PCN checker: your deadlines, council contacts and hire transfer

Pick the authority that issued your Penalty Charge Notice, enter the date on the notice and your contravention code. You'll see the official challenge page and postal address, estimated discount and representation deadlines with the rule behind each date, what the code means, and whether a vehicle-hire firm can transfer liability.

This is general information, not legal advice. All dates are estimates: check them against your notice. The checker can't tell you whether a PCN will be cancelled, and it doesn't submit anything. It runs only in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.

1. Who issued the PCN?

Issuing authority

34 London authorities: all 32 boroughs, the City of London and TfL. The authority's name is printed on the notice. Red route PCNs come from TfL.

2. Your notice

Type of notice

Date on the notice

Not sure of the type? The notice's title tells you: "Penalty Charge Notice", "Notice to Owner", "Enforcement Notice" or "Notice of Rejection". London bus lane notices mention the London Local Authorities Act 1996, and London moving traffic notices mention the 2003 Act.

3. PCN number and code

PCN number (optional)

Contravention code

The PCN has already been paid

We only lightly check the PCN number's format. It isn't looked up or sent anywhere.

Your results

General information, not legal advice. These are estimates from the rules below. Always follow the dates and instructions on your notice and the council's website. Nothing here means a PCN will be cancelled.

Estimated deadlines

Your code

Next steps: write a challenge or transfer letter · appeal guides

The rules the checker uses

Periods "beginning with" a date count that date as day 1, so a 14-day period starting on the 1st ends on the 14th. A notice sent by post counts as served on the second working day after posting (weekends and bank holidays in England and Wales don't count). The checker never moves a deadline later because it falls on a weekend.

Parking PCN fixed to the vehicle or handed to the driver (London and England)

Last day for the 50% discount: 14 days beginning with the date the PCN was served (fixed to the vehicle or handed over). (SI 2022/71 regulation 2: 'the applicable date' (14-day and 21-day discount periods))
Last day to pay the full amount before a Notice to Owner can be sent: 28 days beginning with the date of the PCN. After that the council may send a Notice to Owner to the registered keeper. (London Tribunals: Parking PCN enforcement process)

Parking PCN sent by post after camera (CCTV) enforcement (London and England)

Date of service: A notice sent by first class post is treated as served on the second working day after it was posted (not counting weekends, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday or bank holidays in England and Wales). (SI 2022/71 regulation 3: service by post (second working day after posting))
Last day for the 50% discount: 21 days beginning with the date of service, for a PCN served by post on camera evidence. (SI 2022/71 regulation 2: 'the applicable date' (14-day and 21-day discount periods))
Last day to pay or make formal representations: 28 days beginning with the date of service. Representations received later may be disregarded. (SI 2022/576 regulation 3: representations period of 28 days beginning with service)

Parking PCN sent by post because the officer was prevented from issuing it or the vehicle drove away (London and England)

Date of service: A notice sent by first class post is treated as served on the second working day after it was posted (not counting weekends, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday or bank holidays in England and Wales). (SI 2022/71 regulation 3: service by post (second working day after posting))
Last day for the 50% discount: 14 days beginning with the date of service (the 21-day period only applies to camera PCNs). (SI 2022/71 regulation 2: 'the applicable date' (14-day and 21-day discount periods))
Last day to pay or make formal representations: 28 days beginning with the date of service. (SI 2022/576 regulation 3: representations period of 28 days beginning with service)

Notice to Owner (sent after a windscreen PCN wasn't paid) (London and England)

Date of service: A notice sent by first class post is treated as served on the second working day after it was posted (not counting weekends, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday or bank holidays in England and Wales). (SI 2022/71 regulation 3: service by post (second working day after posting))
Last day to pay or make formal representations: 28 days beginning with the date the Notice to Owner was served. (London Tribunals: Parking PCN enforcement process)

London moving traffic PCN sent by post (box junction, banned turn, no entry, 52M…) (London)

Date of service: The London Acts don't set a deemed-service day. The Interpretation Act 1978 treats a posted notice as served when it would arrive in the ordinary course of post, and London Tribunals has treated that as the second working day after posting. We use that as the estimate. (Interpretation Act 1978, section 7 (references to service by post))
Last day for the 50% discount: 14 days beginning with the date of the notice. London moving traffic PCNs get 14 days, not 21, even though they are camera PCNs. (London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, section 4 (London moving traffic PCNs: 14 and 28 days from the date of the notice))
Last day to pay the full amount: 28 days beginning with the date of the notice. (London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, section 4 (London moving traffic PCNs: 14 and 28 days from the date of the notice))
Last day for the council to receive representations: 28 days beginning with the date the PCN was served. The council may disregard representations received later. (London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, Schedule 1 (representations, hire-firm ground, appeals))

