Moving Truck Parking Permit in London, Ontario: What the City Requires
If you are searching for a moving truck parking permit in London, Ontario, here is the short answer: as of October 2026, the City’s published permit list does not include a dedicated permit for reserving curb space during an ordinary household move. What London does publish are three separate things that people often mix up: a heavy-load Move Permit for oversized loads, a Work Approval Permit for occupying a road, sidewalk or boulevard, and a Commercial Parking Permit that covers metered spaces for up to 30 minutes.
The right choice depends on what your truck will actually do on the street. Below we explain each option, what it costs, who to call, and how to plan a move so you are not circling the block while the clock runs.
TL;DR
London does not appear to offer a general residential moving-truck parking permit. A normal truck follows the regular traffic and parking rules.
The Move Permit is for oversized or heavy loads, not for curb parking. Single-occasion fees listed by the City are $25 or $65.
If your setup will occupy a road, sidewalk or boulevard, ask about a Work Approval Permit. Apply at least seven days ahead.
The Commercial Parking Permit allows only 30 minutes in a metered space, which is too short for a full move.
Call the City before you book the truck if you are unsure. Public Property Compliance: 519-661-2489 ext. 2848.
Table of Contents
Why the permit question is confusing in London
Search results for this topic mix up several ideas. Some people want a pass for overnight street parking. Some want a permit to hold a spot in front of a house. Others are thinking of the oversized-load permit that applies to very large vehicles.
The City treats these as separate regulatory questions: parking permission, oversized-load permission, and temporary occupation of public right-of-way. Your first job is to classify your move. Once you know which category you are in, you only need to deal with one office and one form, or possibly none at all.
For most households moving from a house, townhouse or apartment in London, the classification is simple. A standard moving truck parks legally on the street, the crew loads quickly, and no permit is required beyond obeying the signs. The trouble starts when the truck is long, the street is narrow, the curb is metered or signed, or the crew needs space beyond a parking spot.
The permits London actually publishes
Here is how the City’s own options compare, based on its published pages.
Permit | What it covers | Cost listed by the City | Lead time |
Move Permit | Heavy or oversized loads moving over City streets | $25 or $65 per single occasion; $125 annual option | Apply before the move |
Work Approval Permit | Work or occupancy on a road, sidewalk or boulevard | Confirm with the City | Complete package at least 7 days ahead; City reserves 7 business days |
Commercial Parking Permit | A commercial vehicle in a metered space, up to 30 minutes | $174.00 plus HST annually, prorated by quarter | Valid through the current calendar year |
None of these is a reserved-curb permit for a household move. That is the key point. If a website claims you can buy a London moving-truck parking pass for a day, check it against the City’s own pages first.
The Move Permit: only for oversized loads
London’s Move Permit page describes a heavy-loads permit. It is aimed at loads or vehicles that exceed ordinary legal dimensions, such as moving a building, large equipment or an unusually wide load. A typical moving truck carrying furniture does not fall into this category.
If you do need one, the City requires a standard certificate of insurance and may require additional clearances. The City lists a $25 single-occasion fee for a loaded width of 259.08 to 365.76 cm, with a height not exceeding 3.96 m and a length not exceeding 25 m. The fee is $65 when the load exceeds 3.66 m wide, 3.96 m high, or 25 m long. An annual permit is also listed at $125 for the specified width range.
These are heavy-load fees, not curb-parking fees. Paying one does not give you a parking space.
The City’s Required Clearances for Moving Permit form asks for loaded length, width, height, gross weight and the proposed route. Measuring early is useful even if you never apply, because it shows whether a low underpass or tight corner is on your path.
Fees and rules change. The City’s by-law and web page govern your booking, so confirm the current fee and whether it applies to you with Public Property Compliance before the move date.
The Work Approval Permit: when the truck takes more than a parking spot
Some moves need more than a legal parking space. Examples include a truck that will sit partly in the travel lane, a lift or ramp that crosses the sidewalk, or equipment on a boulevard. In those cases the question stops being about parking and becomes about work on public right-of-way.
London’s Work Approval Permit page explains that the City regulates work on, above or below municipal roads, sidewalks and boulevards, and that a permit must be obtained before the work starts. It asks for a complete application package at least seven days before the planned work or occupancy, and the City reserves seven business days to review, coordinate and issue the permit. Incomplete packages will not be reviewed.
Applications go to Public Property Compliance at City Hall or by email to streetpermit@london.ca. A Traffic Control Plan is required for construction Work Approval Permits. Ask the City whether your planned moving setup falls into that category, because most household moves will not.
What to have ready
The City will need specifics, so prepare these before you call:
The move date and how long the truck will be there.
The exact pickup and delivery addresses.
The truck’s dimensions and loaded dimensions.
Gross weight.
The planned route.
Insurance information and any required clearances.
If your move is on a quiet residential street and the truck fits in a legal spot, you will likely never need this. If you are unsure, a short phone call is cheaper than a ticket or a stalled move.
The Commercial Parking Permit: 30 minutes, metered spaces only
This is the permit most people find first, and it is the easiest to misread. According to the City’s licences and permits page, the Commercial Parking Permit lets a commercial vehicle park in a City metered space without further deposit, for a period not exceeding 30 minutes.
The details matter:
It costs $174.00 plus HST annually, prorated by quarter: $174.00 for January to March, $130.50 for April to June, $87.00 for July to September, and $43.50 for October to December.
It is vehicle-specific, non-transferable and valid only for its registered plate.
It must be displayed on the registered vehicle.
It expires at the end of the current calendar year.
