Find answers here to the most common and frequently asked questions (FAQs) our Customer Support team receives.
Type a keyword or topic in the search box or browse the selection of questions and answers below.
You can also browse detailed definitions on a number of common words and terms relating to parking and traffic penalties, enforcement and appeals in our Glossary.
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A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is a document issued by a local authority or charging authority to a motorist, detailing an alleged contravention of its traffic restrictions (as detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders or Road User Charging Scheme Orders) by the vehicle they were driving.
A PCN is either attached to the windscreen of the vehicle or handed to the driver (in the case of parking contraventions) or sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or challenge it.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority or charging authority – including the issuing of PCNs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
Charging Authority is the name given to the authority that operates a Road User Charging Scheme, as provided for by the legislation that applies to that scheme.
When a vehicle does not comply with the traffic restrictions (as detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders [or Road User Charging Scheme Orders in the case of Road User Charging Schemes]) that are in place on the road it is used or kept on.
A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is an official order (bylaw) made by an authority under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which details the nature and extent of traffic restrictions in a certain area.
These restrictions can relate to parking, bus lanes, littering from vehicles and moving traffic. A contravention of these controls, as detailed in a TRO, may lead to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) being issued.
Under the legislation that allows for civil traffic enforcement, the person who is liable to pay any Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued in respect of a vehicle contravening traffic restrictions is its owner. This is presumed to be the Registered Keeper of the vehicle, unless proven otherwise.
The Registered Keeper – according to details registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The fact that another person was driving the vehicle does not affect the Registered Keeper’s liability for any PCN.
A local authority or charging authority will check the Registered Keeper details of a vehicle at the DVLA* before issuing a PCN (unless it is attached to the windscreen of the vehicle or handed to the driver, in the case of Parking PCNs).
All documents further to the PCN during the enforcement process will be issued to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle.
* The law requires that the DVLA is kept informed about the current Registered Keeper. If a motorist sells a vehicle and fails to complete the relevant part of the vehicle registration document (V5C / ‘log book’), they may receive enforcement documents relating to a PCN that are meant for the previous keeper.
There are special rules that apply to the enforcement of a PCN in relation to hire / lease vehicles.
The hirer / lessee of a vehicle will be asked to sign an agreement (usually as part of the booking form / contract to hire / lease the vehicle), including a statement of liability for any PCNs received. The hirer / lessee of the vehicle will then be liable for any PCNs issued to the vehicle (or relating to the vehicle) while it was on hire / lease, even though they are not the Registered Keeper.
AÂ Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)Â can be paid at a reduced / discounted rate (usually 50%, but in the case of Littering from Vehicles Penalty Notices [PNs] this will depend on the original penalty charge) if the charge is paid within an applicable period (see below):
If the PCN is challenged by making representations to the authority that issued it (or by first making an Informal Challenge in the case of Parking PCNs), the authority will usually hold the PCN at the discounted rate, pending the challenge being decided.
If a PCN is appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, however, the full amount will usually have to be paid in the event of an unsuccessful, dismissed appeal decision (i.e. the appeal was 'lost').
The administration of traffic restrictions to aid the management of roads by a local authority or charging authority, including the issuing and enforcement of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for vehicles in contravention of those restrictions (as detailed in TROs [or Road User Charging Scheme Orders in the case of Road User Charging Schemes]).
The legislation that allows for civil traffic enforcement – including parking, bus lane, littering from vehicles and moving traffic and Road User Charging Schemes is largely derived from the Traffic Management Act 2004 and Transport Act 2000, as well as regulations made under the two Acts.
The final stage of challenging a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales.
An appeal against a PCN can be made to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal after representations have already been made to the authority that issued the penalty, and those representations were unsuccessful. Appeals are decided by an Adjudicator, who determine whether a motorist is liable to pay the PCN, based on the facts of the case and evidence submitted by the two parties: the appellant and authority.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority or charging authority – including the issuing of PCNs and the right to appeal to an independent Adjudicator – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
If you do not think you should have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) from a local authority or charging authority, you have the opportunity to challenge it by ‘making representations‘ against it.*
Information on how to make representations to the authority will be included in the PCN documents or Notice to Owner (in the case of Parking PCNs) issued to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle involved in the alleged contravention. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge; therefore, they must make the representations.
