County court claim parking charge: what to do, step by step

What the claim form looks like

The claim form is official court paperwork. It shows a claim number, the parking company as the claimant, its legal representative, a short description of the claim (the 'particulars'), the amount including costs and the court fee, and an issue date. It usually explains how to respond online.

Many people call this a CCJ. It isn't one yet. A County Court Judgment only happens if the claim isn't answered in time or the court later decides against you.

Your deadlines: acknowledgment of service and defence

As a guide, the claim form counts as served 5 days after the issue date. You then have 14 days to file an acknowledgment of service. Doing that gives you 28 days from service to file your defence. Without an acknowledgment of service, your defence is due at the 14-day point. If your form prints a response date, that date comes first.

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Find the claim number and response date

   They are on the front of the form. Write them down somewhere safe.

2. 2

   Step 2: File the acknowledgment of service

   Do it online. Say you intend to defend all of the claim. It doesn't mean you accept anything — it buys time for the defence.

3. 3

   Step 3: Write a short, factual defence

   Answer what they claim, point by point. Everything in it must be true.

4. 4

   Step 4: Save proof

   Screenshot each page you submit and keep the court's confirmation emails.

5. 5

   Step 5: Fill in the directions questionnaire

   After the defence, you'll get a form about how the case should go ahead. Return it by its deadline.

6. 6

   Step 6: Mediation and hearing

   You may be offered a free telephone mediation appointment. If the claim continues, small claims hearings are fairly informal.

What goes into a defence

A defence answers the particulars of claim. Common points in parking claims include whether the keeper rules were followed (for example a late notice to keeper), whether the signs were clear, whether the company had the landowner's authority, and whether added amounts can be claimed. Only include points that apply to you and that you can support.

You don't have to say who was driving, but never say anything untrue. Many claims are discontinued when they are properly defended, but not all. Free help is available from Citizens Advice and volunteer parking forums.

What the small claims track means for you

Most parking claims are worth far less than £10,000, so they are usually allocated to the small claims track. It's designed for people who represent themselves. Hearings are usually short and less formal than people expect, and the judge will help both sides explain their case.

On the small claims track, each side normally pays its own legal costs, apart from limited fixed amounts such as court fees. If the parking company has added large legal costs to the claim, you can say in your defence that you dispute them.

Before any hearing, the court sends directions — usually asking both sides to send witness statements and evidence by a set date. Missing those dates can cause problems, so add them to your calendar as soon as they arrive.

What happens if you do nothing

If the deadline passes with no response, the company can ask for judgment in default. That is a CCJ. See our parking CCJ guide for the one-month rule and setting a judgment aside. If you sold the car before the parking date, read parking ticket for a car I sold.

Examples on this page are illustrative and based on typical situations, not real cases.

This is a free self-help guide, not legal advice. Check your own letters and dates. If you're unsure, get free advice from Citizens Advice. Written by the Parking Help team.