Parking tickets are a routine part of driving life in the UK, but the rules and your rights can be confusing.
Generally, there are three types of tickets:
- Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) – usually issued by councils (on public land, such as a high street or council car park)
- Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) – issued by the police (red routes, white zig zags, or where the police manage parking)
- Parking Charge Notice – issued by private companies when you park on private land (supermarkets, retail parks, etc.)
While these are all often referred to simply as ‘parking fines’, they are enforced differently, according to Age UK Trading.
Council and police penalties are backed by specific legislation.
A Parking Charge Notice “isn’t a fine”, consumer website Which? explained, and cannot be imposed on drivers.
It continued: “But a private company can pursue you through the courts for payment.”
How much do parking fines usually cost?
Parking fines vary in price and can be reduced if paid within 14 days of the charge, but usually the penalties are as follows:
- Penalty Charge Notice – between £70 and £130
- Fixed Penalty Notice – from £50 to £300
Parking tickets that “can go straight in the bin” or be disputed
However, certain parking tickets can be ignored and “go straight in the bin”.
Personal finance experts at Which? explained that only tickets from accredited parking companies are enforceable and can be appealed.
Unauthorised tickets often cannot be enforced because the companies issuing them do not have access to vehicle owner details from the DVLA.
A Which? spokesperson said: “You can appeal, say, if the signs aren’t clear, if you’re charged more than 100 pounds, or if you have a mitigating reason like ill health or your vehicle broke down.
“If it’s not, ignore it, because it won’t be able to get your details from the DVLA to make you pay.”
If an appeal is made, Which? advises including evidence such as photographs of poor signage or documents supporting mitigating circumstances.
For BPA members, drivers have 28 days after ejection to appeal to the Parking on Private Lands Appeals.
For IPC members, 21 days are given after ejection to take it to the Independent Appeals Service.
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