Representations can usually be made by post or online. The information included with the PCN will also contain the statutory Grounds of Appeal that apply to the PCN received.
One of the Grounds of Appeal must be chosen when making representations, or ‘Other’ should be selected, together with information on any reasons or mitigating circumstances for the choice that the authority should take into consideration.
Representations must usually be made within 28 days of a PCN being received (or, in the case of PCNs issued for parking contraventions to the windscreen of a vehicle or handed to the driver, within 28 days after receiving a Notice to Owner in the post).
If the representations are successful, the PCN will be cancelled and there will be nothing to pay.
If the representations are unsuccessful, a Notice of Rejection of Representations will be issued, explaining the reasons and providing information on appealing further to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Once a Notice of Rejection of Representations has been received, the PCN should either be paid immediately or appealed within 28 days.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority or charging authority – including the representations process – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
* For PCNs issued to the windscreen of a vehicle or handed to the driver, in the case of parking contraventions, the challenge process starts with an Informal Challenge to the authority, before representations can be made.
Traffic Penalty Tribunal Adjudicators decide motorists’ appeals against Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales, for the contravention of traffic restrictions.
Adjudication is the process of deciding whether the motorist is liable to pay the penalty, based on the facts of the case and evidence submitted by the two parties: the appellant and authority.
Our Adjudicators are lawyers with at least five years’ experience and their appointments are agreed by the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. Adjudicators are wholly independent from the authority that issued the PCN they are deciding the appeal against.
The legislation that allows for civil traffic enforcement by a local authority or charging authority
– including the issuing of PCNs and the right to appeal to an independent Adjudicator – is largely derived from the Traffic Management Act 2004 and Transport Act 2000, as well as regulations made under the two Acts.
If you make representations to the local authority or charging authority that issued your Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) – explaining why you think you should not have received the PCN – that authority will either accept or reject your challenge.
If the representations are successful, the PCN will be cancelled and there will be nothing to pay.
If the representations are unsuccessful, a Notice of Rejection (NoR) of Representations will be issued by the authority.
The NoR should detail and explain the reasons why the representations were unsuccessful and provide information on how to either pay the PCN or appeal further to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. This includes a unique PIN Code that will allow an appeal to us to be made.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority or charging authority – including the issuing of NoRs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
Legislation is the name given for laws passed by Parliament.
The legislation (and associated Regulations) that allows for civil traffic enforcement – including Parking, Bus Lane, Clean Air Zone, Moving Traffic and Road User Charging Schemes is largely derived from the Traffic Management Act 2004 and Transport Act 2000, as well as regulations made under the two Acts.
There are differences in the Regulations underpinning traffic enforcement in England (outside London) and Wales.
A Parking Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is a document issued by a local authority to a motorist, detailing an alleged contravention of its parking restrictions (as detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders) by the vehicle they were driving.
Restrictions are identified by signs and lines on the carriageway.
An alleged contravention to the restrictions is recorded in person by a Civil Enforcement Officer, or via a video camera. There are numerous possible parking contraventions, identified by a series of Contravention Codes.
A Parking PCN is either attached to the windscreen of the vehicle, handed to the driver or sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge. The Parking PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make an Informal Challenge and / or representations against it.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority – including the issuing of PCNs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
Please note: A Parking PCN should not be confused with a Parking Charge Notice which is issued by a private operator, not a local authority.
Traffic restrictions (as detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders [or Road User Charging Scheme Orders in the case of Road User Charging Schemes]) are identified on a carriageway to motorists by signs, signals and road markings / lines.
Signs, signals and lines on the road are regulated by the Government’s Department for Transport (DfT) through the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.
This is accompanied by guidance for authorities found within the Traffic Signs Manual.
A Road User Charging Scheme is an arrangement provided for by legislation to impose a charge for using or keeping a vehicle on a particular road; for example, a bridge.
A Charging Authority operates the scheme and can enforce payment of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for failure to pay the charge that the scheme relates to.
Road User Charging Schemes that the Traffic Penalty Tribunal decides appeals for include:
Choose from the locations below to view specific information relating to a zone, including how to appeal a penalty charge (for zones that have launched) and the charging conditions.
If you receive a Parking Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and don’t think you should have to pay it, you can make an Informal Challenge to the local authority that issued it.
Details on how to make an Informal Challenge will be printed on the back of the PCN when attached to the windscreen of the vehicle or handed to the driver by a Civil Enforcement Officer.
