Free Guide – Private Parking Tickets

About this guide

In the UK, private parking tickets are issued by private companies when you park on private land. These tickets are often called Parking Charge Notices (not to be confused with Penalty Charge Notices, which are issued by councils).

Common areas monitored by private firms include supermarket car parks, retail parks, or private residential areas. 

While Parking Charge Notices are legally enforceable, there are important conditions and private firms can’t automatically force you to pay. They must follow proper legal procedures, including:

• Issuing the ticket fairly and in line with their terms (usually displayed on signs).
• Offering a chance to appeal.
• Taking you to small claims court if you refuse to pay and they want to pursue it.
  

They cannot fine you in the same way a local authority can. Instead, they claim you’re in breach of a contract (e.g. overstaying your time limit), and the charge is compensation.

Regulation

While private firms used to be poorly regulated, many are now members of trade bodies like:

• British Parking Association (BPA)
  
• International Parking Community (IPC)

These associations have codes of practice and give access to an appeals service (POPLA or IAS).

If the company isn’t part of an accredited trade body, they can’t request your details from the DVLA so they may not be able to pursue the ticket at all.

What should you do if you get one?

Because private parking tickets aren’t official fines, if you think yours is unfair, you should wait before you pay. Getting your money back after you’ve paid is much harder than challenging the charge in the first place.

This guide will help you understand what the difference is between private and official parking tickets, when a parking ticket may be unfair and how to challenge it if so. 

Private versus official parking tickets: How to know the difference

Not all parking tickets are equal. Official council fines are called Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Private firms issue Parking Charge Notices, which often look nearly identical but aren’t fines.

Remember: private parking tickets are not fines, but rather invoices! 

Private parking firms can’t fine you: instead they claim that you broke a contract. To enforce payment, they’d have to take you to civil court, not criminal.

A new Government-backed code of practice is coming to regulate private parking firms. Until then, you must challenge unfair tickets yourself. Read on to find out how.  

What makes a ticket unfair? 

Private landowners can charge for parking, and if the signage was clear and rules were broken, it may be fair to pay.

But you shouldn’t pay a questionable ticket without checking whether you have grounds to contest it. Appealing after paying is much harder.

Common reasons include:

• You didn’t break the rules (e.g., charged while trying to pay).

• You were penalised too quickly (recent rule changes now give more leeway).

• Poor or unclear signage. Signs must be visible throughout the car park.

• You weren’t on private land. Double-check and gather photo evidence.

• Mitigating circumstances like a breakdown or emergency may apply under the industry’s appeals charter.

Liability: Driver versus keeper

Thanks to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 in England and Wales, parking firms can pursue the vehicle’s keeper (registered on the V5C), not just the driver. But only if they follow strict rules.

• You don’t have to name the driver (and it can help your case if you don’t).

• Only accredited firms (BPA or IPC members) can access DVLA keeper data. If a non-accredited firm contacts you, make sure you report it to the DVLA.

Scotland & Northern Ireland: There’s currently no keeper liability, so you can say you weren’t the driver and don’t have to name who was.

Hire cars: If your agreement says so, you may still be liable even if you weren’t the driver.

NHS Parking

Some NHS sites offer free parking for:

• Blue Badge holders.
  
• Frequent outpatients (3+ visits/month).
  
• Night-shift staff.
  
• Parents of under-18s staying overnight.
  

Check signage, NHS websites, and contact the NHS trust directly to get unfair tickets cancelled.

How to challenge an unfair private parking ticket

If you think your private parking ticket is unfair, there are ways to fight back—and you might even get it cancelled quickly. While there’s no guarantee of success, following the steps below gives you the best chance.

Step 1: Gather supporting evidence

The more proof you have, the stronger your case. If you’re still near the car park, grab what you can or return as soon as possible.

What to collect:

• Photos of poor signage, unclear markings, your parked car, the meter, and any relevant notices.
  
• Correspondence from the parking company and copies of what you’ve sent them.
  
