Parking fines and penalty charge notices

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Paying a ticket

How you pay a parking ticket or penalty charge notice depends on what type it is and who issued it.

You usually have 28 days to pay. In some cases, the fine is reduced if you pay within 14 days.

If you lose your ticket, contact the ticket issuer to find out how to pay.

Paying and challenging parking tickets is different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Penalty charge notice (PCN)

As well as for parking, you can get a PCN for:

  • breaking some traffic rules, for example going against a ‘no right turn’ sign or driving in a bus lane
  • not paying the charge for the London congestion zone, low emission zone or Dartford Crossing (Dart Charge) on time

You can pay online for a:

Check the ticket for other ways to pay.

Deadlines and penalties

If you do not pay a PCN within 28 days, you’ll get a ‘charge certificate’ and you’ll have 14 days to pay the original fine plus 50% more.

You’ll get a court order demanding payment if you do not pay a charge certificate within 14 days.

Fixed penalty notice (FPN)

You can get an FPN for parking from the police, local council or Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

You can pay an FPN online. Check the ticket for other ways to pay.

Deadlines and penalties

If you do not pay an FPN within 28 days, you’ll have to pay 50% more.

If you do not pay you’ll be prosecuted - you may have to pay a bigger fine as well as court costs.

You’ll only get penalty points on your licence for certain types of parking FPN, for example for leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position.

You can also get an FPN for speeding and minor motoring offences.

Other parking tickets

Check the ticket or contact the ticket issuer for deadlines and ways to pay:

  • standard or excess charge notices issued by a local council
  • tickets from private companies, for example from supermarket car parks