An Informal Challenge can usually be made by post or online, and if submitted within 14 days of the date the PCN was issued, there will usually still be the option to pay the PCN at a reduced / discounted rate, should the challenge prove to be unsuccessful.
Once an Informal Challenge has been submitted, any further enforcement of the PCN is normally placed on hold until a decision on the challenge has been made by the authority. The authority should respond to the Informal Challenge within 28 days (though it make take longer).
If the Informal Challenge is successful, the PCN will be cancelled and there will be nothing to pay.
If the challenge is unsuccessful, the PCN will either need to be paid or representations made to the authority.
The civil enforcement of parking restrictions by a local authority – including the provision for Informal Challenges – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
A uniformed officer employed by or on behalf of a local authority to issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for vehicles contravening parking or littering from vehicles (Penalty Notices will be issued) restrictions.
A Littering from Vehicles Penalty Notice (PN) is a document issued by a local authority to a motorist, detailing an alleged contravention of the Littering from Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018.
An example of a possible contravention includes the throwing of a cigarette end out of a vehicle window, with no attempt made to pick it up. The alleged contravention is observed and recorded in person by a Civil Enforcement Officer.
A Littering from Vehicles PN is either handed to the driver or sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle.
The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The PN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority – including the issuing of PNs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
When submitting an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, you are invited to provide any information that helps you to explain the circumstances of what happened or why you think you should not have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Don’t worry if you do not have all evidence you would like to provide to hand when submitting your appeal. It can be added later as your case progresses.
Any information you provide to support your case is classed as evidence and will be taken into consideration by the Adjudicator. No form of evidence is necessarily better than another and you should always provide as much information as you can – however you are able to provide it to us.
Evidence can be provided in a number of ways, though more than 95% of appellants choose to use our online appeals management system (see below).
Our online appeals management system allows you to upload a large range of evidence directly to your online case file, either when first submitting an appeal or when it is in progress. This includes images, videos, screenshots and files directly from a smartphone.
Evidence can also be shared through the Messaging and Live Chat applications within the online system, as well as by email.
Documents can be sent to our office address to be added to your case file by our Customer Support team.
If a Telephone Hearing takes place during the course of your appeal to us, the information you provide to an Adjudicator on the call and in answer to questions will be considered as evidence in deciding the appeal.
Types of evidence that could be provided to support an appeal include (this list is not exhaustive):
Please note: If you provide any evidence that contains personal or sensitive information, such as a bank statement or medical letter, please make sure to remove or conceal such information (e.g. your bank or credit card number) first.
The authority will also provide evidence to support its response to the appeal. This could include:
Both parties will have access to all evidence submitted.
One of the two parties to an appeal against a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) – the other being the local authority or charging authority that issued the PCN.
If a Parking Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is not paid within 28 days of being issued, or an Informal Challenge made against the penalty was unsuccessful, the local authority will issue a Notice to Owner (NtO)* to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The NtO confirms that the PCN is outstanding, the amount that needs to be paid and the details of the location, time and contravention that the PCN relates to.
The NtO will also include details of how to make representations against the PCN, if you do not believe you should have received it.
The civil enforcement of parking by a local authority – including the issuing of NtOs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
* Please note: If the PCN was originally issued through the post (not to the windscreen of the vehicle), no Notice to Owner will be sent.
An Act of Parliament that allows for the civil enforcement, by local authorities in England (outside London) and Wales, of contraventions against parking and other traffic restrictions.
This includes parking, bus lane and moving traffic contraventions.
A Moving Traffic Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is a document issued by a local authority in England (outside London) or Wales to a motorist, detailing an alleged contravention of its moving traffic restrictions (as detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders) by the vehicle they were driving.
Restrictions are identified by signs and lines on the carriageway.
Examples of possible contraventions include turning into a road where a ‘banned turn’ is in place or driving into a yellow box junction when the exit is not clear.
The alleged contravention is detected and recorded by a video camera.
A Moving Traffic PCN is then sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The Moving Traffic PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or challenge it.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority – including the issuing of PCNs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
An Act of Parliament that allows for the civil enforcement of contraventions against Road User Charging Schemes by charging authorities in England and – prior to 31 May 2022 – allowed for the enforcement of bus lane restrictions by local authorities in England (outside London). These English bus lane authorities now enforce restrictions under the Traffic Management Act 2004.
