A PCN, or penalty charge notice, is a fine for a parking, bus lane or moving traffic contravention issued by a local council, or by a private operator on private land. It demands payment within a set period and can be appealed.
In one line: A PCN is a parking or traffic fine from a council or private parking firm, payable within a set deadline.
Council parking tickets: key facts (checked 16 October 2026) A council Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) in England or Wales: what it can cost, the discount window and the free appeal route.
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How a PCN works
Council PCNs are issued under the Traffic Management Act 2004 for matters like overstaying a bay or driving in a bus lane. They are civil charges, not criminal fines, and carry a formal appeal route through an independent adjudicator.
A higher-level council PCN in London (Band A) is 160 GBP from 7 April 2025 (London Councils), reduced to 80 GBP if paid within 14 days. So a London bus-lane PCN settled quickly costs 80 GBP, while ignoring it lets the amount rise toward the bailiff stage.
Private PCNs from car park operators are not council fines at all. They are invoices for an alleged breach of contract, capped at 100 GBP under the industry code of practice, and follow a different appeal path.
PCN vs FPN
A PCN is a civil penalty handled by councils or private firms and never adds points to a driving licence. An FPN is issued by police for a criminal offence and can carry penalty points alongside the fixed fine.
The label on the notice matters: a council PCN cites the Traffic Management Act, while a private one references a parking contract and is enforced through the small claims court, not bailiffs acting for a council.
Primary source: GOV.UK: Parking tickets