It was designed for delivery stops and service calls, not for holding a curb during a move. A full household move requires repeated trips and usually runs for hours. If your move involves an unmetered curb, a parking-lane reservation, or a truck that will remain for hours, contact the City rather than relying on this permit.
If you are buying it only for one move, the math rarely works anyway. The annual fee is far more than the cost of arranging better truck access.
Route and street checks before move day
Even without a permit, a moving truck must follow London’s traffic rules. The City’s Traffic and Parking By-law prohibits operating or parking a heavy truck on a signed prohibited street, subject to an exception for a truck necessarily conducting business and taking the shortest route to or from an allowed street.
In practice, that means:
Walk or drive the route in advance and look for heavy-truck restriction signs.
Use the shortest permitted route between the main road and the address.
Do not assume a residential street can accommodate a 20 or 26 foot truck. Check overhead wires, tree branches and tight turns.
Look at posted signs on the block itself. Time-limited zones, hydrants, driveways and loading restrictions all apply on move day.
Truck size also changes the picture. A smaller vehicle often fits where a large truck cannot, which is one reason we wrote a guide on choosing the right moving truck size. If you are moving a one-bedroom or a few large items, you may not need the biggest truck at all.
A practical move-day plan for London
Here is a sequence that works whether or not you end up needing a permit.
Four weeks out: Decide what size of move you have. Note whether your street is narrow, signed or metered. If you are in an apartment or condo, ask building management about elevator booking and loading dock rules.
Two weeks out: Walk the street at the same time of day your move will happen. Count parked cars, find hydrants, and note where the truck can legally stop closest to the door.
Ten days out: If your plan involves occupying road, sidewalk or boulevard, contact Public Property Compliance. The City asks for applications at least seven days ahead and reserves seven business days to review, so earlier is safer.
One week out: Tell your neighbours which day the truck is coming. Ask them to leave the nearest spot free if they can. This is courtesy, not a legal right, but it helps.
Move day: Have the truck driver confirm the route, park legally, and keep the loading path clear. Keep doors propped and boxes staged so loading is fast.
Our longer walkthrough on reserving parking for movers covers the same process step by step, and our 8 week local move timeline shows where parking fits in the broader schedule. If you are new to the city, our Moving to London, Ontario newcomer playbook adds neighbourhood context.
Time the empty-house work around the truck
Truck access is easier when the house is ready. If you plan to repaint before furniture arrives, a move-in painting timeline helps you schedule the work so rooms are dry and clear on the day the truck pulls up. It was written for the Greater Toronto Area, but the sequencing logic carries over to London.
Our perspective: the permit is rarely the real problem
After more than 500 moves since 2021, the pattern we see is that permits are the smaller question. The bigger one is distance between the truck and the door, and how long the crew has to carry. A 40 metre carry on a narrow street can cost more time than an hour of paperwork.
We are a family-run company, and we would rather help you avoid a problem than sell you a larger service. For many London households, the answer is a right-sized vehicle, a crew that scouts the street first, and a flat or itemized quote that does not change because the parking turned out to be tight. Our pricing is transparent for that reason: you should know the number before the truck arrives.
We also tell people plainly when the City is the right place to ask. If your situation touches the right-of-way, call the City. We will work around whatever it tells you.
— Natalie
How Atlas Kings can take the parking stress off your move
If your move is small, you may not need a full truck. Our Small Move service covers moves under 10 large items and is priced at $225. For a single sofa, dresser or marketplace purchase, Inhouse Delivery is $125, and Assembly Service is $75 if you want the pieces set up when they arrive.
Smaller moves usually mean less curb space and less time on the street. For the full list of services, you can book online. If you move often or expect to need delivery help through the year, the ATLAS PASS is $312 per year.
We do not pretend a service replaces a City permit when one is required. We will tell you what we know, and you can confirm with the City.
Quick checklist before you call the City
Is the truck within normal legal dimensions? If yes, the Move Permit probably does not apply.
Will anything sit outside a legal parking space, such as a ramp, lift or truck partly in the lane? If yes, ask about the Work Approval Permit.
Is the curb metered? A Commercial Parking Permit covers only 30 minutes, which is too short for most moves.
Does the route include a street with heavy-truck restrictions?
Do you have the move date, addresses, dimensions, weight, route and insurance information ready?
Who to contact: Public Property Compliance at streetpermit@london.ca or 519-661-2489 ext. 2848. The City’s general line is 519-661-CITY (2489), or dial 3-1-1 within London, as listed on the Move Permit page.
FAQ
Do I need a permit to park a moving truck on my street in London, Ontario?
For an ordinary household move, the City’s published permit list does not include a residential moving-truck parking permit. The truck needs to follow regular traffic and parking rules and any posted signs. If your setup will occupy the road, sidewalk or boulevard, ask the City about a Work Approval Permit.
Can I reserve the curb in front of my house?
The City’s published permit options do not identify a curb-reservation permit for household moves. A Commercial Parking Permit is limited to metered spaces and 30 minutes. If you need a parking-lane reservation or a truck on the street for hours, contact Public Property Compliance before booking.
What does the Move Permit cost?
The City lists a $25 single-occasion fee for loads 259.08 to 365.76 cm wide, within stated height and length limits, and $65 when the listed maximum width, height or length is exceeded. An annual permit is listed at $125. These are for oversized loads, not ordinary moves, so confirm the current fee with the City.
How far ahead should I contact the City?
For a Work Approval Permit, the City asks for a complete package at least seven days before the work or occupancy, and it reserves seven business days to review. We suggest calling about ten days ahead or earlier. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Does a small move change the parking situation?
Often, yes. A smaller vehicle is easier to place at a legal spot near the door and spends less time on the street. It does not remove the need to follow signs and route restrictions, but it makes the day simpler.
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