Before making an informal challenge or formal representation, you need to be sure you have valid reasons to dispute your penalty charge notice (PCN).
The Traffic Management Act 2004 gives statutory grounds or specific reasons to choose to dispute your PCN. If none of them apply, we may consider mitigating circumstances on a case by case basis.
Please choose the most appropriate grounds for the type of PCN you have received.
Please explain your reasons fully and clearly and provide evidence, such as documents and photographs wherever possible.
Grounds to dispute a parking PCN
A parking PCN can be issued to you by a civil enforcement officer (CEO):
by being fixed to the vehicle
by being handed to the person in charge of the vehicle
A parking PCN can also be sent to you by post if the PCN was issued:
by CCTV
by the CEO but they were prevented from fixing the PCN to the vehicle
by the CEO but the vehicle was driven away before they could fix the PCN to it
These are the grounds for disputing a PCN:
The contravention didn't occur
This means you thought you could park where you did because you believed the parking restrictions didn’t apply to you; you had a valid permit or another good reason to park there.
Please provide evidence.
There has been an error or mistake made by the enforcement authority
This means you think the Council didn’t follow the enforcement laws or the correct procedure, for example, the notice to owner (NTO) was served out of time.
Please provide evidence.
You weren't the registered keeper of the vehicle at the time of the alleged contravention, or became the registered keeper after the alleged contravention
This means the vehicle isn’t yours or you had sold the vehicle before, or bought it after the vehicle was issued with the PCN.
Please provide evidence.
The vehicle had been taken without the keepers consent (stolen)
This means the vehicle had been stolen or was being used without your consent.
Please provide all the documentation you hold in relation to your stolen vehicle such as, insurance claim, crime reference number, correspondence from your insurance company or the police.
In all cases, you’ll need to provide evidence to support your dispute.
The PCN exceeded the amount applicable
This means you are being asked to pay the wrong amount for the PCN.
The traffic management order isn't valid
This means you believe the contravention you have been accused of isn’t correct.
Please provide evidence.
We are a hire firm and have supplied the name and address of the hirer
This only applies to hire companies where the hirer has signed a qualifying hire agreement accepting liability for penalty charges.
Please provide this as evidence.
The PCN has been paid
This means you believe you have paid the PCN in full.
Please provide evidence of the payment method, date and amount.
The civil enforcement officer wasn't prevented from serving the PCN
This applies only when you receive a PCN in the post because the Council claims the CEO was prevented by someone from issuing the PCN at the scene.
This is only applicable to PCNs issued by CEOs.
Please provide evidence.
Any other reason
Whether or not any of the above apply, the Council will consider all compelling mitigating circumstances on a case by case basis.
Grounds to dispute a CCTV bus lane PCN
There was no breach of the bus lane order/regulation
This means you thought you could enter the bus lane where you did because you believed there were no restrictions or you entered outside the bus lane hours of operation.
Please provide evidence.
You weren't the registered keeper of the vehicle at the time of the alleged contravention, or became the registered keeper after the alleged contravention
This means the vehicle is not yours or you had sold the vehicle before, or bought it after the vehicle was issued with the PCN.
Please provide evidence.
The vehicle had been taken without the keepers consent (stolen)
This means the vehicle had been stolen or was being used without your consent.
Please provide evidence, including a crime reference number or insurance claim.
In all cases, you will need to provide evidence to support your dispute.
The police are taking action for the same offence
Please provide evidence such as a fixed penalty notice or a notice of intended prosecution.
Any other reason
Whether or not any of the above apply, the Council will consider all compelling mitigating circumstances on a case by case basis.
Grounds to dispute a moving traffic PCN
The contravention didn't occur
This means you believed the restrictions didn’t apply to you or you had another good reason for doing what you did.
Please provide evidence.
You weren't the registered keeper of the vehicle at the time of the alleged contravention, or became the registered keeper after the alleged contravention
This means the vehicle isn’t yours or you had sold the vehicle before, or bought it after the vehicle was issued with the PCN.
Please provide evidence.
The vehicle had been taken without the keeper's consent (stolen)
This means the vehicle had been stolen or was being used without your consent.
Please provide evidence, including a crime reference number or insurance claim.
In all cases, you’ll need to provide evidence to support your dispute.
You are a hire firm and have supplied the name and address of the hirer
This only applies to hire companies where the hirer has signed a qualifying hire agreement accepting liability for penalty charges.
Please provide this as evidence.
The PCN exceeded the amount applicable
This means you are being asked to pay the wrong amount for the PCN.
Any other reason
Whether or not any of the above apply, the Council will consider all compelling mitigating circumstances on a case by case basis.
Understanding your PCN options
We have created an interactive guide to help you understand your options at each stage of the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) life cycle, so you can make an informed decision on what to do next, visit Understanding your penalty charge notice (PCN).
Frequently asked questions about penalty charge notices