This guide explains how to challenge a penalty charge notice when the deadline has passed.

What is a penalty charge notice

A penalty charge notice (PCN) is a civil penalty issued to a vehicle owner who has breached a parking or road traffic regulation.

A PCN is not a criminal offence and does not add points to a driving licence.

Check why the PCN has been issued

Ask the client about the incident that the notice was issued for. Get a copy of the penalty charge notice and check what the breach was.

A PCN could be issued for:

• parking contraventions

• driving in a bus or cycle lane

• stopping a vehicle in a box junction

• driving in a pedestrian zone

• failing to pay a Clean Air Zone or Low Emission Zone charge

• failing to pay a road usage charge, such as the Dartford Crossing or Merseyflow Charge

Who can issue a PCN

A local or public authority can issue a PCN for road traffic and parking contraventions.

A penalty charge notice is different to a parking charge notice. A parking charge notice is issued for parking on private land, for example, a supermarket car park.

Private parking charges are enforced through the County Court as money claims. They are not processed in the traffic enforcement centre (TEC).

Deadlines to pay or challenge a PCN

A vehicle owner normally has 28 days to pay or challenge a PCN.

If a PCN is not paid within 28 days, a charge certificate is issued increasing the fine by 50% and must be paid within 14 days.

A local authority can apply for a court order demanding payment if the charge certificate is not paid within 14 days.

Check the notice for specific challenging rules. Find out more about challenging a ticket on Gov.uk.