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Wednesday, 3 October 2023

Paying or appealing a parking penalty charge notice (PCN)

Who enforces parking regulations depends on where you live. In many areas, your council has the power to enforce parking restrictions. In others, parking is a criminal matter, enforced by the police. Find out how to pay or appeal against your parking ticket fine (penalty charge notice).

Paying a parking penalty charge notice

Paying your PCN

See the payment options from your council - many let you pay online

You can pay your parking ticket:

  • by credit/debit card
  • in person - you should take your payment and PCN to any of your council's customer services offices
  • by cheque
  • by postal order

You may be able to pay your PCN online. To find out if your local council offers this service visit their website using the links below or contact them directly.

Parking fines – fixed penalty notices and penalty charge notices

In London and many areas in England local councils have the power to enforce parking restrictions. The council can issue a penalty charge notice (PCN) for a parking offence.

In areas where the local council does not have civil parking enforcement powers, parking is a criminal matter. The police can issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for a parking offence and FPNs may be challenged in a magistrate’s court.

This article deals with penalty charge notices issued by councils only. To find out more about fixed penalty notices issued by the police follow the link below.

Appealing against a parking penalty charge notice

If you wish to challenge your PCN, you should do so within the 14 day discount period. If your informal challenge is unsuccessful, the council may extend the discounted period for payment for a short time.

If after receiving the NtO (notice to owner) you still think the PCN was issued unjustifiably, you can take the matter up with the independent adjudicator. The parking adjudicator for London is the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS). Outside London the adjudicator is the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT). You can find out about the appeals procedure by following the links below.

Pay or appeal your penalty charge notice (PCN)

The following links will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.

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