How to Appeal a Parking Ticket in London (PCN Guide)

London hands out millions of parking and traffic Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) every year. One analysis of London Councils data found that around 3.7 million PCNs were issued in a year, with 25,275 appeals – and 12,348 of those appeals were successful, a success rate of about 49%.

More recent London Councils figures and press coverage show that appeals decided at London Tribunals still succeed in roughly half of cases, although the exact percentage changes each year.

So while London feels like the hardest place in the UK to park, the data shows that appeals are worth trying when the ticket is unfair.

This guide explains how London tickets work, what deadlines you're dealing with, and the steps to take before using PCN-Beater to generate a clear appeal letter.

Why London drivers should think about appealing

• Huge volume: London boroughs and TfL issue millions of PCNs each year for parking, bus lanes and moving traffic, more than any other UK region
• Appeals can succeed: Analysis of London Councils data shows roughly 49% of appeals taken to London Tribunals resulted in the charge being cancelled, although this percentage varies by year
• Most people never appeal: Appeals are a tiny fraction of all tickets, meaning many people simply pay even when they have good grounds

Appealing doesn't guarantee anything, but it can cancel a ticket where the signs, paperwork or decision are wrong – especially if you explain what happened clearly and back it up with evidence.

Step 1 – Work out what kind of London ticket you've got

Before you do anything, check exactly what type of ticket it is. This affects your rights and the appeal process.

London borough council PCN (parking)

• Usually stuck on the windscreen or sent by post
• Issued by a London borough for on-street parking or council-run car parks

Transport for London (TfL) PCN

• Often for red routes, bus lanes, Congestion Charge, ULEZ or moving traffic contraventions
• Still a PCN under London regulations but handled by TfL

Private "Parking Charge Notice"

• Issued by a private company in places like supermarket, retail park or hospital car parks
• This is not a criminal fine – Citizens Advice explains it's a civil claim for money based on an alleged parking contract on private land

Look at:

• The logo (borough name, TfL or a private company)
• The exact phrase – "Penalty Charge Notice" vs "Parking Charge Notice"
• The appeal instructions on the back

This page focuses mainly on parking PCNs in London, but the general steps (deadlines, evidence, keeping the discount) are similar for others.

Step 2 – Know your deadlines and discount periods

For London council and TfL PCNs, the rules are set centrally:

• Full payment deadline: normally 28 days from the date of the notice or date of service
• Discount period: 50% discount if you pay within 14 days, or 21 days if the PCN was issued by CCTV in many cases
• Charge increase: if you ignore it, the charge can go up by 50% once a Charge Certificate is issued

There is also a 10-minute grace period for many council-run bays and car parks in England. If your paid-for time runs out, councils must normally allow 10 extra minutes before issuing a PCN, as long as you were parked correctly to begin with.

Step 3 – Common reasons London parking tickets are cancelled

Every case is different, but some common successful arguments include:

• Unclear or missing signs – for example, signs hidden by trees or placed too high
• Bay markings worn or confusing – it's not obvious where you can park
• Machine problems / app failure – you tried to pay but the machine or app didn't work (keep screenshots and receipts)
• Blue Badge issues – you parked correctly under Blue Badge rules but the badge wasn't spotted or was blown off the dash
• Wrong details on the PCN – wrong registration, location, time or contravention code
• 10-minute grace period not applied – your ticket only just expired in a council bay or car park

None of these guarantees a win, but they are exactly the sort of things adjudicators look at when deciding whether a ticket is fair.

Step 4 – How to appeal a London council PCN

The process is similar across London boroughs and TfL:

Informal challenge (if the PCN is on the windscreen)

• Usually within 14 days
• Explain what happened and include your evidence
• Many councils will re-offer the 50% discount if they reject an informal challenge made within the discount period, but this is not guaranteed – you must check what your own PCN says

Formal representations

• If the council rejects you, or if the PCN was posted, you'll get a Notice to Owner or similar
• You normally have 28 days to make formal representations

Appeal to London Tribunals

• If the council still says no, you can appeal to London Tribunals, the independent adjudicator for London PCNs
• Recent London Councils stats show that around 49–50% of appeals decided there are allowed, although that varies by year

At each stage, a clear explanation and good evidence matter more than legal jargon.

Step 5 – What about private car parks and retail parks in London?

If your ticket is from a private company (e.g. supermarket, retail park, hospital):

• It's usually a Parking Charge Notice – an invoice for alleged breach of contract or "overstay", not a criminal fine
• Many firms belong to trade bodies like the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community (IPC) and must follow their Codes of Practice

The process is usually:

1. Appeal to the operator
2. If rejected and the operator is a BPA member, you can often go to POPLA, an independent appeals service

BPA data for 2024 shows that 52% of appeals made directly to private operators in its Approved Operator Scheme were successful, even before reaching POPLA.

Every case is different and there are no guarantees, but these figures show that appeals can succeed when you have good evidence.

How PCN-Beater helps London drivers for £6.99

You can write your own appeal from scratch, or you can use PCN-Beater to take the stress out of it.

For £6.99, PCN-Beater will:

• Ask simple questions about your London PCN (who issued it, where you parked, what went wrong)
• Prompt you for key evidence (photos of signs, tickets, receipts, screenshots, Blue Badge etc.)
• Generate a clear, personalised appeal letter drafted in plain English
• Format it professionally and post it 1st Class via Royal Mail to the address on your ticket
• Email you a copy so you can upload it to any online portal if needed

We do not guarantee cancellation and we do not offer legal advice. What we do is help you present your side properly, in a way that fits the process set out on your ticket and reflects UK parking guidance and codes of practice.

Important reminder and disclaimer

• Always read the back of your own PCN and any official guidance from the issuer
• Check the exact deadlines and discount rules that apply to your case
• Keep all evidence and copies of what you send

Disclaimer: This guide is for general information about London parking tickets only. It is not legal advice and may not cover every situation. PCN-Beater is a document-preparation and postal service, not a law firm.