Meter feeding
"Meter feeding" means paying again to stay longer in the same parking place once your first period has started, whether at a meter, at a pay and display machine, or by phone or app. Where the traffic order for the bays bans it, you can get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) even if the extra time would not take you past the maximum stay. The aim is to keep short-stay spaces turning over.
The rules vary from place to place. Some councils let you extend your stay by phone or app up to the maximum stay shown on the signs, and others don't. Check the signs, the machine and the payment app before you buy more time. If in doubt, move on when your first period runs out.
The contravention codes
| Code | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 07 | Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time (on-street) | Lower |
| 84 | Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond initial time (car parks) | Lower |
| 30 | Parked for longer than permitted (on-street) | Lower |
| 80 | Parked for longer than permitted (car parks) | Lower |
Codes 30 and 80 are for staying longer than the maximum stay. See the full list of contravention codes.
How it is enforced
Civil enforcement officers record the vehicle registration, the bay or machine, the times on your ticket or payment, and often the position of the tyre valves (for example "9 o'clock"), and take photographs. This shows whether the vehicle has moved between payments.
See also re-parking in the same bays, which applies when you leave and come back too soon.
This page was checked against the law in England and Wales on 22 October 2026. It is general guidance, not legal advice: see the legal disclaimer.