The “Defender Status” service has been operating in the capital for a year now, allowing military personnel, veterans, persons with disabilities as a result of war, and families of fallen soldiers to use hourly municipal parking lots free of charge. This solution has become one of the key city benefits for those directly involved in the country’s defense. Over the course of the program’s existence, more than 32,000 people have become its participants, who have collectively made over 400,000 free parking trips.
The service works through the “Kyiv Digital” application, where the user can confirm their status using “Diya” or BankID. After verification in the application, the opportunity to use the zero tariff at any municipal parking lot in the capital is activated. Representatives of the Department of Territorial Control of the city of Kyiv emphasize that the system is maximally automated and does not require contacting additional services or registrations.
The mechanism of using the service is quite simple: before leaving the car, it is necessary to activate the hourly parking mode, indicating the license plate number of the car and the selected location. After parking, the driver must close the session in the application. This allows the city to keep accurate records of used parking spaces and monitor the operation of the service without the participation of inspectors.
The benefit applies to all vehicles owned by the user, and up to five vehicles can be added to a profile. In this way, the city is trying to take into account the different life scenarios of military personnel, veterans and their families, providing a simple and understandable way to use parking at no additional cost.
The “Defender Status” service has become one of the examples of digital solutions that Kyiv is implementing to support defenders and their families. The city hall states that the positive dynamics of use and feedback from participants indicate the effectiveness of the project, which they will continue to develop.
