Dispute your penalty charge notice

Please note that due to coronavirus, postal deliveries are subject to delays, which could result in your dispute being received after charges have increased, or when it’s too late to dispute your PCN.

If you want to dispute your PCN by post, please write to us setting out the grounds of dispute, along with your PCN number, vehicle registration number and your full address.

Please also enclose copies of all supporting evidence.

We will reply in writing.

Send to:

Representations and Appeals

PO box 76121

London

E5 5FG

If you are unable to locate your Penalty Charge Notice number (PCN number), you can request it by completing the form below.

You will receive a response in one working day.

Request my PCN number

The PCN is normally sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle as recorded by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

PCNs may also be issued to the nominated hirer/lessee of the vehicle if a valid hire agreement is provided by the registered keeper.

The person or organisation named on the PCN must make the representation, even if they were not the driver.

• the registered keeper can make a representation on behalf of a third party. However, we’ll not consider a representation from a third party unless the registered keeper provides us with written authorisation. So if the PCN has been passed to you by the registered keeper and you want to challenge the PCN, you’ll need ask them to write in on your behalf or provide you with written authorisation to include with your representation
• we’ll always advise the registered keeper of the outcome of any investigation
• if the registered keeper is a company and you are making a representation on behalf of the company, indicate your position and authorisation within the company when making your representation

• grounds for disputing a penalty charge notice

No, once a PCN is paid the case is closed on the system and you are then unable to dispute
the PCN. The only exception applies to vehicles that have been removed to a pound.

No, your dispute will be logged on our system and the PCN will be placed on hold until a decision has been made. If your dispute is accepted the PCN will be cancelled and you will not have to pay.

If your dispute is rejected you will be sent a rejection of challenge letter explaining why.

Once the rejection of challenge has been issued, the hold is lifted and the discount period time will resume from the point the dispute was submitted.

No, each PCN needs to be disputed separately.

We respond to all PCN disputes within 56 working days.

The registered keeper of the vehicle is legally liable for the charge.

The registered keeper can only transfer the liability for the PCN if the vehicle was on hire/lease when the contravention took place.

In this situation the registered keeper would need to provide the hire/lease agreement.

You can, but you will first need to obtain a signed letter from the registered keeper of the vehicle, giving you authorisation to dispute the PCN.

This is because, by law, the registered keeper of the vehicle is legally liable for the charge.

Please obtain this before making your dispute, and submit together with any other evidence you wish to present. We accept images via our online dispute portal.

You should make a representation within 28 days of receiving your PCN.

Late representations

If you make a representation outside of the 28-day PCN service period, it will be considered as ‘late’ and the Council isn’t obliged to consider late representations.

If your representation is late, you should provide evidence to outline why it’s late.

Forgetting to make a representation is not a valid reason, but if you were prevented from making the representation due to illness or a holiday then enclose proof of these circumstances and it may be considered.

If we receive your representation within the discount period

If you submit your representation within 14 days from the date of the notice, it will be put on hold at the discount amount until the council responds to your challenge.

If we don’t agree with your representation and you decide to pay the PCN

The discount period will resume from the point at which it was suspended.

If we accept your representation

We will send you written confirmation that you are no longer liable for the PCN and the fine has been cancelled.

If we reject your representation

We will send you a notice of rejection which will tell you what you should do next.

Your options will be:

1. Pay your PCN.
2. Appeal to London Tribunals – see how to make an appeal to London Tribunals below.

If we need more evidence

We’ll write to you to let you know about any further information or evidence we may need.

If you haven’t paid, contacted us or if you haven’t responded to the notice of rejection

You’ll receive a charge certificate. The charge associated with the PCN will then increase by a further 50% of the full amount.

You can make a representation for this type of contravention (also referred to as a challenge) immediately upon receiving the PCN.

If we do not hear from you within 28 days of the PCN being issued

We will send you a notice to owner (NtO) in the post.

This will provide details of how you may then make a formal representation and the timescales involved.

This must be made by the registered keeper of the vehicle – see above for more details.

You can lodge an appeal with London Tribunals within 28 days of receiving a notice of rejection from us.

Complete the form that comes with the notice of rejection. Provide all the evidence you feel will support your case and send this directly to London Tribunals:

London Tribunals
PO Box 10598
Nottingham
NG6 6DR

London Tribunals will notify you and us of the hearing date.

We will also receive a copy of your appeal.

If we contest your appeal we will provide you with a copy of our evidence and submission we send to the adjudicators.

They will consider this and your evidence when reaching their decision.

If an Adjudicator at London Tribunals allows your appeal, we will promptly cancel the PCN.

If your appeal is not allowed and you do not pay, we will continue to enforce. You will normally receive a charge certificate as a result.