Parking fines and penalty charge notices

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1. Paying a ticket

How you pay a parking ticket or penalty charge notice depends on what type it is and who issued it.

You usually have 28 days to pay. In some cases, the fine is reduced if you pay within 14 days.

If you lose your ticket, contact the ticket issuer to find out how to pay.

Paying and challenging parking tickets is different in and

Penalty charge notice (PCN)

As well as for parking, you can get a PCN for:

  • breaking some traffic rules, for example going against a 鈥榥o right turn鈥� sign or driving in a bus lane
  • not paying the charge for the London congestion zone, low emission zone or Dartford Crossing (Dart Charge) on time

You can pay online for a:

Check the ticket for other ways to pay.

Deadlines and penalties

If you do not pay a PCN within 28 days, you鈥檒l get a 鈥榗harge certificate鈥� and you鈥檒l have 14 days to pay the original fine plus 50% more.

You鈥檒l get a court order demanding payment if you do not pay a charge certificate within 14 days.

Fixed penalty notice (FPN)

You can get an FPN for parking from the police, local council or Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can . Check the ticket for other ways to pay.

Deadlines and penalties

If you do not pay an FPN within 28 days, you鈥檒l have to pay 50% more.

If you do not pay you鈥檒l be prosecuted - you may have to pay a bigger fine as well as court costs.

You鈥檒l only get penalty points on your licence for certain types of parking FPN, for example for leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position.

You can also get an FPN for speeding and minor motoring offences.

Other parking tickets

Check the ticket or contact the ticket issuer for deadlines and ways to pay:

  • standard or excess charge notices issued by a local council
  • tickets from private companies, for example from supermarket car parks

2. Challenging a ticket

You may be able to challenge your ticket if you think it鈥檚 wrong.

If you lose your ticket, contact the ticket issuer to find out how to challenge.

Challenging a penalty charge notice (PCN)

You have 28 days to challenge a PCN. If you do it within 14 days and your challenge is rejected, you may only have to pay 50% of the fine.

Check the ticket - there are different rules for some types of PCN.

Type of PCN How you usually challenge it
Local council PCN - received on the spot, for example on your windscreen Make an informal challenge with the council
Local council PCN - received in the post, for example you were sent a 鈥榥otice to owner鈥� Make a formal challenge (called a 鈥榬epresentation鈥�) with the council
Dart Charge PCN Make a representation with Dart Charge
Red route PCN with Transport for London (TfL)
Congestion charge PCN with TfL
Low emission zone PCN with TfL

You will not have to pay the fine if your informal challenge is accepted.

If your informal challenge is rejected

You鈥檒l get a 鈥榥otice to owner鈥�. It will explain how to pay or make a formal challenge.

Making a formal challenge

You have 28 days to make a formal challenge (called a 鈥榬epresentation鈥�) after you get a notice to owner. You must:

  • explain your reasons for challenging the PCN in as much detail as possible
  • provide copies of any evidence or documents to support your challenge

You will not have to pay the fine if your representation is accepted.

If your formal challenge is rejected

You鈥檒l get a 鈥榥otice of rejection鈥� - it will give you 28 days to pay or appeal to an independent tribunal.

If you do not pay or appeal, you鈥檒l have to pay a late penalty (鈥榗harge certificate鈥�).

Challenging a fixed penalty notice (FPN)

You need to go to a magistrates鈥� court. The back of the ticket will tell you how to do this.

You鈥檒l be sent a summons with a date to attend a court hearing.

Challenging a standard or excess charge notice

Check the ticket or contact the ticket issuer for:

  • ways to challenge
  • what you can do if your challenge is rejected

Challenging a ticket from a private company

Check the ticket to find out who the issuer is. Contact them to find out how to challenge the private parking ticket.

If your challenge is rejected, you can appeal to an independent appeals service. Find out if the ticket operator is a member of an accredited trade association by looking at the ticket or their website.

Appeal to:

  • (Parking on Private Land Appeals), if the operator is a member of the British Parking Association (BPA)
  • (Independent Appeals Service), if the operator is a member of the International Parking Community (IPC)