Parking and traffic penalty appeals

Court Guide · Sources checked 13 September 2026

Where to start

Check who issued the notice and what kind of notice it is before paying or challenging it. The initials PCN can appear on different kinds of demand. A council penalty, private parking charge and police fixed penalty do not use the same appeal process.

Identify the notice and stage

Keep every page of the notice, its issue date, vehicle details and any envelope. Look for the issuing authority, location, alleged contravention and payment or challenge deadline. Later notices can have different procedures from the original ticket; use the instructions for the notice you actually received.

Preserve relevant evidence

Save photographs of signs, road markings and the vehicle position, payment records, permits and correspondence. Note when photographs were taken. Explain how each item relates to the stated contravention rather than sending unrelated material.

Choose the proper appeal body

London Tribunals handles relevant London authority penalties. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal handles relevant civil penalties in England outside London and Wales. Private operators normally have their own initial challenge and an independent appeals route identified on their notice. Police penalties and criminal proceedings require different advice.

Check costs and consequences before deciding

Read what happens to any discount while a challenge is considered and what a tribunal can decide. Do not assume that all grounds, discretion or deadlines are the same across schemes. Historic allowed-appeal percentages are not a prediction for your own notice.

Specific situations

Private parking charges: choosing the correct challenge route

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