Private Parking Tickets: Payment, Appeals and Court Claims

Have you received a parking fine and are wondering what to do next? Perhaps you’re unsure if you should pay or appeal? This guide is here to help. 

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This guide explains private parking charges and the steps to take if you receive one. The rules differ from council parking penalties, and some liability rules differ across the UK.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

•  Understanding private car parks and their rules.
•  Exploring if you have to pay the parking fine.
•  Distinguishing between a Penalty Charge Notice and a Parking Charge Notice.
•  Ways to appeal a parking fine.
•  Learning about the impact of parking fines on your credit.

Getting a parking fine can be a real bother. The rules might seem confusing, and you may not know what to do next. We’re here to guide you through the process.

What is a private car park?

A private car park is a car park owned by a private landowner rather than the local council. 

These car parks are usually connected to retail parks, hospitals, universities, fast food chains and supermarkets. But private car parks can also be standalone and not connected to any other business.

Most private car park owners outsource the day-to-day management of the car park to a private car park operator. These companies provide a wealth of services, including parking ticket enforcement. 

Can I be fined for parking in a private car park?

A private operator may issue a Parking Charge Notice if it alleges a breach of the parking terms, such as failing to pay or overstaying. This is a civil claim, not a criminal fine.

Parking on private land may create a contract based on the terms displayed. Whether a particular charge is enforceable depends on matters such as adequate signs, fair terms, the evidence and the operator’s authority.

What is a Parking Charge Notice (PCN)?

A Parking Charge Notice is a demand for payment from a private parking operator. It is different from a statutory Penalty Charge Notice issued by an authority.

They might also go by the name of a contractual Parking Charge Notice, simply because the individual who receives one is deemed to have broken the contractual agreement when they used the private car park. You might return to your car to find a ticket, or “invoice” attached to your windscreen. This is also known as a notice to the driver, and its purpose is to give you information about why you have received a parking charge.

You shouldn’t confuse a Parking Charge Notice with a Penalty Charge Notice, despite their similar sounding names and an identical abbreviation – PCN. 

What’s the difference between a Penalty Charge Notice and a Parking Charge Notice?

A Parking Charge Notice is the name of the parking ticket you can get from a private car park operator, whereas a Penalty Charge Notice is a legally enforceable fine you can get from a local council or Transport for London for different traffic offences, including council parking contraventions. 

The similar names can be confusing. Read who issued the notice and which legal or contractual procedure it identifies before taking action.

To understand the difference between these two types of UK parking fines, we recommend checking out this easy-to-follow parking ticket rules guide.

How much is a parking ticket fine UK?

The BPA and IPC industry code generally limits a parking charge to £100 and requires at least a 40% discount during the applicable 14-day period. These are trade-association rules, not a universal statutory cap. Check the operator’s membership, the applicable code and your notice.

The government’s 2022 private parking code was withdrawn. Do not rely on its proposed £50 cap as current law. See the government’s code status and the current industry code.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Can I be issued a parking ticket while in my car?

Yes, you can be issued a parking ticket while in your vehicle. Whether or not you’re inside or outside your vehicle is irrelevant to whether you’ve committed a parking contravention.

Being in the vehicle does not automatically prevent a charge. Any exemption, consideration period or grace period depends on the circumstances and applicable rules. See our guide to tickets issued while you are in the car.

Are private car park charges legal?

An operator may claim payment where a driver breaches enforceable parking terms. A notice left on the vehicle and a Notice to Keeper sent by post have different roles. Liability does not follow automatically merely because a demand has been issued.

In ParkingEye Ltd v Beavis, the Supreme Court upheld an £85 charge on the facts of that case. The decision does not mean that every private parking charge is valid.

Are Parking Charge Notices enforceable?

A valid private parking charge may be legally owed before court proceedings. If it remains unpaid, the operator may bring a civil claim. A court judgment and the appropriate enforcement process are needed before court enforcement measures can be used.

The situation is complicated because not all parking companies are willing to take legal action. We’ve made your options and the associated risk easy to understand in our Are Private Car Park Fines Enforceable? post.  

More on Private Parking Companies!

Need help dealing with a specific private car park operator? MoneyNerd has you covered! We’ve written about the biggest private car park companies across the UK, helping motorists to deal with these businesses effectively and within their rights. 

Can a private car park take you to court?

Yes, if you don’t pay a private parking ticket the car park operator could decide to take you to court to make you pay. They would need to ask a judge to issue you with a court order that makes you pay the parking ticket

And if that doesn’t make you pay, they could ask the court for permission to use debt enforcement action to recover the money. But just because they can doesn’t mean they will!

Do I legally have to pay private parking fines?

If a charge is valid and you are liable, payment can be due before any court case. If you dispute it, use the operator’s appeal process and keep evidence. See our payment guide if you decide to pay.

A demand is not a court judgment, but that does not make it safe to ignore. Respond to a letter before claim or court claim by its deadline, even if you have previously appealed.

