Differential parking bands - higher and lower band penalty charge notices

PCN fine amountsLaw checked 22 October 2026

Since 31 March 2008, when Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 came into force, council parking penalties have had two levels. This is known as differential charging:

Higher level for more serious contraventions, where parking is not allowed at all or the space is reserved for someone else, such as parking on yellow lines, in a disabled bay without a Blue Badge, or across a dropped kerb.
Lower level for less serious ones, where you were allowed to park but broke the rules for the bay, such as overstaying your paid-for time.

The amounts for each level are on PCN fine amounts. Which contraventions are higher level is set by the 2022 regulations in England outside London, by a 2013 order in Wales, and by London Councils' code list in London. The code lists use the same levels everywhere, with one exception: not displaying a pay and display ticket (code 06) is higher level in Wales.

Higher level contraventions

On-street

Code	Contravention
01	Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours (yellow lines)
02	Parked or loading/unloading where waiting and loading/unloading restrictions are in force
12	Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place without a valid permit, voucher or ticket, or without paying
14	Parked in an electric vehicle charging place during restricted hours without charging
16	Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid permit
18	Selling goods from a vehicle in a parking place when prohibited
20	Parked in a part of a parking place marked by a yellow line where waiting is prohibited
21	Parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space
23	Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle
25	Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading
26	Double parking: more than 50 cm from the kerb and not in a parking place
27	Parked next to a dropped kerb
28	Parked on part of the road raised to the level of the pavement, such as a raised crossing point
40	Parked in a disabled person's parking place without a valid Blue Badge displayed correctly
41	Stopped in a parking place for diplomatic vehicles
42	Parked in a parking place for police vehicles
43	Stopped on a cycle docking station parking place
45	Stopped on a taxi rank
46	Stopped where prohibited, on a red route or clearway
47	Stopped on a restricted bus stop or stand
48	Stopped on the restricted area outside a school, hospital, or fire, police or ambulance station
49	Parked wholly or partly on a cycle track or lane
55	A commercial vehicle parked in breach of an overnight waiting ban
56	Parked in breach of a commercial vehicle waiting restriction
57	Parked in breach of a bus ban
61	A heavy commercial vehicle parked on a footway, verge or land between two carriageways
62	Parked with one or more wheels on a footpath or any part of the road other than the carriageway
99	Stopped on a pedestrian crossing or its zigzag lines

Car parks (off-street)

Code	Contravention
70	Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading
71	Parked in an electric vehicle charging place during restricted hours without charging
74	Selling goods from a vehicle in a parking place when prohibited
78	Parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space
81	Parked in a restricted area in a car park or housing estate
85	Parked without a valid permit where one is required
87	Parked in a disabled person's parking place without a valid Blue Badge displayed correctly
89	Vehicle exceeds the maximum weight, height or length permitted
91	Parked in a car park or area not designated for that class of vehicle
92	Parked causing an obstruction

Lower level contraventions

On-street

Code	Contravention
04	Parked in a meter bay when penalty time is indicated
05	Parked after the expiry of paid for time
06	Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay and display ticket or voucher (higher level in Wales)
07	Paid again to extend the stay beyond the time first paid for ("meter feeding")
08	Parked at an out-of-order meter during controlled hours
09	Displaying multiple pay and display tickets where prohibited
10	Not displaying two valid pay and display tickets when required
11	Parked without payment of the parking charge
19	Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place with an invalid permit, voucher or ticket, or after paid time has run out
22	Re-parked in the same parking place within the no-return time
24	Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space
30	Parked for longer than permitted
35	Parked in a disc parking place without clearly displaying a valid disc
63	Parked with engine running where prohibited

Car parks (off-street)

Code	Contravention
73	Parked without payment of the parking charge
79	Parked without registering for the free parking period (outside London)
80	Parked for longer than permitted
82	Parked after the expiry of paid for time
83	Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay and display ticket, voucher or parking clock
84	Paid again to extend the stay beyond the time first paid for
86	Not parked correctly within the markings of a bay or space
90	Re-parked in the same car park within the no-return time
93	Parked in a car park when closed
94	Not displaying two valid pay and display tickets when required
95	Parked in a parking place for a purpose other than that designated
96	Parked with engine running where prohibited

Bus lanes and moving traffic

Bus lane and moving traffic contraventions, such as stopping in a yellow box junction or making a banned turn, do not use the parking levels. In England outside London and in Wales they are charged at the higher level; in London they have their own rate.

The official wording of every code is on the full list of contravention codes.

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.