Can You Receive a Parking Ticket While in the Car?

Have you just received a parking ticket while sat in your car and are wondering what to do next? Welcome! This article is here to help you.

The relevant issue is whether a restriction or contractual term was breached, not simply whether you were sitting in the vehicle.

We are going to share clear and simple information about:

•  The kinds of parking tickets you can get in the UK.
•  What happens if you don’t pay for a parking ticket.
•  How to decide if you should pay or not.
•  The best way to appeal a parking ticket.
•  How to avoid getting a parking ticket while sat in your car.

Check the actual notice type and location. Private parking charges, council PCNs and police penalties use different rules.

Don’t worry; we have lots of useful tips and examples to help you handle this.

Can you get a parking ticket while sitting in your car?

You can get a parking ticket when sitting in your car.

Your presence in the vehicle does not itself prevent a notice being issued. Any contravention, exemption or permitted activity still has to be assessed.

A qualifying grace period can matter, but there is no universal new rule allowing every driver to wait ten minutes anywhere.

Keep reading this MoneyNerd guide to find out what it is. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

What type of parking notice can you get?

You could get a Penalty Charge Notice² or a Parking Charge Notice³ while sitting in your vehicle, depending on whether you’re parked on council or private land.

Both types of parking tickets can be issued to someone who has committed a parking contravention while sitting in their vehicle.

Postal service is possible under the relevant scheme and conditions. Camera evidence is one route, but a postal notice is not automatically proof that a camera recorded the contravention.

How much will the fine be?

The parking fine will be the same if you are outside of your vehicle or sitting inside it. 

The fine for a Penalty Charge Notice will vary depending on the seriousness of the parking contravention and the location of the contravention within the council area.

There is no single national range. Current London borough parking penalties use £160/£110 or £140/£90 bands; other locations have different tariffs.

Council PCNs commonly offer 50% discount for 14 days, with 21 days for some postal parking notices. Read the actual document.

Private sector-code charges generally have a £100 ceiling, subject to the applicable provisions. This is separate from statutory council tariffs.

The government’s 2022 code was withdrawn; its proposed lower caps did not become a universal £50 limit.

How long does a parking attendant have to wait?

Check the applicable industry code and site terms. A departure grace period can apply after a permitted parking period, but there is no unconditional ten-minute right to park in breach of any restriction. Consideration time on arrival and departure grace are different.

England’s statutory council parking grace concerns the end of a permitted parking period in a designated parking place. It is not a blanket ten-minute exemption for every waiting or stopping restriction.

Where an applicable departure grace exists, leave within it. Sitting in the vehicle or returning to it does not itself end the stay.

The ten-minute grace period only applies when the driver has parked legally, such as paying for their parking initially and using the correct parking spots.

It doesn’t apply if the driver has not lawfully parked, such as failing to pay for parking or parking in places they are not allowed. 

Feel more confident before you send your appeal

Writing a parking appeal can be difficult when you’re not sure what to include or how to structure it.

Our free template gives you a clear starting point, helping you:

• Set out what happened clearly
• Explain why you’re disputing the charge
• Include the important details
• Avoid starting from a blank page

Simply adapt the template to your own circumstances before sending it.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

How can you appeal a parking ticket?

Challenge through the method and deadline on your actual notice. An initial private appeal, informal council challenge and formal representation have different rules.

You must appeal your parking fine in writing to the council or car park management company that issued the ticket.

A formal council rejection normally explains the statutory tribunal route. A private operator rejection may instead offer eligible POPLA or IAS review. These are different processes.

This MoneySavingExpert forum user escalated their appeal to POPLA.

Later on in the thread, they mentioned using the argument that the 10 minute grace period was not given and that they were parked in the car park to have a meal at McDonald’s.

The forum account reports a successful appeal in that individual case. It does not establish that every short overstay or visit to a restaurant must be cancelled.

Appeal Process Steps

Follow the actual notice’s challenge stages. A windscreen council PCN may have an informal stage before formal representations; a private charge goes through the operator and any eligible independent service.

Further guidance: Traffic Penalty Tribunal; Citizens Advice.

References

1. Sky News — Parking Tickets Statistics
2. National Debtline – Penalty charge notices
3. National Debtline – Parking charge notices
4. The Sun — Grace Period Rule