Parking Disputes: What Has Changed and What Remains Mandatory. The Ministry of Transport Finally Responded 0 10

The ministry indicated that amendments to the Traffic Rules came into effect on March 31 of this year, one of which concerned the additional sign No. 849 "Other Additional Information."

The ministry emphasizes that this amendment does not cancel the existing requirement to display parking permits in a visible place. At the same time, it has caused uncertainties among regulatory bodies regarding certain requirements and the application of additional sign No. 849.

To eliminate these uncertainties, the Ministry of Transport has submitted a proposal to the Saeima to supplement the Traffic Law with a general provision establishing the obligation to display a parking permit in a visible place.

The ministry explained that in expanding the scope of application of additional sign No. 849 "Other Additional Information," the explanatory part was removed from the sign's title. This allows for a significantly broader use of the sign — for example, to indicate the operating hours of traffic lights, regulate public transport movement, and provide various informational or symbolic information to road users.

The director of the Department of Road Transport at the Ministry of Transport, Talivaldis Vectirans, emphasized that the amended provision provides for a broader scope, but does not create any changes for residents.

"The amendments do not cancel previous requirements, including the obligation to display the parking permit in a visible place. Therefore, claims that the permit no longer needs to be displayed behind the windshield are incorrect. If a person is granted certain rights, regulatory bodies must have the ability to verify them," Vectirans emphasized.

The ministry also noted that, as before, before parking a vehicle in a parking area marked with additional sign No. 849, such as "Permits No. X Only," the driver must ensure that there is unequivocal evidence of the right to use this parking.

In practice, this means that a valid permit or pass must be displayed in a visible place so that in the absence of the driver, regulatory authorities do not have doubts about a possible violation. It should be noted that if the permit fell or was not visible and a fine was imposed for this, the vehicle owner retains the right to contest the penalty by presenting a valid parking permit.

Thus, to dispel the concerns that have arisen in society and reduce the risk of various interpretations of legal norms, the Ministry of Transport has prepared a proposal to establish a separate general provision in the Traffic Law regarding the obligation to display a vehicle parking permit in a visible place, such as behind the windshield. The proposal has already been submitted for consideration to the Saeima and will soon be evaluated by the relevant parliamentary committee.

In the previous version of the Traffic Rules, it was stated that additional sign No. 849 "Other Additional Information" indicates information not contained in other additional signs — for example, it cancels the prohibition of stopping and parking in the zone of action of signs No. 326, 327, 328, and 329 for vehicles with special permits, provides for the placement of the permit issued by the owner or manager of the parking facility on the front windshield of the vehicle, or indicates the time period during which loading and unloading of cargo is permitted, and so on.

In the version of the Traffic Rules that came into effect on March 31 of this year, it is defined that additional sign No. 849 "Other Additional Information" indicates information not contained in other additional signs.

Previously, the parking operator "Park Expert" informed the LETA agency that residents should pay attention to the new Traffic Rules, which significantly change the procedure for parking vehicles in yards and areas, abandoning paper parking permits and introducing digital solutions.

At the same time, a petition has begun on the public initiative portal "Manabalss.lv" for the restoration of a clear and controlled order of parking in private yards. The author of the initiative, Maxim Tereshchuk, points out that as of April 1, a fundamental requirement that has ensured order in yards for years — the obligation to place "a permit of the appropriate content in the vehicle's cabin at the front windshield" — was removed from the Traffic Rules. The authors of the initiative propose to restore the requirement that vehicles parked in areas with additional sign No. 849 must have a visible permit in the vehicle's cabin.