Applies to private parking charges and council PCNs

You held a valid permit

Where a permit was validly held and registered, no contravention occurred. A failure to display, or a delay in the permit register updating, does not create one.

Write my appeal — free

No account, no card, nothing stored.

New private parking rules · October 2026

£20 at most, if the permit was valid but not shown

At private car parks, if you held a valid permit but it was not displayed, the charge drops to £20 at first appeal when you send a copy of the permit.
Treat £20 as a ceiling, not a target. If the permit was registered against your car electronically, argue that there was no breach at all.
Council permit PCNs are not covered by the new code. The arguments above still apply to those.

This is from the government's new Private Parking Code of Practice, which covers private car parks only. Council tickets are not affected. It applies once the code comes into force, around the end of 2026 at the earliest, so do not wait for it before appealing. Read the full new rules

Why this works

Ask them to check their own register

Councils and operators hold permit data against registration numbers. Ask them to search it for your vehicle on that date rather than relying on what the officer saw.

Renewals often lag

A permit renewed shortly before the date may not have propagated to the enforcement system. That is an administrative failure on their side.

Display failures are not payment failures

If the permit slipped or was face down, the permit still existed and the authority suffered no loss.

Evidence to attach

A copy of the permit showing the registration and valid dates
Your permit account confirmation or renewal email
A photograph showing how it was displayed if relevant

More appeals fail on missing evidence than on weak arguments. Send copies, never originals, and keep a proof of posting.

Common questions

Can I appeal a parking ticket if a permit was held but not shown?

This is stronger than it sounds. You are not asking for leniency, you are saying the contravention did not happen. Challenging costs nothing, and if the issuer rejects you the escalation to an independent adjudicator is also free.

How long do I have to appeal?

Usually 28 days from the date on the notice, but the deadline that matters is often 14 days. Challenge within that window and most councils keep the 50% discount open for a further 14 days if they reject you. Private operators normally offer a reduced sum for the same period.

What evidence should I send?

A copy of the permit showing the registration and valid dates. Your permit account confirmation or renewal email. A photograph showing how it was displayed if relevant.

What do the new 2026 private parking rules say if a permit was held but not shown?

£20 at most, if the permit was valid but not shown. At private car parks, if you held a valid permit but it was not displayed, the charge drops to £20 at first appeal when you send a copy of the permit. Treat £20 as a ceiling, not a target. If the permit was registered against your car electronically, argue that there was no breach at all. Council permit PCNs are not covered by the new code. The arguments above still apply to those. The new Private Parking Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026 and applies once it comes into force.

Does it cost anything to appeal?

No. Challenging the issuer is free, and escalating to POPLA, the Independent Appeals Service, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal or London Tribunals is free for motorists. Voidly does not charge you either.

Write your appeal now

Answer a few questions and Voidly assembles the right grounds for your case, with a checklist of what to attach.

Start my appeal

Other reasons people appeal

See every reason

Voidly produces a draft letter to help you appeal. It is not legal advice. Always check the letter and the deadline on your notice before sending.