Driving advice Parking ticket enforcement

Read the terms and conditions before you leave your car in a car park

Parking tickets in council car parks

Some council car parks have parking attendants who can issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). You can challenge these in the same way as a PCN parking ticket issued on the street.

In areas where decriminalised parking enforcement hasn't been introduced, such as car parks or pay-and-display bays on the street, some local authorities issue Excess Charge Notices (ECNs) or Standard Charge Notices (SCNs).

Like PCN parking tickets, these parking tickets are processed by the local council and enforcement takes place in the local magistrates' court if there is a dispute.

You have the right to appeal if you think a PCN parking ticket has been issued unfairly or incorrectly

Parking tickets in private car parks

Car parks run by private companies aren't covered by the same rules as those run by the council. Instead, they're governed by contract law.

Car-park operators can decide which types of vehicle can use their spaces, how long they can stay, how much they must pay, and enforce special bays (such as for Blue Badge holders).

If you break the terms of the car park you could be given a parking ticket. However, car-park operators must have signs that state their terms clearly.

If you've been given a parking ticket for breaching a term that you weren't made adequately aware of, you may be able to challenge the parking ticket with the car-park operator or in the county court.

If your car is clamped

Returning to your car to find a parking ticket is galling. But discovering you've been clamped is even worse.

Clamping on private land has been banned, although private firms still have the right to issue parking tickets.

However, your car could still be clamped by the council. Council parking attendants should clamp only if a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) has been issued and 30 more minutes have passed. For persistent offenders, this time limit is reduced to 15 minutes.

If you believe your car was unfairly clamped, you can appeal. However, you'll have to pay the release-fee to free your car first, then appeal later.