Options after getting a PCN

If you’ve received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) in relation to a parking, bus lane or other traffic contravention issued by a local authority or charging authority in England (outside London) and Wales, being informed on the steps you can take and the onward enforcement process is the best way to start doing something about it.

Whether you are looking to pay the penalty or challenge it, the first two things to remember are:

Don’t delay. Don’t ignore it.

If you ignore a PCN, the penalty charge may go up and be registered as a debt, subject to enforcement by bailiffs.

Paying or challenging a PCN? Contact the authority

If you would like to pay a penalty charge or don’t agree with it, you must first get in touch with the authority that issued it, following the instructions provided with the PCN.

Appealing a PCN, or want to find out more?

More information about the full enforcement and appeals process that applies to your PCN
can be found on the website of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (opens in a new tab).

The Tribunal is the independent legal adjudicator for appeals against parking and traffic penalties
issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales.

If your PCN has been issued by a London local authority, more information can be found at London Tribunals (opens in new tab), the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s equivalenet in London.

If your penalty has been issued by a private operator (the penalty is a ‘Parking Charge Notice‘, not a Penalty Charge Notice), more information on the private enforcement and appeals process can be found at the British Parking Association (opens in new tab).

Important: If you have been issued with a ‘Fixed Penalty Notice‘ or ‘Notice of Intended Prosecution‘ (e.g. for speeding), this is enforced under an entirely different process. You should contact the Police or authority that issued you with the penalty. Find out more at GOV.UK (opens in new tab).

Looking for cases similar to your PCN?

The Traff-iCase website publishes a wide database of cases relating to motorists’ appeals against parking and other traffic penalties in England and Wales.

These ‘key cases’ provide a reference for motorists who may have received similar penalty charges and would like an informed opinion. Cases have been curated due to the common facts, issues and legal points they include, helping to explain and clarify the law and issues of traffic enforcement that frequently confuse and divide opinion, and which are often misinterpreted.