Car parking fines and appealing them

What is a parking ticket?

A parking ticket is a notice you receive for allegedly breaking parking rules. However, not all tickets are the same. They generally fall into two categories:

• official fines issued by a public body, like a local council or the police. These are penalties for breaking the law

• notices from businesses (often private companies) that manage car parks for supermarkets, hospitals, or retail parks. These are not official fines but invoices for what the business claims is a breach of contract

It’s crucial to identify which type of ticket you have, as this determines your rights and the correct appeals process.

What should I do when I first get a parking ticket?

It can be frustrating to find a ticket on your car, but it's important not to ignore it. Here are the first steps you should take:

1. don't automatically pay if you think the ticket is unfair and want to appeal, as paying is usually seen as admitting you were wrong

2. gather evidence like photos of where you were parked, any unclear signs, broken ticket machines, or road markings, and keep any receipts that prove you paid

3. identify who issued the ticket, as this will determine how you appeal

4. act quickly because there are strict time limits for appealing and for paying at a reduced rate

What are the different types of parking tickets?

Knowing the type of notice you’ve received is the first step in deciding what to do next.

Tickets from public authorities

These are official fines issued for parking violations on public land, such as a public road or a council-run car park. The main types are:

• penalty charge notices (PCNs) - these are the most common type of ticket from a local council. They deal with civil (ie non-criminal) parking offences, like parking on double yellow lines or overstaying in a pay-and-display bay

• excess charge notices (ECNs) - these are a less common type of notice also issued by local councils, typically for violations in off-street car parks. They're issued under different laws to PCNs and have a different appeals process

• fixed penalty notices (FPNs) - these are issued by the police, or sometimes the council, for more serious, criminal parking offences. Examples include parking on a red route or on white zigzag lines by a pedestrian crossing. For more information, read Road traffic offences

Tickets from businesses

These are issued for parking on private land, like in a supermarket or hospital car park. The most common type is a parking charge notice.

This is an invoice from a business for breaking their parking rules. In practice, it’s not always obvious you're on private land. For example, many hospital or retail park car parks are managed by private operators.

A parking charge notice can be left on your car windscreen or sent by post to the registered keeper's address. While they look official, they aren't legally considered fines. Instead, the business argues that by entering their car park, you agreed to their terms and conditions, and you've now broken that contract

When can I challenge a parking ticket?

You may have grounds to challenge a parking ticket, whether it’s from the council or a business, if:

• the details on the ticket (the ‘Notice to driver’ or ‘Notice to keeper’) are wrong, like your car registration number

• the parking signs were unclear, confusing, or not visible, meaning the parking rules were unenforceable, as you could not reasonably be expected to know them

• the parking meter or payment machine was broken

• you had a valid pay-and-display ticket or permit, but still got a ticket

• your car was stolen at the time the ticket was issued

• you didn’t own the car when the ticket was issued

• you were only a few minutes late getting back to your car

• you had a good reason, like your car breaking down or a medical emergency

How do I appeal a parking ticket?

The process for appealing depends on who issued the ticket.

Appealing a council or police ticket

If you get a PCN from a council, you can usually make an informal challenge first. You should do this within 14 days, as you’ll usually be offered a 50% discount if you pay within this time. If your informal challenge is rejected, the council will send a ‘Notice to owner’ by post. You then have 28 days to make a formal appeal. If this is also rejected, you can take your case to an independent tribunal, which is free.

The process for an ECN is different. There isn't an independent tribunal. You'll need to follow the specific appeals process outlined by the council that issued it. This is usually an internal review. If that fails, you may need to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman or challenge it in a magistrates' court.

For FPNs, there is no formal appeals process. Your only option is to challenge it in court.

Appealing a private parking ticket

First, check if the parking business is a member of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA). Many of the largest UK operators, such as Parking Eye, are members of an ATA, typically either the British Parking Association (BPA) or the International Parking Community (IPC). You can check their member lists online. If the business isn't a member of an ATA, they can't get your details from the DVLA, and you can usually ignore the ticket.

If the business is an ATA member:

1. make an informal appeal directly to the parking business, explaining why you think the ticket is unfair and providing any evidence you have. ATA members must offer a grace period and often provide a discount for early payment (usually within 14 days), so check the notice for details. This can be a good option if you accept you were in the wrong, but want to pay less

2. make a formal appeal if your informal appeal is rejected. The business must provide details of its independent appeals service. For BPA members, this is Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA). For IPC members, it's the Independent Appeals Service (IAS). You have 28 days to appeal to POPLA or 21 days for the IAS

What happens if I don't pay a parking ticket?

Ignoring an official parking fine from the council or police is a bad idea. If you don’t pay or appeal, the fine will increase. The council can register the debt with the court and eventually use bailiffs to recover the money, which can also affect your credit rating.

For private parking tickets from an ATA member, ignoring them can also lead to serious consequences. The business can take you to the small claims court to recover the money. If they win and you still don’t pay, it can also harm your credit rating.

For more detailed guidance, read the government guidance on dealing with parking tickets.