POPLA Appeals: Eligibility, Deadlines and Evidence

POPLA is an independent appeal service for eligible private parking charges. Start with the operator’s appeal process, then follow the rejection’s verification code and deadline.

Prepare the actual grounds and evidence for your charge. An adviser or template cannot guarantee success.

In this article, we’ll explain:

•  What a Parking Charge Notice is and how much it might cost
•  How you can appeal a Parking Charge Notice
•  What POPLA is and who can use it
• How to prepare a POPLA appeal.
•  The process and the time it may take for a POPLA appeal

Keep copies of the notice, signs, payment records and correspondence. Submit truthful, relevant information within the deadline.

What is POPLA?

Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) is an independent service for UK motorists who want to appeal a private parking ticket, i.e. a Parking Charge Notice. It cannot be used to appeal against council parking tickets. 

Is a POPLA appeal free?

POPLA is free to motorists. After an unsuccessful appeal the operator expects payment, but the decision is not a court judgment. If you continue to dispute liability, obtain advice and respond to any later claim.

The Process

The POPLA appeal process can be split into five stages:

1. Receive a verification code
2. Collect your appeal evidence
3. Submit the appeal
4. Monitor the appeal
5. Receive a decision 

To make the process clearer, please take a look at the following table.

When	Action
On receiving a council PCN	Read the notice, keep it, gather evidence and note all payment and challenge deadlines.
Windscreen or handed-to-driver PCN	An informal challenge may be available before the Notice to Owner. Early challenge can preserve a discount under the authority’s policy; 14 days is not a universal final appeal deadline.
Postal PCN or Notice to Owner	Normally make formal representations within 28 days as stated on the notice. Do not assume there is an extra informal stage.
Representations rejected	The Notice of Rejection explains how to appeal to the appropriate independent tribunal, normally within 28 days.
Appeal unsuccessful	Pay by the deadline given in the decision or obtain advice on any available review. Further statutory charges can follow if you do neither.
Other ticket type	Private parking charges and FPNs use different procedures; follow the actual notice.

Further guidance: Traffic Penalty Tribunal; Citizens Advice.

It’s important to prepare for your POPLA appeal efficiently.

When you receive the initial appeal rejection from the car park operator, they should also provide you with a 10-digit verification code. If they haven’t sent you one, ask for this immediately. You will need this code to submit a POPLA appeal. 

You’ll also need some other information to submit your POPLA appeal, namely your car registration number and your Parking Charge Notice reference number. The latter should be located on the top of your Parking Charge Notice letter/fine. 

You’ll also need to prepare by gathering the evidence for your appeal. POPLA states that they prefer evidence in the form of photographs and videos taken from your smartphone or scanned copies of relevant documents. You may also use a witness statement if applicable. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Check the BPA Code of Practice

Car park operators that are members of the British Parking Association (BPA) must abide by the BPA Code of Practice.

If the car park operator has issued you a fine without abiding by all aspects of the code, you could use this as grounds for a POPLA appeal.

Use the version of the applicable code governing the parking event. A breach may be relevant but does not automatically invalidate every charge regardless of its nature.

Consideration time on arrival depends on the applicable code and parking circumstances. Do not assume a universal five-minute right to enter, stop or breach restrictions without charge.

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.

Explain the parking and departure times and why the specific grace rule applied. A period captured by cameras is not always identical to the actual period parked.

What makes a good appeal?

POPLA states that providing as much detail as possible will make a better appeal. Paint a picture of the whole event, such as why you visited the car park in the first place. The best appeals are accompanied by compelling evidence. 

Who can use it?

You normally need an eligible rejection from a BPA-scheme operator and the verification code. For Scottish and Northern Irish charges, POPLA accepts the driver or a representative of an identified driver; a keeper-only appeal is not assessed.

Some private car park operators are members of a different ATA, namely the International Parking Community (IPC). If the company that issues you a private parking fine is a member of the IPC, you cannot use the POPLA appeal service. Instead, you must use the Independent Appeals Service to escalate your parking ticket appeal. 

