Under the Road Traffic Act 1991 the responsibility for any PCN (Penalty Charge Notice) rests with the registered keeper of the vehicle as recorded at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). If the keeper was not the driver at the time of the offence it remains his/her responsibility to pay the PCN and any recompense from the driver should be obtained by the keeper.

Inside London 

Charges inside London are set by a London-wide body, London Councils, in conjunction with the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Transport. Details of the actual fine amounts charged in each council’s area is available on their websites.

Click here to find your local authority/ council’s parking information.

Outside London

Outside Greater London it is the duty of each enforcement authority to set the level of charges applicable in the case of contraventions for which they are the enforcement authority.

Click here to find your local authority/ council’s parking information.

Some reasons for challenging a PCN

• The information on the PCN is wrong or incomplete.
• You did not own the vehicle. (PCNs issued by post only)
• The contravention did not occur. For example: 
  •  Your vehicle was not on a yellow line.
  • You were entitled to park because you were loading. 
  • You had a pay-and-display ticket but the CEO failed to see it. 
• There were exceptional circumstances. 
• There are compelling reasons.

Tips for challenging a PCN

• Put your point in writing and State your case clearly and simply.
• Make sure your letter contains:
  • A date
  • The PCN Number 
• If you have evidence, send copies and keep the originals safe.
• Evidence might include:
  • A pay-and-display ticket
  • Photographs o A statement or letter from a witness
  • A delivery note to show you were loading.
• Keep a copy of your letter.

Appealing against a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO)

The Date of the offence is Day 1. Discount payment period lasts until day 14. The council should receive a written challenge to the PCN by day 28 but ideally day 14.

If a challenge is made within the discount period then the Secretary of State recommends that the enforcement authority should consider re-offering the discount for a further 14 days to incentivise payment.

Therefore, in the case of a PCN issued by a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO), you should make sure you challenge the PCN before day 14. Then you should still be offered the option of paying the discounted rate if your challenge is rejected.

If you and the council cannot agree whether to cancel or pay the PCN the owner of the vehicle can make a formal challenge to the council and appeal to the independent adjudicator.

Appealing against a against a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by Post

The Date of the offence is Day 1. Discount payment period lasts until day 14 (day 21 for offences detected on camera).

The council should receive a written challenge to the PCN by day 28 but ideally day 14 (day 21 for offences detected on camera).

Therefore, in the case of a PCN issued by Post, you should make sure you challenge the PCN before day 14 (day 21 for offences detected on camera). Then you should still be offered the option of paying the discounted rate if your challenge is rejected.

Where to go to make your appeal

Local Authority

Click here to find your local authority / council’s parking information including how to appeal/challenge a PCN.

Independent Adjudicator

Always appeal to your local authority before appealing to the independent adjudicator. The link to the Independent Adjudicators websites are below;

Independent Adjudicator for PCNs issued within London

Independent Adjudicator for PCNs issued in England and Wales excluding London

Paying a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by a Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO)

• The Date of the offence is day 1.
• The council should receive a payment by day 28 otherwise it may issue a Notice to Owner.

50% Discount Payment will be accepted if received by day 14.
Acceptance of Discount Payment after day 14 is at the council’s discretion.

Paying a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by Post 

• The Date of the offence is day 1. 
• The council should receive a written challenge to the PCN by day 28 but ideally day 14.

50% Discount Payment will be accepted if received by day 14 (day 21 for offences detected on camera).
Acceptance of Discount Payment after day 14 / day 21 is at the council’s discretion.

In Both Cases:

Some people who receive a PCN will not b able to respond to it in time. If this happens for any reason you should inform the council immediately.

If you do nothing, the council may enforce payment as debt recovery through the County Court

Click here to find local authority/ council’s parking information including how to pay a PCN fine to the Council.

From 31st March 2008 councils across England and Wales gained the right to use CCTV to detect offences on roads where parking is banned. Councils in London already have this power.

CCTV cameras evidence can now be used to enforce parking offences and moving vehicle offences. These cameras are linked to the DVLA and have number plate recognition. This means that the owner of any vehicle seen by a CCTV camera stopped in a zone with parking restrictions will receive a fine through the post. Other traffic offences such as stopping in a Yellow Box junction or turning where turning prohibited, when caught on CCTV will also result in a fine through the post.

To read about the Approved Devices for use when enforcing parking and moving vehicle offences please follow the Government Department links below:

England:
The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Approved Devices) (England) Order 2007

Wales:
The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (Approved Devices) (Wales) Order 2008

As Civil Enforcement Officers / Parking Attendants walk around their beat, they enter details about cars parked at parking meters into their handheld computers. This includes the meter number, the registration number of the car, the amount of time a car has remaining on the meter (with consequent expiry time) and the position of the front and rear valves of the pavement-facing car tyres (given as clock points - e.g. 9 means 9 o'clock).

Offence code: 22
Explanation: Re-parked in the same parking place within one hour of leaving. You must not return to the same parking place within a specified period of leaving it - details will be shown on the sign or meter.

