It is possible to get given a parking ticket from your local authorities, the police, the Transport for London or private companies.
What Types Of Tickets Can I Be Given?
The most commonly given parking ticket is a Penalty Charge Notice, also known by the abbreviation PCN. These are issued by local authorities and the Transport for London.
Generally, you will be given 28 days to pay or challenger the tickets. There are different ways to pay, to make sure you double check which method you should use.
Other kinds of parking tickets can include:
- Fixed Penalty Notices (known as FPNs)- these can be issued by the police
- Excess or Standard Charge Notices- these may be issued by some local authorities
Private companies can also issue parking tickets and may refer to them as PCNs, but they are not the same as PCNs that are issued by a local or charging authority.
Generally, you will not be given points on your driving licence for the majority of parking tickets. However, some FPNs issued by the police may incur a penalty of points on your driving licence. It is best to read the information you have been given thoroughly to make sure of what you are being penalized with.
Paying A Parking Ticket
There are different ways to pay each type of parking ticket.
Pay A PCN (Penalty Charge Notice)
You will have 28 days to make the payment on a Penalty Charge Notice parking ticket. The longer you don’t pay it, the higher the cost is of it.
If you pay within 14 days
If you pay your ticket within 14 days, you will only have to pay 50% of the full penalty charge. This is 21 days if your car was caught on a camera and the PCN was posted out to you.
If you pay between 14 and 28 days
If you make the payment between 14 and 28 days of getting the PCN, you will have to pay the full amount.
If you pay after 28 days
If you haven’t paid within the first 28 days of receiving your PCN, the local authority or charging authority will send you a reminder. This will be called a “Notice to Owner”.
The charge for the penalty may be increased by up to 50% if you still don’t make a payment within 28 days of receiving the Notice to Owner.
For example, a £70 PCN will cost £35 if you make the payment for it within the first 14 days of getting it. It will cost £70 if you pay it within 56 days and up to £105 if you pay it after 56 days.
If you feel like your ticket is wrong, you can challenge it.
Paying A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)
You will have 28 days to pay an FPN or apply to get a hearing in court if you disagree with it. After this time, the fine will increase by 50%.
If you go ahead and pay the fine, you will not be prosecuted and there will be no record kept of your offence. If you do not pay it, you will receive a court summons.
Paying An Excess Or Standard Charge Notice (Known As ECN Or SCN)
You will typically have 28 days to pay these sorts of tickets. In most cases, you will find that the fine is halved if you pay for it within 14 days of receiving it.
How To Pay
The methods of payment are usually listed on your ticket. The main ways include:
- Online
- Via credit or debit card, over the phone
- In person, by visiting your councils customer service office
- By cheque
- By postal order
Can I Challenge My Ticket?
You can challenge your parking ticket if you feel it has been given to you unfairly. How you go about doing this varies depending on the type of ticket you have received and it is possible the your challenge with result in the notice being cancelled. However, you could also find that your challenge is rejected and you will be sent a “Notice to Owner” if this is the case.