Do You Know Your Parking Rights?

AdviceParkingPlace2ParkParking tips
Place2Park
07 Mar 2023

Nearly 25 million drivers in the UK think parking rules and regulations are confusing, and this is probably because the information doesn’t exist. Or rather, it didn’t exist up until now.

A new initiative was launched by the British Parking Association with the aim of mitigating the headache that is associated with parking rules and regulations, and other aspects of parking. It’s called Know Your Parking Rights, a “one-stop shop for parking rules and regulations" in the form of a website and a downloadable guide that you can print off and keep in your vehicle.

However while you're here, here's a quick rundown for you:

There are 3 different types of parking tickets

Penalty Charge Notice:
(PCNs) are the most common type of parking ticket. These are issued by civil enforcement officers employed by local authorities, they are subject to the general principles of public law. The penalty charge amount will depend on time and location, and you will usually be charged more for parking on double yellow lines than for overstaying a time limit.

Parking Charge Notice:
(confusingly also abbreviated as PCNs) these notices differ slightly from Penalty Charge Notices, as these are issued by private operators. If you overstay your welcome at a supermarket, for instance, you could be given one of these.

Fixed Penalty Notice:
‍(FPNs) are parking tickets written by traffic wardens or police officers. Often, these are slightly more variable in nature than the other two types — penalties and payment deadlines depend on the offense, and how lenient the issuing officer is on the day.

For a more in-depth explanation of how to appeal against unfair parking fines from councils, private operators, and the police, you should checkout this article from This is Money.

This year the government also introduced new guidance to clamp down on extortionate parking fees to prevent private parking firms from issuing huge fines. The new Code of Practice meant:

  • Fines have been cut by up to 50% in most areas across England, Wales, and Scotland
  • The new Appeals Charter will eliminate fines for motorists who make genuine errors or have mitigating circumstances
  • Additional 'rip-off' debt collection fees banned
  • Rogue operators who do not follow the Code could be banned from accessing Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data