A Bus Lane is an area of a road, restricted by a local authority Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), which only buses and selected classes of vehicle (e.g. taxis and private hire vehicles) may use.
Restrictions relating to Bus Lanes are detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders and are often subject to specified time periods.
‘Bus Gates’ and ‘Bus-only Streets’ are short, entire sections of road restricting all traffic except buses, taxis, private hire vehicles and cycles.
Bus Lanes, Bus Gates and Bus-only Streets can be identified by signs and lines on the carriageway.
Any contraventions to the restrictions in place by a vehicle are detected and recorded by a video camera, with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle.
The Mersey Gateway Bridge Crossings Road User Charging Scheme (operating under the brand name ‘Merseyflow’) is a Road User Charging Scheme in place for vehicles travelling across both the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridges, which cross the River Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes, Cheshire. The charging authority for the scheme is Halton Borough Council.
Vehicles crossing the bridges must pay the road user charge in place every time they cross (in both directions, either in advance or by midnight the day after the crossing is made. Video cameras record all crossings made.
The necessity to pay the crossing charge and the time allotted is shown on signs on roads around the scheme. Payment of the road user charge can be made online at the Merseyflow website, via a mobile application, by phone or in person at a walk-in centre.
Accounts can be set-up for automatic payment of the charge and discounts apply to certain user types, including local residents and Blue Badge holders.
If payment of the road user charge for each crossing is not made on time, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be sent to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle that made the crossing/s. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
A Merseyflow PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The Road User Charging Scheme in place, including how PCNs can be enforced by Halton Borough Council, is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
Blue Badges, issued by a local authority, provide people with disabilities or health conditions some exceptions to traffic restrictions.
The Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing (commonly known as the ‘Dartford Crossing’) Road User Charging Scheme (operating under the brand name ‘Dart Charge’) is a Road User Charging Scheme in place for vehicles travelling across the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and through the Dartford Tunnel, which cross the River Thames between Dartford, Kent and Thurrock, Essex. The charging authority for the scheme is the Secretary of State for Transport.
Vehicles crossing the bridge or using the tunnel must pay the road user charge in place every time they cross (in both directions, either in advance or by midnight the day after the crossing is made. Video cameras record all crossings made.
The necessity to pay the road user charge for each crossing and the time allotted is shown on signs on roads around the scheme. Payment of the road user charge can be made online at the Dart Charge website, by phone or in person at a Payzone outlet.
Accounts can be set-up for automatic payment of the charge and discounts apply to certain user types, including local residents and Blue Badge holders.
If payment of the road user charge for each crossing is not made on time, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be sent to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle that made the crossing/s. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
A Dart Charge PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The Road User Charging Scheme in place, including how PCNs can be enforced by the Secretary of State for Transport, is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
The Durham Road User Charge Zone is a Road User Charging Scheme in place for vehicles entering the Durham city centre peninsula. The charging authority for the scheme is Durham County Council.
The necessity to pay the charge and the time allotted is shown on signs on roads around the scheme.
Vehicles entering the zone must pay the road user charge in place, either in advance or 24 hours from the time of entry. A record of vehicles entering the zone is made using video cameras.
If payment of the road user charge for entering the zone is not made on time, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be sent to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle that entered the zone. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
A Durham Road User Charge Zone PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The Road User Charging Scheme in place, including how PCNs can be enforced by Durham County Council, is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
The Oxford Congestion Charge is a Road User Charging Scheme applying to certain vehicles used at designated locations in and around the city centre of Oxford, with the aim of reducing traffic and pollution, improving bus travel, and making walking and cycling safer. The charging authority for the scheme is Oxfordshire County Council (CC).
Charges apply to passenger cars driving past the designated charging locations that are a ‘vehicle type approval’ of M1, according to the DVLA vehicle checker – as specified by Oxfordshire County Council – though permits and exemptions apply.
The Oxford Congestion Charge applies at the following locations and times (see Oxford CC’s map of locations for more details):
Charging locations are indicated by signage (more information on signage is available on the Oxfordshire CC website), with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detecting vehicles that are used at a location/s.
Motorists can check if their vehicle must pay a charge and make payment to use it at a charging location/s online on the Oxfordshire CC website.
Payments for using a vehicle at a congestion charge location/s are made to the council directly online through Oxfordshire CC’s dedicated payment portal.