"Parking place" is loosely defined as a set of bays

As Civil Enforcement Officers / Parking Attendants walk around their beat, they enter details about cars parked at parking meters into their handheld computers. This includes the meter number, the registration number of the car, the amount of time a car has remaining on the meter (with consequent expiry time) and the position of the front and rear valves of the pavement-facing car tyres (given as clock points - e.g. 9 means 9 o'clock).

Offence code: 07
Explanation: Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond the initial time ('meter feeding'). You may not pay extra money into a meter/pay and display machine to extend the time you have already purchased - even if this does not take you past the maximum time allowed at that parking place.

Higher and lower level contraventions (Differential parking) to be introduced as part of new parking regulations brought in by Part 6 of the Traffic Management (TMA) Act 2004 titled "Civil enforcement of traffic contraventions"

Click here to see the list with contravention codes.

Below is a list of parking contraventions split into the two higher and lower levels.

Higher level 

1. Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
2. Parked or loading/unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading/unloading restrictions are in force
3. Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place without clearly displaying either a permit or voucher or pay and display ticket issued for that place
4. Parked in an electric vehicles charging place during restricted hours without charging
5. Parked in a permit space without displaying a valid permit
6. Using a vehicle in a parking place in connection with the sale or offering or exposing for sale of goods when prohibited
7. Parked in a loading gap marked by a yellow line
8. Parked in a residents parking space without clearly displaying a valid residents parking permit
9. Parked in a suspended bay/space or part of bay/space
10. Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle
11. Parked in a loading place during restricted hours without loading
12. Vehicle parked more than 50 cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place
13. Parked adjacent to a dropped footway
14. Parked in a designated disabled persons parking place without clearly displaying a valid disabled persons badge
15. Parked in a parking place designated for diplomatic vehicles
16. Parked in a parking place designated for police vehicles
17. Parked on a taxi rank
18. Stopped on a pedestrian crossing and/or crossing area marked by zigzags
19. Parked in a loading area during restricted hours without reasonable excuse
20. Using a vehicle in a parking place in connection with the sale or offering or exposing for sale of goods when prohibited
21. Parked in a restricted area in a car park
22. Parked in a permit bay without clearly displaying a valid permit
23. Parked in a disabled persons parking space without clearly displaying a valid disabled persons badge
24. Vehicle parked exceeds maximum weight and/or height and/or length permitted in the area
25. Parked in a car park or area not designated for that class of vehicle
26. Parked causing an obstruction

Lower level contraventions

1. Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket
2. Parked after the expiry of paid for time
3. Parked in a meter bay when penalty time is indicated
4. Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time
5. Parked at an out-of-order meter during controlled hours
6. Parked displaying multiple pay & display tickets where prohibited
7. Parked with engine running where prohibited
8. Parked without clearly displaying two valid pay and display tickets when required
9. Parked without payment of the parking charge
10. Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place displaying an invalid permit, an invalid voucher or an invalid pay & display ticket
11. Re-parked in the same parking place within one hour of leaving
12. Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space
13. Parked for longer than permitted
14. Parked in a disc parking place without clearly displaying a valid disc
15. Parked in a disc parking place for longer than permitted
16. Parked without payment of the parking charge
17. Parked for longer than the maximum period permitted
18. Parked in a car park without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket
19. Parked with additional payment made to extend the stay beyond time first purchased
20. Parked beyond the bay markings
21. Re-parked within one hour of leaving a bay or space in a car park
22. Parked in car park when closed
23. Parked in a pay & display car park without clearly displaying two valid pay and display tickets when required
24. Parked in a parking place for a purpose other than the designated purpose for the parking place

Independent Adjudicator Appeals

Here are a few notes and comments from Caroline Sheppard, the chief adjudicator of the new Traffic Penalty Tribunal

1. She said that motorists would be able to have their appeals heard by telephone instead of attending a hearing, in a move designed to encourage more drivers to challenge their tickets.
2. Drivers receiving tickets by post will also not be expected to have kept evidence that they were legally parked, such as pay and display tickets or a shop receipt to show they were loading.

   When balancing up the weight of evidence, the adjudicator will give due account to the fact that the motorist only heard of the penalty some time after the incident and therefore may not have had the opportunity to preserve the evidence. “Drivers’ own explanation of what happened will carry a lot of weight.”

3. "Trials of telephone appeals had shown they were very popular with drivers, who could fit them in during lunch breaks or take part from home"

   The driver dials in to a conference call that includes the adjudicator, a council parking official and any witnesses for the driver.

   The tribunal will accept photographs and videos taken by drivers, who can also elect for appeals to be held in their home town if they want to appear in person. Ms Sheppard said: “If you get a ticket in Brighton but live in London, we can arrange for the hearing to take place in London.” An online appeals service will be launched later this year. Adjudicators gain extra powers from today to allow an appeal if the council has not followed the correct procedure and can also refer a case back to the council if it “has not taken proper account of compelling reasons”.

For more information about appealig against a PCN see Appeal against a PCN posts.