If you have lost a parking notice or its reference, contact the issuer promptly using independently verified details. Losing the number does not stop a deadline.
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In this article, we’ll explain:
- What to do if you lose your PCN number.
- How to challenge the charge if you think it is wrong.
- Times when you might not need to pay.
- What could happen if you decide not to pay.
In 2021, Churchill Motor Insurance reported an 8% increase in penalty charge notices (PCNs) across Britain, with over 5.2 million issued.1 So you’re not alone.
We’ve been in your shoes and are here to support you. Let’s go through the details…
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What is a PCN reference number?
Every PCN that is issued has a unique reference number.
The PCN number is used to identify your PCN fine and your details.
These reference numbers start with a two-letter prefix which can be used to work out either who issued the PCN or the type of PCN fine.
Your PCN reference number should be at the top of your PCN notice. If Transport for London issued your PCN, it would be visible above the vehicle image in the top right corner.
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Lost PCN number – how to pay?
If you have lost your PCN number, you won’t be able to pay online.
In this situation, you must contact your PCN issuer and ask them for your PCN number. If you call them, you may be given the option to pay over the phone.
You may need to be the registered vehicle owner to be given the lost PCN number over the phone.
Check the right challenge process
Check whether you need to make an informal challenge, formal representations or an independent tribunal appeal. Follow the route and deadline printed on your notice. London cases generally go to London Tribunals; relevant cases in England outside London and Wales go to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. Other UK jurisdictions have different procedures.
General information. The procedure depends on the notice and jurisdiction. Check the issuer’s instructions.
What should you do if you lose your parking ticket UK?
From my experience, if you have lost your UK parking ticket, it is best to contact the local council or (private) company that issued your parking ticket.
Using your vehicle registration number, they should be able to find your reference number.
What happens if you don’t pay your parking ticket UK?
A charge certificate can increase the penalty by 50% once the statutory conditions are met. It is not an automatic consequence of the first 28 days passing: a timely challenge or appeal affects the permitted next steps. Follow each notice’s deadline.
If a charge certificate remains unpaid, further statutory notices and enforcement may follow. Check the deadline on each document. Early-payment discounts vary by notice, commonly 14 days and sometimes 21 days for postal parking PCNs.
How to challenge your PCN
You can challenge a PCN if you disagree with it.
For an on-street council parking PCN, you can normally make an informal challenge before a Notice to Owner is served. An informal challenge is not a mandatory prerequisite for later formal representations. A postal PCN may invite formal representations from the outset.
If a formal appeal is rejected, you have the right to escalate the appeal to an independent tribunal.
The tribunal depends on the issuing authority and statutory scheme, not your home address. Follow the Notice of Rejection; London borough parking appeals normally go to London Tribunals and other England/Wales council parking appeals to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
| Different Types of PCNs | How to Challenge |
| Local council PCN (issued in person or fixed to the car) | Make an informal challenge with the council |
| Local council PCN (sent by post) | Make a representation (a formal challenge) with the council |
| Dart Charge PCN | Make a representation with Dart Charge |
| Red route PCN | Make a representation with TfL (Transport for London) |
| London congestion charge PCN | Make a representation with TfL |
| Low emission zone PCN | Make a representation with TfL |
You will not have to pay a fine if your informal challenge or your representation is accepted.
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Can PCN affect your credit score?
A PCN is not a credit debt and will not directly affect your credit score.
Please do not confuse it with a parking charge notice issued by a private company.
Unlike unpaid PCNs, if you don’t pay a parking charge notice, a CCJ could be issued against you. A CCJ can damage your credit score.
Is a PCN Enforceable?
A PCN or penalty charge notice is an enforceable fine.
A local council or the police typically give them out. Please don’t mix them up with parking charge notices that private companies give out.
Although a parking charge notice can lead to issues with bailiffs, and you should still pay or appeal it, it is not enforceable in the same way a penalty charge notice is.
Whether you’ve lost your penalty charge notice or parking charge notice, it’s worth contacting the company, council or organisation that issued it to let them know. You do not want it to get out of hand and have the council or bailiffs chasing you.
A private operator may use debt collectors, but debt collectors do not have bailiff powers. Court enforcement requires a judgment and the appropriate enforcement process.
Do not ignore a letter before claim or court papers from a private operator. A claim can be pursued after the original notice, but an unpaid demand alone does not authorise someone to seize goods.
So, if you lose your PCN, try to recover it as quickly as possible and don’t forget about it.
Lost your PCN number? (quick recap!)
Losing your PCN reference number can make it impossible to pay your PCN quickly, potentially saving some money.
You should recover your PCN number by contacting your PCN issuer.
Before using a paid legal information service
JustAnswer is a paid third-party question-and-answer service providing general information. Its standard service does not create a solicitor-client relationship. Membership can renew automatically with recurring charges until cancelled. Check the initial price, renewal price and cancellation terms before signing up. Buying this service does not guarantee a successful challenge. See JustAnswer’s membership and cancellation information.
A paid service is optional. Gather your notice and evidence, check the deadline and decide whether you need professional advice about your circumstances.
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