Payment of the charge must be made for the day the passenger car is driven past a charging location/s within the charging hours, with payment made either on the day, or by midnight the day after. Only one charge is required per day of use, irrespective of how many charging locations the vehicle drives past.
Multiple days can be paid in advance by setting up an account.
If payment of the charge for passing a charging location during the prescribed hours is not made on time, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be sent to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle used. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
An Oxford Congestion Charge PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The Road User Charging Scheme in place, including how PCNs can be enforced by Oxfordshire County Council, is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
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The combination of letters and numbers on a vehicle’s number plate. The VRM will be used to identify the vehicle and Registered Keeper during any enforcement of contraventions against traffic restrictions, resulting in a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
A Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is a document issued by a local authority in England (outside London) to a motorist, detailing an alleged failure to pay the charge required for using a non-compliant vehicle (not meeting the required emissions standard) within a Clean Air Zone.
The operation of a Clean Air Zone within a city centre is identified by signage on roads in and around the zone.
The vehicle’s use within the Clean Air Zone is detected by a video camera.
A Clean Air Zone PCN is then sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time the vehicle was used within the zone, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The Clean Air Zone PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or challenge it.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority – including the issuing of PCNs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
A Bus Lane Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is a document issued by a local authority to a motorist, detailing an alleged contravention of its traffic restrictions (as detailed in Traffic Regulation Orders) by the vehicle they were driving.
Examples of possible contravention include driving in a Bus Lane during its hours of operation. The alleged contravention is detected and recorded by a video camera.
Bus Lane restrictions are identified by signs and lines on the carriageway.
A Bus Lane PCN is sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle.
The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
The Bus Lane PCN document will include details of:
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority – including the issuing of PCNs – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
A dismissed appeal decision by a Traffic Penalty Tribunal Adjudicator means that the appeal was not successful (i.e. the appeal was 'lost') and the motorist is liable to pay the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Following a dismissed appeal, the PCN should be paid to the authority without delay.
In exceptional circumstances, the decision an Adjudicator has made can be looked at again. This can be done by applying to review the decision
Grounds of Appeal are specific reasons, as set out in legislation, upon which a Traffic Penalty Tribunal Adjudicator can instruct an authority that has issued a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) to cancel it.
Choose below to view information relating to a particular road user charging (RUC) scheme, including how to appeal a penalty charge and the charging conditions.
A Charge Certificate increases the amount of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) by 50% and is issued to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle the PCN relates to, 28 days after, either:
*Some authorities may still accept representations, but this will be at their discretion
Important: If you have received a Charge Certificate after already making representations and receiving a Notice of Rejection of Representations, you may still be able to make an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal; however, this will be at the discretion of the Adjudicator.
An Order for Recovery is a notice issued by the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court to the Registered Keeper of a vehicle, informing them that a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) associated with that vehicle has been registered as a debt.
A PCN is registered as a debt and an Order for Recovery sent if that PCN has not been paid 14 days after the receipt of a Charge Certificate from the local authority or charging authority that issued the PCN.
A fee of £8 (covering the debt registration fee) is added to the penalty charge owed. An Order for Recovery details how the outstanding PCN amount (and the £8 fee) should be paid, and by what date.
A Witness Statement or (if relating to a Bus Lane PCN issued prior to 31 May 2022, a 'Statutory Declaration') will be included with the Order for Recovery. These forms provide an opportunity to explain why the debt should not have been registered, choosing from one of four specified grounds / reasons.
If the outstanding PCN and debt registration fee are not paid, or a Witness Statement / Statutory Declaration form sent to the Traffic Enforcement Centre, a Bailiff / Civil Enforcement Agent will be contacted to recover the money owed.
The civil enforcement of traffic restrictions by a local authority or charging authority – including the issuing of an Order for Recovery – is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
Included with an Order for Recovery (issued by the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court) relating to an unpaid Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), a Witness Statement (or, prior to 31 March 2022 – if related to a Bus Lane PCN) – a 'Statutory Declaration') is a legal declaration to state why a PCN should not have been registered as a debt.
The following four grounds / reasons are provided; one must be selected.
A Witness Statement / Statutory Declaration must be provided to the Traffic Enforcement Centre by the date specified on the Order for Recovery.
If a Witness Statement / Statutory Declaration form is not sent or the outstanding PCN and debt registration fee are not paid, a Bailiff / Civil Enforcement Agent will be contacted to recover the money owed via a Warrant of Execution.
