Information on appealing

Information on appealing

Receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is never good news. But knowing what your options are if you have and making an informed decision to sort it out are critical.

Sometimes, we simply make a mistake and it’s fair to just pay the penalty and move on. Other times, there may have been factors outside of our control that meant it was hard to avoid a penalty, or the issuing of the penalty was unfair.

But whatever the circumstances…

If you disagree with a PCN,
you must first challenge it
with the authority that issued it

An appeal can only be made to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal once you have first made representations to the authority that issued the PCN, and have been unsuccessful. At this point the authority will issue you with a Notice of Rejection of Representations.

The steps that lead to the representations process are different depending on the type of PCN you have received.

If you are intending to submit an appeal online against a penalty charge notice we will need to check the details you have provided. Due to the seasonal holidays we may not be able to contact the authority that issued the penalty charge notice. We will notify you after 2 January 2024 whether your appeal has been registered. If there are further details we require we will let you know as soon as possible after that date.

Receiving a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) is never good news. But knowing what your options are if you have and making an informed decision to sort it out are critical.

Sometimes, we simply make a mistake and it’s fair to just pay the penalty and move on. Other times, there may have been factors outside of our control that meant it was hard to avoid a penalty, or the issuing of the penalty was unfair.

But whatever the circumstances…

If you disagree with a PCN, you must first challenge it with the authority that issued it

An appeal can only be made to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal once you have first made representations to the authority that issued the PCN, and have been unsuccessful. At this point the authority will issue you with a Notice of Rejection of Representations.

The steps that lead to the representations process are different depending on the type of PCN you have received.

What type of PCN have you received?

Click one of the buttons below to find out the steps involved in
either paying or challenging the type of PCN you have received.

Whatever you do, don’t just ignore it.

What type of PCN have you received?

Click one of the buttons below to find out the steps involved in either paying or challenging the type of PCN you have received.

Whatever you do, don’t just ignore it.

The Tribunal also decides appeals against PCNs issued from the Durham Road User Charge Zone.

The Tribunal also decides appeals against PCNs issued from the
Durham Road User Charge Zone.

Who is liable for a PCN?

Icon of a vehicle key indicating ownership of the vehicle

Under the law that allows for civil traffic enforcement, the person who is liable to pay any PCN issued in respect of a vehicle contravening traffic restrictions is its owner. This is presumed to be the Registered Keeper of the vehicle, unless proven otherwise.

The Registered Keeper – according to details registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge. The fact that another person was driving the vehicle does not affect the Registered Keeper’s liability for any PCN.

Who is liable for a PCN?

Icon of a vehicle key indicating ownership of the vehicle

Under the law that allows for civil traffic enforcement, the person who is liable to pay any Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued in respect of a vehicle contravening traffic restrictions is its owner. This is presumed to be the Registered Keeper of the vehicle, unless proven otherwise.

The Registered Keeper – according to details registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge. The fact that another person was driving the vehicle does not affect the Registered Keeper’s liability for any PCN.

What if my PCN type isn’t listed?

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal decides appeals against parking and traffic penalties issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales.

If your penalty has instead been issued by one of the authorities below, please click on the tabs to find out the contact information you need.

To appeal against parking, bus lane, moving traffic or congestion charge penalties please contact:

Head of Support Services, London Tribunals
PO Box 10598, Nottingham, NG6 6DR

Tel: 020 7520 7200

Email: queries@londontribunals.org.uk

To appeal against parking or bus lane penalties in Scotland contact:

Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal for Scotland (PBLTS)
George House, 126 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4HH

Tel: 0300 303 5760

Email: PBLA@scotcourtstribunals.gov.uk

To appeal against parking or bus lane penalties in Northern Ireland contact:

Northern Ireland Traffic Penalty Tribunal (NITPT)
2nd Floor, Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 3JF

Tel: 0300 200 7812

Email: TribunalsUnit@courtsni.gov.uk

A Parking Charge Notice may sometimes look similar to a Penalty Charge Notice, but it is not the same. It has been issued by a private operator, rather than a local authority.

To pay or challenge a private parking penalty, contact the operator whose details appear on the notice you have received.

Further information can be found on the British Parking Association website.

