How to respond to a private parking charge

Published 16 October 2026.

1. Work out what kind of notice it is

Start by checking who sent it. A private parking charge comes from a company that manages private land, such as a retail park, supermarket, hospital or residential site. It usually calls itself a "parking charge notice", refers to the company's terms and conditions, and names POPLA or the IAS as the independent appeal service.

A penalty charge notice from a council or Transport for London is a different thing. It is issued under statutory powers, refers to the Traffic Management Act 2004 or other legislation, and names the Traffic Penalty Tribunal or London Tribunals. If that is what you have, see council parking tickets instead.

The law on keeper liability for private parking charges, in Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, applies in England and Wales only. If the land is in Scotland, different rules apply.

2. Check the dates

Write down three dates: when you parked, the date on the notice, and when you received it. They matter for two reasons.

• Your deadlines. Under the Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice, which members of the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community must follow, you can appeal to the company within 28 days, and a reduced amount must be offered for payment within 14 days.
• The company's deadlines. If nothing was put on the vehicle and the notice was posted to the registered keeper, Schedule 4 usually requires it to be delivered within 14 days, beginning with the day after the parking ended. A posted notice is presumed to arrive on the second working day after posting, unless the contrary is proved. If it was later, the keeper cannot be held liable under Schedule 4, although the company may still pursue the driver.

3. Gather your evidence

Do this while it is fresh. Useful evidence includes:

• photos of the signs at the entrance and near where you parked, and of the bay and its markings
• your parking ticket, payment receipt or app record
• till receipts or card statements showing when you shopped
• appointment letters, if you were at a hospital or clinic
• a copy of your Blue Badge or permit, if you have one
• a short written note of what happened, with times

4. Decide whether to appeal

Whether to pay or appeal is your decision. Under the code, if you appeal within 28 days and the appeal is rejected, you can still pay at the rate that applied when you appealed for a further 14 days. So an appeal sent while the reduced amount is available keeps that amount open for 14 days after a rejection.

If you were the registered keeper but not the driver, Schedule 4 does not require you to name the driver. If you do not, and the Schedule 4 conditions are met, the company can pursue you as keeper. If you do name the driver, the details must be accurate. Never give false or misleading information about who was driving.

5. Appeal to the company

• Use the method on the notice, and keep a copy of what you send and proof of when you sent it.
• Keep it factual. Say what happened, what evidence you have, and why the charge should be cancelled.
• Where it applies, refer to the code's Appeals Charter. It says certain charges should be cancelled when evidence is provided, and that certain mitigating circumstances, such as the onset of illness or an overrunning medical appointment, must lead to a reduced first charge.
• Where it applies, say which Schedule 4 condition you believe has not been met.

Under the code, the company must respond within 28 days, or tell you when it will.

6. If the company rejects the appeal: POPLA or the IAS

The rejection letter should explain how to take the appeal to the independent appeal service: POPLA for British Parking Association members, or the IAS for International Parking Community members. It will give you the reference you need and the time limit. Things to know:

• You only get one independent appeal for each charge.
• While the independent appeal is being decided, debt collection must not start, or must be paused.
• The operator must accept the appeal service's decision.
• If you go to the independent stage and the appeal is not successful, the reduced amount usually no longer applies.

7. If debt collection letters arrive

Letters from a debt collection agency are requests for payment. They are not court action, and enforcement agents can only be used after a court judgment. The code allows an operator to add up to £70 when a charge becomes overdue; whether any added sum can be recovered in court is for the court to decide.

Under the code, debt collectors must not use words that would mislead you, such as falsely suggesting they have legal or official status, or referring to the pre-action protocol when they are not using it. Read the letters, check the dates and keep copies. If you dispute the charge, it is usually sensible to say so in writing.

8. If a letter of claim arrives

A letter of claim under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims is the formal step before a court claim. It should come with an information sheet and a reply form, and it usually gives you 30 days to reply. Use the reply form, and get advice if you are unsure. Citizens Advice gives free, independent advice.

9. If court papers arrive

A county court claim has strict time limits, and if you do not respond the company can ask for judgment in default. You are the defendant and must respond yourself. See received a county court claim? for the time limits and where to get help.