Can a private car park send bailiffs?

Private car parks can send bailiffs if you’ve ignored a CCJ or missed a payment after a CCJ was issued. But first, they must get the courts to issue a warrant to allow the bailiffs to come to your property. 

They cannot send bailiffs before a court order has been issued against you and without the court’s approval to use bailiffs.

It’s important to avoid an escalation like this as bailiffs add their own fees to the debt, and these fees can be mightly expensive.  

Can you ignore a Parking Charge Notice?

If you ignore a Parking Charge Notice the car park operator might:

1. Continue asking you to pay
2. Use a debt collection group to chase you for payment (these aren’t bailiffs!)
3. Take legal action against you to make you pay

Do not assume that ignoring a Parking Charge Notice removes liability. An operator may pursue a valid debt, and ignoring court papers can lead to a default judgment.

Is a Parking Charge Notice a criminal offence?

An ordinary contractual Parking Charge Notice is a civil matter. It is not a criminal offence and does not itself create a criminal record or driving-licence points. Statutory or byelaw notices can follow different rules.

How long do private car parks have to issue a Parking Charge Notice?

There is no universal rule that every private parking charge must arrive within 14 days. In England and Wales, an operator seeking keeper liability under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 normally has to deliver a Notice to Keeper within 14 days if no notice was first given on the vehicle. Where a windscreen notice was given, the usual keeper-notice window is days 29 to 56. Other statutory conditions also apply; missing a keeper-liability deadline does not automatically cancel a claim against the driver.

For the full story and whether you can get out of your parking ticket if it arrives late, we suggest reading our private parking tickets timeline blog. 

Can parking tickets affect your credit UK?

Getting a private parking ticket on its own won’t affect your credit score because not paying a parking ticket isn’t reported to credit reference agencies. 

A County Court Judgment following a private parking claim can affect your credit record. Full payment within one month of judgment normally allows the judgment to be removed from the register.

If paid after one month, the judgment can be marked satisfied but normally remains on the register for six years from the judgment date. The six-year period does not restart when you pay. See GOV.UK’s credit-record guidance.

Once you’ve paid off the CCJ debt (after one month) the CCJ becomes “satisfied” and can somewhat improve your chances of getting approved for credit. 

How do I pay my Parking Charge Notice?

Parking Charge Notices can often be paid off over the phone, by sending a cheque or by visiting the car park company’s website. The latter is usually the most convenient and fastest way to pay.

The process for paying a Parking Charge Notice will involve you entering your vehicle registration number and your parking fine reference number to first locate your fine. This is done via a dedicated payment portal on the company’s website. 

Can you appeal private parking tickets?

Yes, if you believe you were wrongfully issued a private parking ticket, you can challenge that decision by making a Parking Charge Notice appeal. This usually has to be submitted within the first 28 days. 

You can make an appeal to the car park operator and even escalate a rejected appeal to POPLA or the IAS. 

To learn more about private parking ticket appeals, reverse back to our private parking tickets hub and then choose our appealing a parking fine guide!  

What is the best excuse to appeal a parking ticket?

The best excuse when making a parking ticket appeal is an honest excuse that you can back up with evidence. 

Possible grounds for challenging a parking charge depend on the evidence and rules. Examples to investigate include:

1. A Notice to Keeper failing the applicable statutory requirements, where the operator is relying on keeper liability
2. Lack of car park signage
3. Out-of-service payment machines (doesn’t always work)
4. Your car broke down
5. You only just ran out of time

The applicable industry code provides grace periods in specified circumstances, such as time to leave at the end of a permitted parking period. This is not a blanket right to park anywhere for ten minutes. Check whether a grace or consideration period applies to your case.

If a charge was issued during a grace period that applies to the circumstances, explain that in your appeal and provide the relevant timings and evidence.

Do I need a parking ticket lawyer?

It’s perfectly possible to appeal a parking ticket without a lawyer, however if you’re unsure and want some legal advice before appealing, a parking ticket lawyer will be able to tell you how successful your appeal is likely to be.

What do I do if I’ve lost my parking ticket?

If you’ve lost your parking ticket contact the private parking operator as soon as possible. By delaying, you could miss your opportunity to pay the 40% reduced fine, and you might even miss an opportunity to make a parking ticket appeal.

Do parking fines expire? 

Time limits for bringing a private parking claim depend on the jurisdiction and facts. In England and Wales, a simple contractual claim normally has a six-year limitation period, subject to rules about when it starts and circumstances that can affect it. See our guide to parking debt time limits.

Do not assume an old charge has disappeared or ignore a court claim. Scotland has different prescription rules, and an existing court judgment requires separate consideration. Get advice before relying on a time-limit defence.

If your parking ticket isn’t a private parking fine…

If your parking fine is a council parking ticket instead of a private one, check out this parking fines guide to understand the key differences. They shouldn’t be dealt with in exactly the same way! 

Parking Ticket FAQs