Private parking
A private parking charge is a contract claim
Checked on 7 September 2026.British Parking Association and International Parking Community, Private parking sector Single Code of Practice, version 1.1 (as of 7 September 2026)
Why can a private operator demand payment?
The operator says the driver accepted the terms shown on the signs by parking, then breached those terms. That makes the charge a civil contract claim. Schedule 4 provides a separate route to recover an unpaid charge from the keeper in England and Wales when every statutory condition is met.
The amounts and deadlines
Keeper liability deadlines
| Situation | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| No windscreen notice was given | delivered within 14 days | legislation.gov.uk, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 (as of 7 September 2026) |
| A windscreen notice was given | from day 28 to day 56 | legislation.gov.uk, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 (as of 7 September 2026) |
| Keeper receives a compliant notice | 28 days before keeper recovery can arise | legislation.gov.uk, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 (as of 7 September 2026) |
Missing a Schedule 4 condition can prevent the operator transferring the unpaid charge from the unidentified driver to the keeper. It does not automatically decide whether the driver owes a contractual charge.
How do private parking appeals work?
Appeal to the operator first. If a BPA member rejects it, use the supplied verification code to appeal to POPLA. If an IPC member rejects it, use the IAS. Both independent routes normally require the appeal within 28 days of rejection.
- Photograph the entrance, the full sign, any obscured wording and the position of the vehicle.
- Keep the payment receipt, app record, permit, booking or proof that the vehicle left within an applicable consideration or grace period.
- Check the operator against the BPA or IPC member list and use the appeal route named by that association.
- Do not pay first if you intend to appeal, because payment can end the appeal route.
What if it is ignored?
After the payment and appeal windows, the operator may add up to £70 under the sector code, use debt recovery and issue a County Court claim. A debt collector cannot decide liability. If court papers arrive, respond by the deadline on them rather than treating them as another demand letter.
Common questions
- Is a private parking charge a fine?
- No. It is a claim that the driver owes money under the terms displayed at the private site. It is not a council Penalty Charge Notice, although both are commonly shortened to PCN.
- How much can a private parking charge be?
- The BPA and IPC sector code caps a parking charge at £100 in the ordinary case. The early payment reduction must be at least 40 per cent for the first 14 days.
- Can the registered keeper be liable?
- In England and Wales, Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 can make the keeper liable if the operator meets all its conditions and deadlines. It does not simply presume that every keeper was the driver.
- What happens if a private parking charge is ignored?
- The operator can add a permitted debt recovery sum and bring a County Court claim. A court, not the operator or its debt collector, decides whether the claimed debt is legally due.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 (as of 7 September 2026)
- GOV.UK, Private parking code of practice consultation: how the current system works (as of 7 September 2026)
- British Parking Association and International Parking Community, Private parking sector Single Code of Practice, version 1.1 (as of 7 September 2026)
- British Parking Association, Motorist complaints and enquiries (as of 7 September 2026)
- International Parking Community, Motorist advice and appeals (as of 7 September 2026)
- POPLA, Frequently asked questions (as of 7 September 2026)
- Independent Appeals Service, Alternative dispute resolution overview (as of 7 September 2026)