Do I have to pay a parking charge notice? Maybe not...

Have you received a parking charge notice? Don’t be anxious. Each month, more than 32,000 people come to this site for guidance on tickets and fines. It can seem scary, but you don’t need to worry.

In this easy-to-read article, we’ll help you understand:

What a parking charge notice is and why you might get one.
How to make an appeal and maybe beat your ticket.
If you must pay the parking charge notice straight away.
What happens if you don’t pay the parking charge notice.
Where to get more help if you need it.

Our team understands how it feels to get a parking charge notice, and we’re here to help you. So, take a breath, and read on to learn how to deal with your parking charge notice.

Not sure what to write in your parking appeal?

You don’t need to start with a blank page.

We’ve created a free parking ticket appeal letter template that gives you a clear structure to follow.

Get my free appeal template

Free editable parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

Why would you get a parking charge notice?

You’d get a Parking Charge Notice when you don’t follow an operator’s rules when using a private car park. So, for example, you’ll get a ticket if you park your car in a Tesco car park and overstay the permitted free time.

Other reasons include:

You parked in a disabled bay but didn’t have the proper badge
You left your car in a bay designated for families with children
You parked overnight, which is not allowed in many private car parks
You didn’t pay a fee to use a car park

A private operator is authorised to issue you with a parking ticket by a landowner. Whether you’re handed the ticket, it’s left in your car or sent to you via the post!

Is a parking charge notice enforceable?

No. Not unless a court orders you to pay the parking ticket once the operator wins the case. An operator or landowner can’t legally demand payment from you. They can only tell you their intentions to take you to court over an unpaid parking ticket.

What’s Included in the Free Appeal Template

A clear structure

The template gives you a simple framework for putting your parking appeal together, so you don’t have to work out what to write from scratch.

What you’ll add

Your parking charge details
Why you’re appealing
Any relevant evidence
What you want the parking company to do

Easy to adapt

Just replace the sections in [square brackets] with the details of your own situation and edit the wording where needed.

You’ll get the template by email so you can save it, edit it and use it when you’re ready.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

Should you pay a parking charge notice immediately?

There are certain advantages to paying a parking charge notice as soon as possible. First, you don’t worry about being taken to court. Second, paying a parking ticket in a private car park pays 40% less than the original amount.

What excuses can you use to appeal a parking charge notice?

An operator must consider an appeal against a parking charge notice providing you have a good reason to challenge it. So, what excuses could you use? I’ve listed a few below:

You didn’t park badly
You paid the fee to use the car park
You didn’t overstay the allotted free time to park
You weren’t given a grace period before the ticket was issued
The signs in the car park were unclear or missing altogether
Payment machines were out of order, and there was no other way to pay
You were broken down and waiting for a vehicle recovery truck to arrive
You couldn’t get back to your car because of a medical emergency

Of course, you’ll need to provide evidence to support an excuse for having a parking charge notice cancelled. However, even with proof, an operator could reject your appeal.

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What happens if the operator rejects your appeal?

You’ll get a letter of rejection from the operator. The letter should contain information on how to proceed, whether you want to pay or take the matter further. The operator must tell you how to appeal to an independent appeals service.

It’s a free service that stops the operator from taking the matter further until a decision is made. The downside is that you’ll have to pay the full amount if the independent appeals service sides with an operator!

Plus, it’s the end of the line as far as appeals go.

What is the grace period for a parking ticket?

There’s a 10-minute mandatory grace period that private operators must allow before issuing a parking ticket. But your car must be parked correctly for the grace period to apply.

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How do you appeal a parking charge notice?

Information on how to appeal should be on the parking charge notice. For example, whether you get the parking charge through the post, find it on your car, or are handed it by a parking attendant.

Make a note of the time limit to appeal the parking ticket. But first, make sure all the details are correct. Then try to file your appeal with the issuer as soon as possible. It puts everything on hold until an operator accepts or rejects your appeal.

What happens when you fail to pay a parking charge notice?

The issuer can chase you for the payment. First, you’ll get payment reminders. Then an operator could threaten you with legal action. Finally, a debt collector could be instructed to recover the unpaid amount.

There’s never any guarantee that an operator won’t start legal proceedings when you don’t pay. It’s a risky decision which could ruin your credit history when a CCJ is registered against you!

Why? Because what was initially a parking ticket becomes a debt when you fail to pay!