• Receipts or documentation if your car broke down or you had mitigating circumstances.
  
• Witness statements, if someone can back up your story.

Step 2: Ask the landowner to cancel it

Sometimes, the quickest fix is going directly to whoever owns or manages the car park. Big names often care about their reputation, so present your evidence and ask them to cancel the ticket.

Who to contact:

• Supermarkets – Speak to store management.
  
• Retail parks – Contact the park’s managing agent (often listed online or on signs).
  
• NHS hospitals – Complain via the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
  
• GP surgeries – Talk to the practice manager.
  
• Residential or private car parks – Reach out to the managing agent or housing association.

If you’re unsure who owns the land, try asking nearby businesses, check signage, or contact the council for the car park’s ratepayer info. As a last resort, do a Land Registry search (£4 fee).

Step 3: Check if the parking firm is registered

You need to know if the firm is part of a trade body:

• British Parking Association (BPA)
  
• International Parking Community (IPC)
  

Check their websites to confirm if the company is a member.

If it isn’t registered, you have 3 options:

1. Tell them you won’t pay – doing this gives them your contact details, and there is the possibility that they will take you to small claims court.

2. Use their appeals process – Not recommended. Without regulation, it may be unfair.

3. Ignore the ticket – Some campaigners say not to respond at all, especially if the firm isn’t BPA/IPC registered, as they can’t legally get your details from the DVLA. However, this is risky. If they get your info another way, court action is still possible.
   
4. If a non-accredited firm has accessed your data, report them to the DVLA.

If it is registered then you will need to make your appeal directly to the parking company. 

Making an appeal to the parking company

If the firm is BPA or IPC registered and the landowner won’t help, file a direct appeal. To do this, use the company’s official  appeals process. Online is best so you can track it. Save a screenshot or copy of your appeal.

Letter template

Key tip: Don’t name the driver

You’re under no legal obligation to say who was driving. If the parking firm doesn’t know, it makes their case much harder unless they follow strict rules to pursue the vehicle keeper under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

 To hold the keeper liable, firms must:

• Send a compliant ‘Notice to Keeper’
• Follow specific timelines and legal wording

If they fail to meet these conditions, neither the keeper nor the driver can be held liable.

You should also double check whether the ‘notice to keeper’ (NTK) is valid. You’ll get an NTK by post if:

• You were caught on camera, or
• You didn’t respond to a windscreen ticket
  

There are strict rules on how and when an NTK must be sent. If the firm messes this up, you may win on a technicality.

How to take your parking complaint to an Independent Appeals Service (POPLA or IAS)

If you’re initial appeal to the parking company is rejected, don’t panic. You may still be able to take it to an independent appeals service (POPLA or IAS), depending on which trade body the firm belongs to. 

Step 1: Check which appeals service to use

• If the company is a member of the British Parking Association (BPA) → Use POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals).

• If the company is a member of the International Parking Community (IPC) → Use the IAS (Independent Appeals Service).
  

You can usually find this information on the rejection letter or the company’s website.

Step 2: Gather evidence

As with your first appeal, Before submitting to an independent appeals service, make sure you provide as much supporting evidence as possible, such as:  

• Photos of signs (or lack thereof)
  
• Evidence of payment or permits
  
• Correspondence with the parking company
  
• Witness statements (if relevant)
  

 Step 3: Submit your appeal online

To submit your appeal go via the appeals service websites:

• POPLA: https://www.popla.co.uk

• IAS: https://www.theias.org

Use the unique appeal code provided in your rejection letter. You usually have 28 days from the rejection to appeal to POPLA or IAS.

Step 4: Wait for a decision

POPLA and IAS will independently review your case and their decision is usually made within a few weeks.

The decision is binding on the parking company, not on you. This means that even if you lose, you’re not forced to pay unless they pursue it in court.

If you win, the charge is cancelled. If you lose, the company may still choose not to pursue the charge further.