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Unpaid parking fines: what happens and what to do

A council parking fine and a private “parking charge” look similar but work completely differently. Here is what happens if each goes unpaid, and how to stop bailiffs.

Applies to: England & Wales

Written by The My Debt Cleared editorial teamLast reviewed 18 October 2026Next review 18 April 2027Jurisdiction England & WalesEditorial policy
A council Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) that goes unpaid increases by 50% at the charge certificate stage, is then registered as a debt at the Traffic Enforcement Centre, and can be passed to bailiffs, who add their own fees. If you never received the earlier notices, you can usually file a witness statement or statutory declaration to reset the process. A private parking charge is different: it is an invoice from a company, which cannot use bailiffs unless it first sues you and gets a County Court Judgment.

What to do now

  1. Check whether it is a council PCN or a private parking charge — the notice says which.
  2. If bailiffs are involved, check the fees with the bailiff fee checker.
  3. If you never got the earlier letters, ask the Traffic Enforcement Centre about a witness statement straight away.

Council PCN: the stages

  1. Penalty Charge Notice. Pay within the discount period for half the charge, or challenge it.
  2. Notice to Owner. Sent if the PCN is not paid; you can make formal representations.
  3. Charge certificate. The charge goes up by 50% if still unpaid.
  4. Order for recovery. The council registers the debt at the Traffic Enforcement Centre. You can still file a witness statement on limited grounds, such as never receiving the notices.
  5. Bailiffs. A warrant is passed to enforcement agents, who send a notice of enforcement and add fees from £79.

Never received the letters?

If you did not receive the Notice to Owner or the charge certificate, or you made representations and got no reply, you can usually file a witness statement with the Traffic Enforcement Centre. If accepted, the order for recovery is cancelled and the process goes back a stage. Do this quickly; if you are outside the time limit you have to apply for permission to file late.

Private parking charges

A “parking charge notice” from a private car park operator is a claim for breach of contract, not a fine. You can appeal to the operator, then to the independent appeals service it belongs to. If you do not pay, it can pass the charge to a debt collector and take you to the County Court, but it cannot send bailiffs unless it gets a judgment and you do not pay it.

If bailiffs are already involved

Contact the enforcement company and offer an arrangement, check the fees, and know your rights at the door. Find the bailiff company and bailiffs: your rights.

You can get free, impartial debt advice

You never have to pay for debt advice. MoneyHelper (government-backed), StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice all give free, confidential advice with no obligation.

Common questions

Can bailiffs collect a parking fine?

Yes, for a council PCN that has been registered at the Traffic Enforcement Centre and not paid. A private parking company cannot use bailiffs unless it has a County Court Judgment that has not been paid.

What if I never received the parking fine letters?

You can usually file a witness statement with the Traffic Enforcement Centre. If it is accepted, the order for recovery is cancelled and the council has to restart from an earlier stage.

Do I have to pay a private parking charge?

It is not a fine, but it can be enforced through the County Court if it is valid. Appeal first if you think it is unfair, and do not ignore a court claim.

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