How to submit a parking appeal letter — step by step

You have got your appeal letter. Now the question is: where do you actually send it? This guide walks you through submitting a parking appeal in plain English, whether your notice is from ParkingEye, another private company, or your local council.

No letter yet? Use our £3.99 appeal tool to build one in minutes. We have a 75% success rate for the PCN.

Step 1 — Check the deadline before you do anything else

The notice will have a deadline on it. For most private parking charges (like ParkingEye), you normally have 28 days from the date of the Notice to Keeper to appeal. For council parking penalties, the window can be 28 days for an informal challenge, but timings vary.

Do not wait. The sooner you appeal, the better. If the 28 days passes without an appeal, the operator is not required to offer you an independent appeal.

Step 2 — Find the appeal address on your notice

Look at the letter for one of these:

A website address like www.parkingeye.co.uk/appeals
A postal address for "Appeals" or "Representations"
A customer service email

Most private operators now use an online portal, which is the fastest route. You can usually find a link on their website if it is not on the notice itself. For ParkingEye, the address is on the notice and also on their website — search "ParkingEye appeal" and the form should appear.

Step 3 — Send the letter with your reference number

Whether you send it by email, online form, or post, always include:

The PCN reference number (from the top of the notice)
Your vehicle registration mark (the number plate)
Your full name and postal address
Your letter (copy and paste it, or attach it as a file)
Any supporting evidence you mention — for example a photo of the sign, a payment receipt, a booking confirmation

If you are posting it, use Recorded Delivery so you have proof of the date it was sent and received. Keep a copy of everything.

Step 4 — Wait for the reply

The operator should reply within 35 days. If it is a ParkingEye appeal or another British Parking Association (BPA) member, they are required to respond within that timeframe under their code of practice. Do not pay during this period — your appeal is outstanding.

You will get one of two replies:

Cancelled — brilliant. The charge is dropped. You do not owe anything. Get written confirmation and keep it.
Rejected — they have said no, but this is not the end. Read the next step.

Step 5 — If they say no, go to the independent appeal

This is the bit most people do not know about, and it is very important.

If the operator is a BPA member (like ParkingEye) — the rejection letter should include a POPLA code. POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) is a free, independent service. Use the code to take your appeal to POPLA at popla.co.uk. You will typically have 28 days from the rejection to do this.
If the operator is an IPC member — the independent service is the IAS (Independent Appeals Service), available at theias.org.
If it is a council penalty — after formal representations are rejected you can appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (outside London) or London Tribunals.

The independent stage is completely free and gives you a fresh pair of eyes on the case. Around one in three POPLA appeals is successful even after the operator has already said no.

Step 6 — Keep records of everything

From the moment you receive the notice, save copies of:

The original notice
Your appeal letter
Proof you sent it (screenshot, delivery confirmation, email sent folder)
The operator's reply
Any photos, receipts, or evidence you attached

If the case ever reached a court (which is rare but possible), this paperwork is your proof you acted properly and on time.

What about debt collection letters?

Private operators sometimes pass the charge to a debt collection company before the appeal is resolved, or as a tactic to pressure payment. If your appeal is live — meaning you have submitted it and are waiting — you can reply to the debt collector stating the matter is in dispute, and give the reference number of your appeal. They should then stand down until the appeal is decided.

If you receive a County Court Claim Form (it will say "County Court" at the top), that is different and needs urgent attention. Reply to it using the details on the form, and seek advice promptly.

Official resources

Get your appeal letter — £3.99 What happens if you ignore a PCN