Did you receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)? Are you unsure what to do next? Look no further; this guide is here to help. Every month, more than 130,000 people come to us for clear guidance on fines and parking tickets.
We know that it can be quite annoying and puzzling when you get a PCN, which is why we’ve prepared this article to help you grasp:
- What a PCN is and why you may have got one.
- If you must pay it straight away.
- How to say no to the charge if you feel it’s not right.
- Cases when you might not need to pay.
- What could happen if you decide not to pay.
Churchill Motor Insurance reports that in 2022, UK councils issued an average of 19,631 daily parking fines, a 12% increase from the previous year.1 We understand your situation, and we’re here to support you. Now let’s dive in and walk you through the details.
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Do you have to pay a PCN?
You will have to pay a PCN if you have been rightfully issued with one. In most cases, you will get 28 days to make the payment. The fine is usually reduced if you make the payment within 14 days. The process may differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Can you challenge the fine?
You can challenge a PCN, and if your challenge is successful, you will no longer have to pay the fine. How you challenge a PCN depends on who issued you with the PCN and even how it was issued.
For example, if the local council placed a PCN on your windshield, you will need to make an informal challenge to the council. But if they sent you a PCN in the post, you’ll need to make a formal challenge, also known as a representation. You’ll also need to make a representation when challenging PCNs issued by Transport for London or challenging a Dart Charge.
Making a representation requires you to provide details of why you are challenging the PCN and evidence when possible. You can also challenge an order of recovery for a handful of reasons. Here are some of them.
Possible grounds depend on the ticket type, jurisdiction and evidence. For a council PCN, check the statutory grounds and the notice’s deadlines.
| Point to check | How it may affect a council PCN |
|---|---|
| No contravention | Provide evidence that the restriction was not breached or a relevant exemption applied. |
| Signs and markings | Show why the applicable restriction was not adequately conveyed. Missing CCTV/ANPR warning signs alone do not automatically invalidate a PCN. |
| Payment difficulty | Keep evidence of faulty equipment and available alternatives. A broken machine does not automatically permit free parking. |
| Ownership or vehicle identity | For civil council PCNs, the owner is normally liable even if someone else drove. A genuine ownership change, vehicle taken without consent or qualifying hire arrangement may be relevant. |
| Disability or mitigating circumstances | Explain relevant disability needs and supporting evidence; reasonable-adjustment duties may apply. Having children does not itself create an automatic exemption. |
| Breakdown | Provide contemporaneous evidence and explain why the vehicle could not be moved; the legal exemption or discretion depends on the facts. |
| Grace period | In England, a 10-minute grace period applies after permitted parking ends in qualifying designated parking places. It does not apply to every restriction or unlawful parking. Private parking has different rules. |
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What happens if you don’t pay?
Your fine will increase if you don’t pay your PCN on time, and you could be given a court order forcing you to pay. If the PCN is not cleared after 28 days, you will be issued with something called a ‘charge certificate’. This will give you a further 14 days to pay the original PCN fine plus an additional 50%. So if you originally owed £100 you would now have to pay £150 within 14 days.
If you ignore the charge certificate, you will be issued with a court order that asks you to pay, known as an order of recovery. You’ll then have 21 days to either pay the fine or challenge the court order. If you do neither, bailiffs will be used to visit your home and ask for payment or repossess your goods to clear the debt.
It’s important to know whether you’ve been issued with a penalty charge notice or a parking charge notice. The later is effectively a parking ticket that’s been issued by a private company. They make the name as similar as possible to make it seem more official, but don’t be fooled the rules around enforcement of penalty charge notices and parking charge notices are different.
How do you make a payment?
Most Penalty Charge Notices can be paid online. You will need to pay at the website owned by your PCN issuer. This may be on your local council’s website (local parking fines) or it could be the website owned by Transport for London (TfL).
You don’t have to pay your PCN online if you prefer not to. There are usually many ways to pay a PCN, which will be stipulated on the PCN.
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.
Is a PCN a criminal offence?
A PCN is not considered a criminal offence. They are considered as a civil offence only, but they may need to be mentioned on some applications, including visa applications to visit or work in other countries.
Do I need to declare PCNs to my insurance company?
Most insurance companies don’t need to know about any PCNs you have received. It is highly unlikely that a PCN will affect the insurance policy you are offered. However, the insurer does need to know about incidents and accidents that you and other named drivers have been involved in over a fixed period.
Legal information through JustAnswer
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.
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Quick recap
You must pay a PCN if you have been rightfully issued with one due to illegal parking, wrongful driving practices or not paying other fines. Otherwise, you could challenge the PCN and explain why you should not have to pay. Paying within 14 days could save you money, but ignoring the fine could make it grow 50% bigger.
Find further help with PCNs here!
We have answered lots of other PCN questions here on MoneyNerd. Read more about PCNs and what you can do to save money or challenge your fine with us. All guides and discussion articles remain completely free to help you. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you on our blog again soon!
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.
Commercial link to JustAnswer. MoneyNerd may receive a referral fee. Check all charges and cancellation terms before signing up.
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