Non-membership does not automatically invalidate a charge or prove that information was obtained unlawfully. Do not ignore genuine court papers. Verify the operator and legal basis before deciding how to respond.

What are the grounds for an appeal?

State the real grounds and provide evidence. Do not choose a reason merely to make an appeal appear valid.

Issues that can be relevant, depending on the facts and law, include:

• Your vehicle was stolen. You may need a police report or crime reference number.
• You weren’t improperly parked, or you did, in fact, pay.
• The amount or contractual basis is not valid. The withdrawn 2022 government code did not introduce a universal £50 cap.
• Evidence of a breakdown or serious emergency. POPLA cannot allow an appeal for mitigation alone, but may refer serious circumstances to the operator for reconsideration.
• Other reasons not listed above.

When can you make a POPLA appeal?

Submit the POPLA appeal within 28 days after the operator rejects your initial appeal, using the supplied ten-digit verification code.

Contact POPLA promptly if exceptional circumstances prevented timely submission. Do not assume a late appeal will be accepted.

IPC-operator appeals normally use IAS instead. Follow the route stated for your charge; the services have different rules.

A standard IAS appeal normally has a 28-day deadline after the operator’s rejection. A separate non-standard appeal costs £15, needs the operator’s agreement and may be available up to 12 months from the charge’s issue. Its decision is binding on both parties under that process.

Can I appeal for someone else?

POPLA allows individuals to make an appeal on behalf of someone else, providing they have the authorisation to do so.

The person making the appeal will need to explain why they’re representing someone else and provide evidence that they have permission to do so. 

How long does an appeal take?

POPLA appeals lodged online will take between six and eight weeks on average.

POPLA parking violation appeals submitted by post can take a little longer, especially if there are any Royal Mail delays. 

Use POPLA to resolve a genuine dispute, not merely to delay payment. If you accept liability but need time, seek free debt advice and discuss affordability with the operator.

A POPLA appeal normally puts the full charge at issue, and the early-payment discount may no longer be available. Check the operator’s rejection and payment terms.

While the appeal is pending

POPLA states that the operator must not pursue payment while the appeal is with it. Report improper pursuit to the BPA. Do not assume that added fees are automatically lawful.

What if it’s approved?

POPLA will write to you to inform you of their decision. If they tell you that your appeal was successful, they will ask the private parking company to cancel the parking ticket, and you won’t have to pay anything. 

What happens if the appeal fails?

After rejection, POPLA says the operator expects payment within 28 days. The decision does not itself create a CCJ or prevent a court from determining a later disputed claim.

If you refuse to pay the fine, the car park operator could take legal action against you. Alternatively, they could pass the fine on to a debt collection agency, who will chase you for payment and also threaten legal action. 

Debt collection agencies aren’t the same as bailiffs. You can still be contacted and asked to pay, but they can’t demand to come to your home. And they certainly can’t seize any of your goods.

It’s impossible to know whether the parking company will take legal action against you. Even for smaller amounts, they may still decide to take you to court.

The possibility that an operator might not sue is not a reliable basis for ignoring a demand. Check the evidence and obtain advice if you still dispute liability.

Can I appeal a decision made by them? 

POPLA provides a one-stage appeal and does not reconsider a decision simply because you disagree. Its service-complaint procedure is different from a merits appeal. Seek advice before any further legal step or if the operator brings a claim.

However, this could become more costly than the fine itself. I suggest you seek professional legal advice to discuss your options.  

Can you make changes to a POPLA appeal?

Submit all grounds and evidence at the start. After the operator provides its evidence pack, POPLA normally gives seven days for comments addressing the existing case; this is not an opportunity to add new appeal grounds.

How to contact POPLA

You can speak to someone at POPLA by calling 03301 596 126.

Lines are open on weekdays between 9 am and 5 pm. If you would prefer to send a message instead of calling, you can use the POPLA web contact form instead. 

References

1. RAC Foundation – Parking Tickets Statistics