Private parking tickets
Car parks at supermarkets, retail parks, hospitals, railway stations, gyms, hotels and blocks of flats are usually on private land. The companies that run them issue their own tickets, called Parking Charge Notices. Just under 17 million were issued in the UK in the last year, according to the government in October 2026.
This page explains what a private parking ticket is. The other pages on private parking explain when the registered keeper has to pay, how to appeal, the ban on clamping and towing on private land and the government's new code of practice.
A charge under a contract, not a fine
A Parking Charge Notice is a demand from a private company for money it says is owed under the terms on the car park's signs. By parking, the driver is treated as accepting those terms. If the driver breaks them, for example by staying too long, not paying or using a bay they are not allowed to use, the operator claims the charge the signs set out. Where the driver had no permission to park at all, the charge is claimed as damages for trespass.
A Parking Charge Notice is not a fine or a penalty, and breaking a car park's terms is not a crime: the operator cannot prosecute you or put points on your licence. If you do not pay and do not win an appeal, it can claim the money in the County Court, like any other company that says you owe it money.
The Supreme Court decided in 2015 that these charges can be enforced. In ParkingEye v Beavis, an £85 charge for staying longer than the 2 free hours at a retail park was upheld, because the operator had a legitimate interest in keeping spaces free for shoppers and the charge was shown prominently, in large letters, at the entrance. A charge out of all proportion to such an interest could still fail.
Council ticket or private ticket?
| Council ticket | Private car park ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) | Parking Charge Notice, or a notice to keeper sent by post |
| Issued by | A council or Transport for London | A private company acting for the landowner |
| What it is | A penalty set by law | A charge under the car park's terms, or damages for trespass |
| Where | Streets and council car parks | Private car parks and private roads |
| Amount | £40 to £160, set by law, halved if paid early (the amounts) | Set by the operator, up to £100, at least 40% off if paid within 14 days |
| Challenge | The council, then an independent tribunal (how) | The operator, then POPLA or IAS (how) |
| If unpaid | A charge certificate adds 50%, then a court order | Reminders and debt collection letters, with up to £70 added, then a County Court claim |
Under the industry's code of practice, a private operator must not call its charge a fine or a penalty, use the words "Penalty Charge Notice", or design its notices to look like a council's. If you are not sure who issued a ticket, check the name on it and the signs where you parked.
The limits operators must keep to
Until the government's code comes into force, the rules come from the industry's own Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice (version 1.1, in effect since 17 February 2025). It is not law, but every member of the two trade associations must follow it:
- £100 at most. Operators can charge less.
- At least 40% off for paying within 14 days, so £60 or less on a £100 charge. The 14 days run from the date a ticket was put on the vehicle, or from the date of issue of the first notice sent by post.
- Up to £70 more once a charge is overdue, which operators call a debt recovery fee. Whether it can be recovered in court is disputed. The government's code keeps the £70 limit for now but says the fee will not be fair or recoverable in every case, and the government plans to consult in 2027 on cutting the limit or banning these fees.
- Time to decide and time to leave. At most car parks you get at least 5 minutes after arriving to read the signs and decide whether to stay, and at least 10 minutes after your paid or free time ends before a charge can be issued. The time to decide can end sooner, for example once you have paid, or parked and walked away. There is no time to leave in short-stay areas of 30 minutes or less, such as station and airport drop-off zones.
- No charge if you paid for your whole stay before leaving a car park run with number plate cameras, even if you took a while to pay. A charge issued in that case must be cancelled once you show you paid.
- One charge per stay per day. An operator cannot issue more than one charge for the same stay on the same calendar day.
- Clear signs. A sign at the entrance must say that terms apply, whether you have to pay or how long you can stay free, and name the operator and its trade association. Signs inside must set out the terms, show the amount of the charge in large print, and be readable in the dark if the car park is open then. Signs put up before October 2024 have longer to meet every detail.
- Debt collectors must be members too. A debt collection company chasing a private parking charge must be a full member of a trade association, and must not use words such as "bailiff", "summons" or "prosecution".
From about 21 December 2026, the government's code is expected to take over. It keeps the £100, 40% and £70 limits, guarantees the 5 and 10 minutes at almost every car park, and makes operators cancel more charges on appeal.
Who keeps operators in check
Operators get the registered keeper's name and address from the DVLA, for £2.50 a time, to send notices by post and to chase unpaid charges. The DVLA only gives these details to companies that belong to an accredited trade association. There are two:
- the British Parking Association (BPA), whose members' appeals go to POPLA, and
- the International Parking Community (IPC), whose members' appeals go to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS).
An operator that breaks the code gets sanction points from its trade association, and the ultimate sanction is losing access to DVLA records. Car park signs must show the logo of the operator's trade association, so you can tell which appeals service to use.
What to do if you get one
- Read it carefully. Check who issued it, the date, time and place, why the charge is said to be due, the amount and the discount, and how to appeal.
- Do not ignore it. Decide within 14 days if you can: pay the discounted amount, or appeal. You have at least 28 days to appeal. If you appeal within the 14 days and the operator rejects your appeal, you can still pay the discounted amount for 14 more days.
- Appeal before you pay if you think the charge is wrong: once you pay, you usually cannot appeal.
- If you were not driving, see when the registered keeper has to pay.
- Keep evidence: photos of the signs and of where you parked, your ticket or payment record, and copies of everything you send.
If you do not pay
The operator will send reminders and may pass the charge to a debt collection company, adding up to £70. It can then claim the money in the County Court. If you receive court papers, reply by the date they give and get free advice, for example from Citizens Advice. If you ignore a claim, the court can give a County Court judgment against you, which can harm your credit rating.
Keep your address up to date with the DVLA, so that notices and court papers reach you.
Hospitals, stations and airports
- NHS hospitals in England must offer free parking to disabled Blue Badge holders, frequent outpatients (3 or more appointments a month for at least 3 months), parents of sick children staying overnight (from 7.30pm to 8am) and staff working night shifts. Hospitals are responsible for the companies that run their car parks, and should normally allow a period of grace before a charge is issued (NHS car parking principles).
- Railway stations. Since 26 December 2025, station car parks in England and Wales under the national railway byelaws are run like other private car parks: charges are claimed under the car park's terms, the keeper rules apply, and the operator can no longer clamp.
- Airports and ports. Some have byelaws that control parking. On land where parking is controlled by byelaws, the keeper rules for private car parks do not apply, and the signs should say which rules are being enforced.
This guide covers England and Wales. The law on private parking is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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.