The notice you have received should also include details of the appeals service you can appeal to if your challenge to the operator is unsuccessful. These include:

You may have been issued one of these penalties by the Police or a local authority. You should contact the authority that issued you with the penalty, following the instructions enclosed in the documents you received.

For more information on Fixed Penalty Notices
(or Notices of Intended Prosecution) for speeding,
click the button below.

What if my PCN type isn’t listed?

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal decides appeals against parking and traffic penalties issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales.

If your penalty has instead been issued by one of the authorities below, please click on the tabs to find out the contact information you need.

To appeal against parking, bus lane, moving traffic or congestion charge penalties please contact:

Head of Support Services, London Tribunals
PO Box 10598, Nottingham, NG6 6DR

Tel: 020 7520 7200

Email: queries@londontribunals.org.uk

To appeal against parking or bus lane penalties in Scotland contact:

Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal for Scotland (PBLTS)
George House, 126 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4HH

Tel: 0300 303 5760

Email: PBLA@scotcourts
tribunals.gov.uk

To appeal against parking or bus lane penalties in Northern Ireland contact:

Northern Ireland Traffic Penalty Tribunal (NITPT)
2nd Floor, Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 3JF

Tel: 0300 200 7812

Email: TribunalsUnit@courtsni.gov.uk

A Parking Charge Notice may sometimes look similar to a Penalty Charge Notice, but it is not the same. It has been issued by a private operator, rather than a local authority.

To pay or challenge a private parking penalty, contact the operator whose details appear on the notice you have received.

Further information can be found on the British Parking Association website.

The notice you have received should also include details of the appeals service you can appeal to if your challenge to the operator is unsuccessful. These include:

You may have been issued one of these penalties by the Police or a local authority. You should contact the authority that issued you with the penalty, following the instructions enclosed in the documents you received.

For more information on Fixed Penalty Notices (or Notices of Intended Prosecution) for speeding, click the button below.

Tell me more about appealing
to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Submitting an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is quick and easy. Though every case is different, most cases we see are resolved in just 14 days. Some can be closed within a day.

Our Adjudicators are experienced lawyers, independent of the authority that issued your PCN and will decide your appeal fairly, based on the specific facts of the case. We offer a fully online service, available on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, through which you can submit your appeal to us and follow it through from start to finish.

Examples of evidence photos, letters, blue badge, social media conversation, parking ticket and vehicle documents

Upload evidence
to make your case

You can add a wide range of evidence
directly to your online appeal, from photos, videos
and screenshots from your phone,
to scanned documents and detailed descriptions.

Tell me more about appealing to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Submitting an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal is quick and easy. Though every case is different, most cases we see are resolved in just 14 days. Some can be closed within a day.

Our Adjudicators are experienced lawyers, independent of the authority that issued your PCN and will decide your appeal fairly, based on the specific facts of the case. We offer a fully online service, available on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, through which you can submit your appeal to us and follow it through from start to finish.

Examples of evidence photos, letters, blue badge, social media conversation, parking ticket and vehicle documents

Upload evidence to make your case

You can add a wide range of evidence, directly to your online appeal, from photos, videos and screenshots from your phone, to scanned documents and detailed descriptions.

Chat to us in real time
as your appeal progresses

Instant messaging and Live Chat are available
throughout your appeal, allowing you to ask
questions and provide details about your case.

Phone showing Live Chat conversation, next to a chat icon and envelope icon showing email
Phone showing Live Chat conversation, next to a chat icon and envelope icon showing email

Chat to us in real time as your appeal progresses

Instant messaging and Live Chat are available throughout your appeal, allowing you to ask questions and provide details about your case.

Icons depicting option between having a Telephone or Video Hearing with an Adjudicator or receiving a decision fully online

The option for a Hearing
with the Adjudicator,
or your decision fully online

Explain your appeal in more detail through a Telephone or Video Hearing, if required,
or opt for an ‘e-Decision’. Why you have won or lost will be explained clearly and transparently.

Icons depicting option between having a Telephone or Video Hearing with an Adjudicator or receiving a decision fully online

The option for a Hearing with the Adjudicator, or your decision fully online – often within days

Explain your appeal in more detail through a Telephone or Video Hearing, if required, or opt for an ‘e-Decision’. Why you have won or lost will be explained clearly and transparently.

What to know more?

Traffic Penalty Tribunal Logo in White