PCN code 06: meaning and how to appeal

Lower levelOn-street parking

Official description: “Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket or voucher”

What it means

You parked in a pay & display bay but the officer could not see a valid ticket or voucher in the vehicle.

Code 06 is a lower-level contravention in England but higher level in Wales.

How much is a code 06 PCN?

Code 06 is a lower-level contravention, so the amount depends on where you were:

Sources: London Councils (London amounts from 7 April 2025) and SI 2022/71 Schedule 3 (outside London). Full fines guide.

Deadlines

• PCN on the windscreen or handed to you: 50% discount if paid within 14 days. If you challenge within 14 days and are refused, councils are recommended to re-offer the discount. Full amount due within 28 days, after which a Notice to Owner can be sent.
• PCN posted because you drove away or the officer was prevented from issuing it: 50% discount within 14 days, and 28 days to pay or make formal representations.
• Notice to Owner: 28 days to pay or make formal representations. The council must decide within 56 days or the representations are deemed accepted.
• Notice of Rejection: 28 days to appeal to the tribunal (free).
• Charge certificate: the penalty rises by 50%. Order for recovery: 21 days to pay or file a witness statement.

Common grounds to appeal a code 06 PCN

• You had bought a valid ticket but it fell or was blown out of view - send the original ticket.
• The ticket machine was out of order and there was no working alternative (check the signs for what you should do).
• You paid by phone or app instead, where that option was offered.

Also check the PCN itself: are the date, time, location, vehicle and code correct, and was it served on time? Errors can support the statutory grounds, such as procedural impropriety or 'the contravention did not occur'.

Evidence to gather

• The original ticket (keep a copy).
• Payment records from the app or bank.
• Photos of the broken machine or any 'out of order' notice.

Code 06 suffixes

The letter after the code shows the type of bay, vehicle or enforcement. Suffixes that apply to code 06:

How to appeal

1. Informal challenge if the PCN was put on your vehicle (ideally within 14 days).
2. Formal representations within 28 days of the Notice to Owner or postal PCN.
3. If rejected, appeal to the tribunal within 28 days.

Hire or lease company? See how to transfer liability to the hirer.

Related codes

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• London Councils: Penalty Charge Notices contravention code list (v7.0)
• PATROL / Traffic Penalty Tribunal: Contravention codes (England and Wales)
• London Councils: Parking and traffic charges in London
• SI 2022/71 Schedule 3: penalty charge bands outside Greater London
• SI 2022/576 regulation 5: grounds for representations
• DfT statutory guidance: civil enforcement of parking contraventions (updated 20 Oct 2022)