If a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) remains unpaid, even after being registered as a debt at the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court, which will have issued an Order for Recovery, a request can be made by the local authority or charging authority for the outstanding amount to be recovered by a Bailiff (now commonly known as Civil Enforcement Agents).
The recovery of money by a Bailiff / Civil Enforcement Agent is facilitated by a legal document called a Warrant of Execution.
Once a Warrant of Execution is issued, the outstanding amount (which may include further costs incurred as a result of enforcement action) must be paid directly to the Bailiff / Civil Enforcement Agent.
A legal document issued by the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court to the Registered Keeper of a vehicle if a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) remains unpaid, even after being registered as a debt (and an Order for Recovery has been issued).
The Warrant of Execution authorises the outstanding amount (which may include further costs incurred as a result of enforcement action) to be recovered by a Bailiff / Civil Enforcement Agent.
An allowed appeal decision by a Traffic Penalty Tribunal Adjudicator means that the appeal was successful (i.e. the appeal was ‘won’).
Following an allowed / won appeal, the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be cancelled by the authority and there will be nothing to pay.
In exceptional circumstances, however, the decision an Adjudicator has made can be looked at again if the authority applies to have the decision reviewed. The authority can take this option by applying to review the decision.
Selected Traffic Penalty Tribunal decisions are published on the Traff-iCase key cases website (opens in new tab). These ‘key cases’ have been curated due to the common facts, issues and points of law they include, providing a reference for motorists who may have received similar penalty charges, or other interested parties.
The Traff-iCase website also includes key cases from London Tribunals (opens in new tab) and other UK traffic penalty adjudication bodies. While cases from these different adjudicating bodies have been curated together on the site for the convenience and interest of users, any information contained within the decisions remains the responsibility of the original adjudicating body. Any questions relating to the content of cases should also be directed to the adjudicating body.
Important: While a finding made by an adjudicator in one decision can be relevant and persuasive when considering another appeal that engages the same issues, the evidence and facts of each case are important, may make a material difference and be the basis for reaching a different conclusion.Following Government approval, a local authority can set up a Clean Air Zone as part of its plan to improve air quality through a Clean Air Zone Charging Scheme Order (CSO), under the powers of Sections 163–177A of the Transport Act 2000 and the Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013.
If you have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and do not agree with it, you can make representations to the local authority that issued it, explaining your reasons in as much detail as possible and providing any evidence you can.
If the representations are successful, the PCN will be cancelled. If the representations are unsuccessful, a Notice of Rejection of Representations will be issued, explaining the reasons and providing information on appealing further to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
A GOV.UK telephone payment service and helpdesk is available on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm), together with an online contact form. Any questions about using the GOV.UK service should be directed through these channels.
If you have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and do not agree with it, you can make representations to the local authority that issued it, explaining your reasons.
If you have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and do not agree with it, you can make representations to the local authority that issued it, explaining your reasons in as much detail as possible and providing any evidence you can.
If the representations are successful, the PCN will be cancelled. If the representations are unsuccessful, a Notice of Rejection of Representations will be issued, explaining the reasons and providing information on appealing further to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Charges apply daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and from midnight to midnight (for example, 2 x daily charges should be paid for a vehicle entering a Clean Air Zone at 11pm and leaving at 1am the following morning.
You can check whether your vehicle's emissions mean you must pay a charge and make payment (obtain a license) to use it within a Clean Air Zone online at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service.
A telephone payment service and helpdesk is also available on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm), together with an online contact form.
Signage on roads in and around the zone, showing a white cloud symbol within a green circle, will indicate that a Clean Air Zone scheme is in operation. A letter A–D will also be included on the symbol (see images below), denoting the class of zone that applies.
The 4 x ascending lettered classes relate to the different groups of vehicle that are charged, as follows:
• Class A: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles • Class B: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles • Class C: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, minibuses • Class D: Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans, minibuses, cars (the local authority also has the option to include motorcycles)
Please note that a number of Clean Air Zone exemptions and discounts apply to different zones.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detect vehicles that are used in a Clean Air Zone.
A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued to the Registered Keeper of a non-compliant vehicle used in the zone if the charge is not paid on time – either up to 6 days in advance of, or by 11.59pm on the 6th day after, the vehicle was used in the zone.
