around 3 working days.

Moving house

To update your address details, you will need to go to 'Manage digital permits' and click the relevant option.

If you are having account or app issues, contact MiPermit for support and permit queries.

Amending payment methods

To update your payment details:

• log into your account
• go to 'billing details'
• update your card or billing address details

Renewing your flexi stay permit

This permit is managed by MiPermit. Permits will automatically renew if the auto-renewal option has been selected on your account. If this has not been set up, you will need to renew the permit yourself each time it expires.

Log into your MiPermit account to renew

You will need to sign in to your MiPermit account to renew your permit:

Start now on MiPermit

If you have added an email address to your MiPermit account, we will email you to let you know that your permit is expiring.

For monthly permits, you will get an email approximately 2 weeks before your permit expires.

For annual permits, you will get an email approximately 1 month before your permit expires.

Cancellation and refunds

You need to contact us in writing to cancel a permit or request a refund. You can do this by emailing: [email protected]. You will need to confirm the date you wish to cancel it by.

We can only provide refunds for whole months left on your permit. For example, if you have used 3.5 months of an annual permit, your refund would be an 8 month refund. A monthly permit cannot be refunded.

Withdrawal for misuse

We may withdraw a permit that is misused or if you do not meet the eligibility rules. See our terms and conditions for more information.