If you are unlucky enough to receive a Parking Charge Notice, it may be worth refusing to pay, as the issuer must take you to court. A Penalty Charge Notice however is issued by an official authority and is legally enforceable. You can challenge either type if you believe it was issued unfairly—but if you lose, you might end up paying more than the reduced amount offered for early payment.

Parking Charge Notice

A parking charge notice is issued by a private parking operator for breaking parking rules in a private car park. These parking tickets are classed as an invoice and aren’t legally enforceable unless they decide to take you to court for a court order and win.

Penalty Charge Notice

A penalty charge notice is issued by the local council for parking infringements. These parking tickets are legally enforceable but can still be challenged if you believe it was issued in error.