Payment should be made at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service, not to the local authority directly, though a number of Clean Air Zone exemptions and discounts apply, which may require a different method of payment.
The types of vehicles and charges that apply vary for different Clean Air Zones. You can check on the website of the local authority operating the scheme for the charges that apply to a specific scheme.
Alternatively, use the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service to see if your vehicle's emissions mean you would be liable for charge and (if applicable) view the charges that will apply to the vehicle at all operating zones.
Check online to see if your vehicle's emissions mean you are liable for a Clean Air Zone charge at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service.
If you have any questions regarding the emissions status of your vehicle after checking your number plate through this service, you should contact the GOV.UK helpdesk on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm) or use the GOV.UK online contact form.
If you don’t agree with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) you have received, you can make Registered Keeper against the PCN to the local authority that issued it, explaining your reasons in as much detail as possible, providing any evidence you can.
Payment of the charge must be made for each day a non-compliant vehicle is used within a Clean Air Zone, either up to 6 days in advance of, or by 11.59pm on the 6th day after, using the vehicle in the zone.
Charges apply daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and from midnight to midnight (for example, 2 x daily charges should be paid for a vehicle entering a Clean Air Zone at 11pm and leaving at 1am the following morning.
Payment should be made at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service, not to the local authority directly, though a number of Clean Air Zone exemptions and discounts apply, which may require a different method of payment.
It depends on the emissions category and type of your vehicle. You can check whether your vehicle's emissions and type mean you must pay a charge and make payment (obtain a license) to use it within a Clean Air Zone online at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service.
A telephone payment service and helpdesk is also available on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm), together with an online contact form.
A Clean Air Zone is a Road User Charging Scheme applying to certain vehicles used within a geographic area of a city centre, with the aim of reducing pollution and improving air quality.
Charges apply to vehicles that have an emissions category that does not meet a standard specified by the particular class of Clean Air Zone that is in operation. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detect vehicles that are used in a zone.
You can check if your vehicle's emissions mean you must pay a charge and make payment (obtain a license) to use it within a Clean Air Zone online at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service.
– Payment of the charge must be made for each day a non-compliant vehicle is used within a Clean Air Zone, either up to 6 days in advance of, or by 11.59pm on the 6th day after, using the vehicle in the zone.
– Charges apply daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and from midnight to midnight (for example, 2 x daily charges should be paid for a vehicle entering a Clean Air Zone at 11pm and leaving at 1am the following morning.
Payment should be made at the central GOV.UK service, not to the local authority directly, though a number of Clean Air Zone exemptions and discounts apply, which may require a different method of payment.
Appealing to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is quick and easy, and can be done fully online. Though every case is different, most cases we see are resolved in just 14 days.
We are highly experienced lawyers, independent of the authority that issued your and will decide your appeal fairly, based on the specific facts of your case.
We offer a fully online service, available on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, through which you can submit your appeal to us and follow it through from start to finish.
97% of the cases we see are submitted and decided fully online, with more than 50% of cases finalised within 14 days and 75% within 28 days.
Under the law governing , the person liable to pay any issued in respect of a vehicle contravening traffic regulations is its owner. This is presumed to be the of the vehicle, unless proven otherwise.
The Registered Keeper – according to details registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge. The fact that another person was driving the vehicle does not affect the Registered Keeper's liability for any PCN.
A local authority or will check the Registered Keeper details of a vehicle at the DVLA* as part of the process before issuing a PCN (unless the PCN is fixed to the windscreen of the vehicle or handed to the driver, in the case of .
All documents further to the PCN during the enforcement process will then be issued to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle.
* The law requires that the DVLA is kept informed about the current Registered Keeper. If a motorist sells a vehicle and fails to complete the relevant part of the vehicle registration document (V5C / 'log book'), they may receive enforcement documents relating to a PCN that are meant for the previous keeper.
The costs associated with submitting an appeal are not usually awarded. There are rare exceptions, if the Adjudicator considers that the authority (or you) were wholly unreasonable in their approach to the case, or – as defined by the law – were ‘vexatious’ or ‘frivolous’.
To ask the Adjudicator to order the other party to pay your costs, you must complete an online form or make an application to us in writing*. The Adjudicator will consider your submission and, if necessary, ask the authority to respond.
*Make sure to include a breakdown of your expenses and time.
