How to Appeal a Parking Fine — Every Stage Explained

This is your first opportunity to challenge. Write to the council explaining why you believe the PCN should be cancelled. There is no set format — but a clear, factual letter referencing your specific grounds is most effective.

The council will consider your challenge and either:

• Cancel the PCN — matter closed
• Reject your challenge — you receive a Notice to Owner
• Make no response within 56 days — the PCN is deemed cancelled

Important: If you challenge within 14 days and the council rejects your challenge, they must re-offer the reduced rate. You do not lose your discount by challenging early.

If your informal challenge is rejected — or if you did not challenge — the council will send a Notice to Owner (NtO) to the registered keeper of the vehicle. This is a formal document giving you the right to make formal representations.

Formal representations are more serious than an informal challenge. The council must consider them and give a formal response. The statutory grounds for formal representations are:

• The contravention did not occur
• The PCN was issued to the wrong person
• The penalty charge exceeded the relevant amount
• The Traffic Regulation Order was invalid
• There was a procedural impropriety on the part of the council
• The vehicle was used without your consent (stolen)
• You are a hire company and can name the hirer

If the council accepts your representations, the PCN is cancelled. If rejected, you receive a Notice of Rejection — which gives you the right to appeal to the independent tribunal.

If the council rejects your formal representations, you have the right to appeal to an independent adjudicator — free of charge.

Outside London: Traffic Penalty Tribunal (trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk)
In London: London Tribunals (londontribunals.gov.uk)

Adjudicators are qualified lawyers, completely independent from councils. Their decisions are binding — if they cancel your PCN, the council must comply.

Most appeals are decided on written evidence — you submit your case online, the council submits theirs, and the adjudicator decides. You do not usually need to attend in person.

The adjudicator can:

• Allow your appeal — PCN cancelled, council must comply
• Dismiss your appeal — penalty becomes payable
• Request more information from either party

Appealing to the tribunal does not increase the penalty. If you lose, you pay the original amount — not more.

If you miss the formal representations deadline, the council issues a Charge Certificate. This increases the penalty by 50%.

After a Charge Certificate:

• You can no longer make formal representations to the council
• You must either pay the increased amount or apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC)

The Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC):

If you believe you never received the original PCN or Notice to Owner, you can make an Out of Time Witness Statement to the TEC. If accepted, the Charge Certificate is cancelled and the case goes back to the Notice to Owner stage.

Contact TEC: 0300 123 1059 | TEC (GOV.UK)

If the Charge Certificate is not paid within 14 days, the council applies to the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court to register the debt. At this stage:

• The debt is registered as a County Court judgment
• Enforcement agents (bailiffs) can be instructed
• Your credit record may be affected

If you receive notice of County Court proceedings, contact TEC immediately on 0300 123 1059. It may still be possible to have the debt set aside if you have a valid reason for not responding earlier — such as never having received the PCN or NtO.