Re-parking in the same bay or set of bays
Many short-stay bays have a "no return" rule, shown on the signs: for example "No return within 2 hours". Once you leave, you must not park in the same parking place again until that time has passed.
The "parking place" is usually the whole set of bays covered by the same restriction, often a whole street or stretch of bays, not just the bay you used. Moving to the next bay is not leaving. Car parks have their own no-return rules, shown on the signs and machines.
The contravention codes
| Code | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Re-parked in the same parking place or zone within one hour after leaving (on-street) | Lower |
| 90 | Re-parked in the same car park within one hour after leaving (car parks) | Lower |
"One hour" is replaced by the time on the signs where it is different. See the full list of contravention codes.
How it is enforced
Civil enforcement officers record the vehicle registration, the location, the times and often the position of the tyre valves (for example "9 o'clock"), and take photographs, so they can show whether a vehicle has left and come back. Where you pay by phone or app, the payment records show when each stay started.
Blue Badge holders parked on yellow lines have a similar rule: you must wait at least an hour before parking in the same road again on the same day.
See also meter feeding, which applies when you pay again without leaving.
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.