What to do if you get a Parking Ticket

If you have been unlucky enough to return to your vehicle to find a parking ticket tucked underneath your windscreen wiper - don’t fear you’re not alone. With over 8 million parking tickets issued in 2005 alone, most of us have fallen foul of the curse of the parking inspector at one time or another.

Why did I get a ticket?
If you have received a parking ticket, the person who issued it has determined that you have parked your car somewhere you’re not allowed to. This might be a genuine error on your part – but the law treats those who have parked illegally by mistake in exactly the same way as those who do it on purpose. Signs and markings around the area you were parked in should give you a clue as to why you got a ticket. You may have got one because you were parked in a restricted or permit-only area, because your car park ‘pay and display’ ticket fell off your windscreen and out of sight – or maybe your parking meter ran out because you were just a few minutes late.

I drove away before they gave me the ticket. Will I get it through the post?
This is tricky because it depends on who was issuing the ticket. If it was a council parking attendant, they actually have to hand you the ticket or fix it to your car. If you drive away and later you get a Notice to Owner (NtO) through the post, you should write to the council that issued it and explain the situation. Because of the legislation involved, it’s quite likely you will be able to get this ticket cancelled. Even if they refuse to cancel it you still have a good chance of winning should you choose to appeal.

This changes if it was a traffic warden or a police officer issuing the ticket. In this situation, should you drive away, the ticket will be sent onto your home and you will be bound to pay. This is because these officials are bound by different legislation that allows them to send it onto you later if you avoid being issued with the ticket.

I got back 5 minutes after my meter ran out and my car already had a ticket. I thought I was supposed to get a few minutes ‘grace’?
This is a common misconception. Traffic wardens are expected to issue a ticket as soon as they see someone parked illegally. Best thing to do is overestimate the time you need to be parked at the meter in case you get held up.

So How do I go about Paying?
Once issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) you will be expected to pay the fine of £60. If you pay within 2 weeks (14 days) the amount owed will be reduced to £30. There will be details of how to pay on the PCN and usually you can pay in a variety of ways including cheque, postal order, debit card etc.

I still don’t think I should have been issued this ticket. Can I appeal?
You can. If you think the PCN has been issued wrongly you must make your reasons known as soon as you can by writing to the address on the PCN. By law, appeals must be in writing and must be valid – i.e. no ‘I was only gone 2 minutes’ or your claim will be rejected. A decision will be made and you will be made aware of the outcome. If you sent your letter of appeal within 14 days and your PCN is not cancelled, you will be given another 14 days to pay at the reduced rate of £30. (see our other articles on ‘appealing against a parking ticket’).

What happens if I don’t pay up on time?
If you don’t pay within 14 days, the amount of the fine will go back up to £60. If you don’t pay within 28 days then the owner of the car will be contacted by letter, and asked to make the full payment. The owner can either pay the £60 or make an official representation to the issuing body (usually a local council) who will then decide whether or not to cancel the PCN. If the PCN is not cancelled and you still wish to appeal, you will be sent details of how to do so through the independent body ‘National Parking Adjudication Service’ (NPAS) If after this you still haven’t paid or have not asked for a hearing for your case, the fine will rise to £90 and will be recovered through the County Court.

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