London bus lane PCN sent by post (London)

Date of service: The London Acts don't set a deemed-service day. The Interpretation Act 1978 treats a posted notice as served when it would arrive in the ordinary course of post, and London Tribunals has treated that as the second working day after posting. We use that as the estimate. (Interpretation Act 1978, section 7 (references to service by post))
Last day for the 50% discount: 14 days beginning with the date of the notice. (London Local Authorities Act 1996, section 4 (London bus lane PCNs: 14 and 28 days from the date of the notice))
Last day to pay the full amount (otherwise an Enforcement Notice can follow): 28 days beginning with the date of the notice. If it isn't paid, the council can send an Enforcement Notice. (London Local Authorities Act 1996, section 4 (London bus lane PCNs: 14 and 28 days from the date of the notice))
Last day for the council to receive representations against this PCN: 28 days beginning with the date the PCN was served. Representations can also be made later against the Enforcement Notice. (London Local Authorities Act 1996, Schedule 1 (bus lane enforcement notices, representations and appeals))

London bus lane Enforcement Notice (sent after an unpaid bus lane PCN) (London)

Date of service: The London Acts don't set a deemed-service day. The Interpretation Act 1978 treats a posted notice as served when it would arrive in the ordinary course of post, and London Tribunals has treated that as the second working day after posting. We use that as the estimate. (Interpretation Act 1978, section 7 (references to service by post))
Last day to pay or make representations: 28 days beginning with the date the Enforcement Notice was served. (London Local Authorities Act 1996, Schedule 1 (bus lane enforcement notices, representations and appeals))

Bus lane or moving traffic PCN sent by post (camera), outside London (England outside London)

Date of service: A notice sent by first class post is treated as served on the second working day after it was posted (not counting weekends, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday or bank holidays in England and Wales). (SI 2022/71 regulation 3: service by post (second working day after posting))
Last day for the 50% discount: 21 days beginning with the date of service, for a PCN served by post on camera evidence. (SI 2022/71 regulation 2: 'the applicable date' (14-day and 21-day discount periods))
Last day to pay or make representations: 28 days beginning with the date of service. (SI 2022/576 regulation 3: representations period of 28 days beginning with service)

Notice of Rejection (your representations were refused) (London and England)

Date of service: A notice sent by first class post is treated as served on the second working day after it was posted (not counting weekends, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday or bank holidays in England and Wales). (SI 2022/71 regulation 3: service by post (second working day after posting))
Last day to appeal to the tribunal (or pay): 28 days beginning with the date the Notice of Rejection was served. London: London Tribunals. Outside London: the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. Appealing is free. (SI 2022/576 regulation 7: appeals to an adjudicator within 28 days)

About the council details

Every link and address was read from the authority's own website on 22 October 2026, and homepages were confirmed on GOV.UK's "Find your local council". We found the official challenge page for 34 of 34 authorities and a postal address for representations for 26. Where we couldn't verify something we leave it blank and link to the council's website instead. We never guess. Councils change contractors and PO boxes, so the address on your notice always wins. Spotted a change? Email [email protected].

Frequently asked questions

When does the PCN discount end?

For a parking PCN fixed to the vehicle or handed over, the 50% discount usually lasts 14 days beginning with the date of the PCN. For a parking PCN sent by post after camera enforcement, it's 21 days beginning with the date of service. London bus lane and moving traffic PCNs get 14 days beginning with the date of the notice. Check the date printed on your notice.

What is the date of service of a posted PCN?

Under the 2022 regulations, a notice sent by first class post is treated as served on the second working day after posting. For London bus lane and moving traffic PCNs, the tribunal has taken the same approach under the Interpretation Act 1978.

Can a hire company transfer a London bus lane PCN?

No. London bus lane PCNs are issued under the London Local Authorities Act 1996, which has no hire-firm ground. Parking PCNs and London moving traffic PCNs do have one, if the hire agreement and statement of liability meet the legal requirements.

Can I transfer or challenge a PCN after paying it?

Generally no. Councils treat payment as accepting liability and close the case, so a hire firm that has paid can't then transfer the PCN to the hirer.

Official sources

Not legal advice. This site gives general information about council PCNs in England, based on official sources (last reviewed 21 October 2026). Rules and amounts change and every case is different. Always check the notice you received, your council's website and the official sources, and consider independent advice for complex cases. PCN Codes is not connected to any council, TfL, London Tribunals or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.