A Parking Charge Notice from a private car park is an invoice for breaking the terms on the signs, not a council fine. You can appeal it for free, first to the operator and then to an independent service. This is how to do it well.
1. Work out what you've got
Check the notice says "Parking Charge Notice" and comes from a company, not a council. Council Penalty Charge Notices follow different law and a different appeal route. Note three dates: when you parked, when the notice was issued, and when it reached you.
2. Don't ignore it, and don't pay yet if you'll appeal
You have 28 days to appeal to the operator. Paying within 14 days usually gets 40% off, and under the industry code a paid charge can no longer be appealed, so decide which route you're taking early. If you appeal within 14 days, some operators keep the discount open if they reject you.
3. Check the rules and your times
Look up the car park and compare the times on the notice with what the signs allowed. ANPR cameras record when you drove in and out, not when you parked, and the code gives at least 5 minutes on arrival and 10 minutes after your time ends before a charge. Our checker does the sums and shows the rule behind each result.
4. Gather evidence
- Photos of the entrance sign and the signs near where you parked, from the driver's position.
- Payment records: app screenshots, bank or card statements.
- Receipts showing you were a customer, and when.
- Anything explaining a delay: a breakdown invoice, appointment letter, or note of a broken machine.
5. Decide whether to say who was driving
If the notice came by post to you as the registered keeper, you don't have to say who was driving. Operators can only hold the keeper liable if they followed the strict timing and wording rules in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. See keeper liability. If you were driving and your appeal is strong on its facts, saying so is fine.
6. Write the appeal
Keep it short and factual. State the charge reference, give each reason in its own paragraph, refer to your evidence, and ask for cancellation. If you are rejected, ask for a POPLA or IAS code. Use the operator's online form if it has one and save a copy or screenshot.
7. If you're rejected
A rejection must include a code for the independent appeals service: POPLA for British Parking Association members, or the IAS for International Parking Community members. Both are free for a standard appeal. If you choose to pay instead, the discount usually remains available for 14 days after a rejection.
8. If letters keep coming
Debt collector letters have no legal power of their own. A Letter Before Claim, though, is the formal step before court, and you should reply to it within 30 days. See our debt collector guide.
Based on the Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice, the government's draft Private Parking Code (October 2026), POPLA and IAS guidance, and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4. This is general information, not legal advice.