The Adjudicator decision you received from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal should have a link to 'PAY THE AUTHORITY NOW?', taking you directly through to the relevant authority's website to make payment. If you are having problems making payment, you should contact the authority.
If you need to find details for the local authority that issued your PCN, please follow the link below.
The you have received, or any other documents accompanying it, should provide instructions on how to either pay the penalty charge or challenge it. You can also find the enforcement and challenge process for your PCN here.
If you have already to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal online and have lost your appeal (also referred to as a ), the decision you received should have a link to "PAY THE AUTHORITY NOW?", which will take you directly through to the relevant authority's website to make payment of the PCN. If you need to find details for the local authority that issued your PCN, please follow the link below.
After receiving a , you usually have 28 days to either pay the penalty or challenge it (the PCN is normally if paid within 14 days). The process for challenging a PCN varies. What is the enforcement and challenge process for my PCN?
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal is an independent, impartial adjudication service between an appellant and the authority that issued the . We cannot provide legal advice about your – whether or not you should submit one, the chances of success or the best evidence to provide.
Whether you have just received a PCN or have already challenged it or made to the authority, our website provides comprehensive information on the PCN enforcement process and submitting an appeal.
Find out more about the enforcement and challenge process for your PCN.
If you have received a Charge Certificate, Order for Recovery or a letter from a Bailiff (now referred to as Civil Enforcement Agents) regarding an unpaid PCN, find out more about the steps you can take here.
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal only decides against issued by local authorities and in England (outside London) and Wales. The PCN documents should state where to make contact, how to pay and – if necessary – how to challenge it.
Find out where to make contact about the penalty you have received
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal only decides against issued by local authorities and in England (outside London) and Wales. The PCN documents should state where to make contact, how to pay and – if necessary – how to challenge it.
Find out where to make contact about the penalty you have received.
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal only decides against issued by local authorities and in England (outside London) and Wales. The PCN documents should state where to make contact, how to pay and – if necessary – how to challenge it.
Find out where to make contact about the penalty you have received.
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal only decides against issued by local authorities and in England (outside London) and Wales. The PCN documents should state where to make contact, how to pay and – if necessary – how to challenge it.
Find out where to make contact about the penalty you have received.
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal only decides against issued by local authorities and in England (outside London) and Wales. Parking Charge Notices often look like PCNs, but they are not penalties we decide appeals against.
The information included with the Parking Charge Notice or other penalty you have received should state who the private operator is that issued it, how to contact them or make payment and – if necessary – how to challenge the penalty.
Find out where to make contact about the penalty you have received.
No, you will not have to go to court. Appealing to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is quick and easy, and can be done fully online. Though every case is different, most cases we see are resolved in just 14 days.
We are highly experienced lawyers, independent of the authority that issued your and will decide your appeal fairly, based on the specific facts of your case.
We offer a fully online service, available on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, through which you can submit your appeal to us and follow it through from start to finish.
97% of the cases we see are submitted and decided fully online, with more than 50% of cases finalised within 14 days and 75% within 28 days.
Receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is never good news, but knowing what to do next and not ignoring it are critical. You can't appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal straight away, but our website provides information on the next steps you can take.
An appeal can only be made to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal once you have first made representations to the authority that issued the PCN. The next steps to take depend on the type of PCN you have received and what stage you are in the enforcement process.
You can provide any information that helps explain why you think you should not have received a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) – from documents and photos to messages and files from your phone. But don't worry if you don't have it all to hand straight away.
Any information you provide to support your case is classed as evidence and will be taken into consideration by the Adjudicator. No form of evidence is necessarily better than another.
Our online appeals management system allows you to upload a large range of evidence directly to an online case file, either when first submitting an appeal or when it is in progress.
Adjudicator's decisions are binding on you and the authority. In exceptional circumstances, the decision can be looked at again by applying for a review, but disagreeing with a decision is not a reason to review it. Find out more about what happens after a decision.
The Traffic Penalty Tribunal can help if you need extra support because of your condition or circumstances. Find out about additional help we offer.
Submitting an to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is completely free. The only thing you'll have to pay is the in full if you lose your appeal. Find out more about receiving a PCN and the next steps you can take.
A Telephone Hearing provides an opportunity for you to explain the circumstances of your appeal, verbally. There may also have been some gaps or uncertainty in the evidence already provided that can be discussed further. Find out more about what to expect at Telephone Hearing.
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