Hospitals in England have been told to cut the cost of parking for certain groups under new government guidelines.
Ministers said the relatives of people who are seriously ill or have to stay in hospital for a long time should be given free parking or reduced charges.
Concessions should also be offered to people with disabilities and NHS staff whose shift patterns mean they cannot use public transport.
Labour accused ministers of scrapping its plan to phase out parking charges.
Hospital parking policies are set by individual NHS trusts.
The Department of Health guidance makes it clear trusts are responsible for the behaviour of private car parking contractors running facilities on their behalf.
For the first time the government is recommending that hospitals should use "pay-on-exit" schemes so motorists pay only for the time they have used in a hospital car park.
'Hold to account'End Quote Robert Halfon Conservative MP for HarlowHospital parking has become a stealth tax on the vulnerable"
The guidance also says trusts should waive fines if a visitor or patient overstays through no fault of their own, for example because treatment has taken longer planned, or when staff have to work beyond their scheduled shift.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Patients and families shouldn't have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges.
"These clear ground rules set out our expectations, and will help the public hold the NHS to account for unfair charges or practices."
Mr Hunt had come under pressure from Conservative backbenchers to put an end to the "rip-off" costs.
Harlow MP Robert Halfon described the move as a "massive step forward" but said he wanted to see charges scrapped altogether, at a cost of £200m.
"Hospital parking has become a stealth tax on the vulnerable," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"The stories that we've had of people not being able to use the machines so they haven't been able to see their dying relatives is quite horrific and we have to make a change."
Analysis: Roger Harrabin, BBC News
Some hospital parking stories sound outrageous, and charges are indeed a burden on some drivers. But the issue is complex.
The poorest in society and the elderly are most likely to get sick, but the least likely to drive. They are often saddled with long expensive bus journeys to out-of-town hospitals easily accessed by motorists.
Should the NHS provide minicabs for patients or visiting relatives without cars?
Campaigners complain about the cost of NHS staff parking, but many hospitals are on expensive prime land. Car parks take up space that could be used for wards, and free parking would effectively subsidise drivers.
What's more, hospitals like other major employers, are under pressure from councils to reduce driving to cut congestion and pollution.
And how would hospitals replace the lost income from parking charges? It's not simple.
Parking has been free for patients, visitors and staff in Scotland since 2009 but charges remain at three car parks built under private finance initiatives (PFI) in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee.
All but four hospitals in Wales have stopped charging for parking. Those that require payment have been told to abolish charges once their contracts with private parking firms expire.
Patients with certain chronic conditions in Northern Ireland do not have to pay to park.
Ahead of the 2010 general election, the previous Labour government promised to scrap car parking charges - a move described as "unworkable" by the coalition when it came to power.
"Jeremy Hunt needs to take responsibility for the fact that since then, one in four hospitals have increased parking fees," shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said.
"Any action to ease the burden of car parking charges on patients and their visitors is welcome. When people go to hospital, the last thing they want to worry about is parking fees."
Have you had to pay a high hospital car park charges? What do you think of the new government guidelines? You can send us your experiences and comments by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
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