Parking permit
for moving day in France

Do you need one?

As soon as the truck occupies the public road (blocking parking spaces, setting a furniture lift on the pavement, partly closing a narrow street), you need the town's permission. It is often called an autorisation de stationnement, an arrêté de stationnement or a permission de voirie.

• In Paris, it is compulsory to reserve spaces: the request is made online with the City, which details the rules in its official moving FAQ. See our Paris guide.
• In most towns, the town hall website has a form for temporary occupation of the public road. Fees range from free to over €100 depending on the town.
• In a residential area, if the truck fits in your driveway or in front of your house without blocking traffic, a permit is usually not needed.
• A furniture lift takes its own space on the ground and must be in the request too: a permit for the truck alone does not cover it.

When and how to apply

As soon as your date is set, and at least two to three weeks before. Many town halls announce ten to fifteen days of processing. Most permits also require the official signs to be put up 48 hours before the move: that notice is what makes the ban enforceable against other vehicles.

What the form will ask for:

• The exact address, with the entrance or gate concerned
• The date and a generous time slot (a morning that overruns is the norm)
• The type and size of the vehicle, and any furniture lift
• The length of road needed: about 15 metres for a truck and its manoeuvre
• A photo of the spot where the truck will stop
• A phone number for the day

You or the mover?

Many moving companies file the request for you for a flat fee that includes the town's charges. If yours does, make sure it is written in the price. Decide at the same time who puts up the signs.

The most common mistake

Asking for "a space" without saying which one. A permit on the wrong side of the junction, too short for the manoeuvre or opposite the entrance is useless. The spot should be as close to the entrance as possible, fit the truck's manoeuvre, and be clear of cables, balconies and trees if a furniture lift is planned. One photo and one sentence avoid most back-and-forth with the town hall.

On moving day

• Keep the permit, printed or on your phone: it is what you show if checked
• Check the spot early; if a car ignored the signs, call the municipal police before the truck arrives
• In paid parking zones, the permit does not always waive the parking fee
• Name one person in charge of access: the spot, the door code, the neighbours

Request template, in French

If your town hall has no online form, a clear email to the roads department (service voirie) is enough. It will be read in French: copy the text below and fill in the brackets.

Objet : Demande d'autorisation de stationnement pour déménagement, [ADRESSE], le [DATE]

Bonjour,

Je déménage le [DATE] à l'adresse suivante : [ADRESSE EXACTE]. Afin de permettre le stationnement du véhicule de déménagement au plus près de l'entrée, je sollicite une autorisation d'occupation temporaire de la voirie sur le créneau [HEURE DE DÉBUT] à [HEURE DE FIN].

Véhicule prévu : [type et gabarit, par exemple camion 20 m³, environ 8 m], emprise souhaitée d'environ [15] mètres au droit du [numéro et rue] [, ainsi qu'un monte-meuble sur le trottoir]. Vous trouverez en pièce jointe une photo du point d'arrêt envisagé.

Pouvez-vous m'indiquer les modalités (tarif, arrêté, fourniture et pose des panneaux) ? Contact sur place le jour du déménagement : [nom et téléphone].

Merci par avance,
[Nom et coordonnées]