While both use the same “PCN” acronym and often feature similar yellow-and-black designs, the RAC argues that private firms are “deliberately” making theirs look like council-issued fines.
Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said: “Drivers are clearly confused by the PCN acronym, which is concerning as they are very different in terms of consequences.
“We suspect parking charge notices are deliberately designed to appear very similar to a council penalty charge notice.
“Drivers are very supportive of changing the name of parking charge notices to clear this up and help others understand the important legal difference.”
Penalty charge notices are issued by councils for parking offences on public roads or in council-run car parks and are backed by law.
They must be paid unless successfully appealed, and the fine is reduced by 50 per cent if paid early.
In contrast, parking charge notices from private firms relate to breaches of contract on private land, such as supermarket or retail park car parks.
These are not legally enforceable in the same way and are usually handled through different appeals processes.
They are usually discounted by at least 40 per cent for payment within 14 days.
More than 90 per cent of the 1,693 UK drivers surveyed by the RAC said they found the term “parking charge notice” confusing due to its similarity to “penalty charge notice”.
Some 31% of this group felt the former should be renamed private parking charges.
The RAC released the findings ahead of expected Government data that could show a record 17 million parking charge notices issued in the year to the end of March.
The previous year saw 14.4 million issued.
The consequences of ignoring a private parking charge can be serious.
Another key difference is that after a 28-day appeal window for parking charge notices, unpaid tickets are often increased by £70 to £170 with a letter from a debt collection agency.
Mr Williams criticised this escalation, calling it “totally disproportionate to the alleged parking contravention”.
Isaac Occhipinti from the British Parking Association (BPA), which represents private parking firms, said the term “parking charge” is “legally defined in legislation” and “distinct” from council-issued fines.
He said: “Despite being used in a similar meaning in some cases, all correspondence sent to motorists about a parking charge clearly sets out who has issued it, why it has been issued and how to appeal.
“Drivers should review these details carefully to distinguish between private parking charges and local authority PCNs.”
Mr Occhipinti also noted: “With more than 40 million vehicles now on UK roads and millions of parking events every day, less than 1% of motorists receive a parking charge, demonstrating that the vast majority of motorists are decent drivers.”
The BPA, he added, is working “closely with Government on a new code of practice to strengthen protections for decent motorists”.
Have you ever received a PCN? Let us know in the comments
