Paid for parking but still got a fine? Why it happens and what to do

Why it happens

• The registration didn't match. A typo in the app, a 0 for an O, or the registration of a different car.
• The wrong car park or tariff. Some apps cover several nearby car parks with different location codes.
• The payment failed. The app timed out, the card was declined, or the machine took money but issued nothing.
• You paid for less time than you stayed. Camera times include queuing to get in and out.
• You didn't enter your registration at a terminal. Common at free customer car parks.

What to send

• A screenshot from the parking app showing the location, registration, time and amount.
• A bank or card statement showing the payment.
• A receipt from the machine, if you have it.
• If the machine wasn't working, a photo of it, and the time you tried to pay.

If the registration you entered was wrong, see entered wrong registration for the minor vs major keying error rules that apply today.

Check your payment record first

Open the parking app and look at the payment history. Check three things: the registration, the location code or car park name, and the start and end times. If the app shows a different location from the car park on your letter, that's often the whole explanation — and worth saying plainly in your appeal.

If you paid by card at a machine and lost the receipt, your bank statement still shows the payment, usually with the time. If you can't see the payment at all, contact the app provider or your bank before you appeal, so you know exactly what happened.

How to appeal today

1. 1

   Step 1: Appeal to the company

   Explain in two sentences that you paid, and attach your proof.

2. 2

   Step 2: Ask the business too

   If you were a customer, the shop or site may be able to ask for the charge to be cancelled.

3. 3

   Step 3: Use the independent appeal

   If the company says no, appeal to POPLA or the IAS using the code in its letter.

If the company rejects your appeal, add anything it didn't address when you go to POPLA or the IAS, and answer each reason it gave.

What the new Code changes (not yet in force)

• Pay before you leave: no charge if you pay in full before exiting an ANPR car park. For stays over 24 hours, pay within 24 hours of arriving.
• Free ANPR sites: the same applies where you enter your registration at a terminal before leaving.
• Minor keying errors (such as 0 for O) are listed for cancellation on appeal.
• £20 reduced charge where you can show you paid but entered the wrong registration, or didn't enter your registration at a terminal.
• Broken payment machines with no reasonable alternative way to pay are listed for cancellation on appeal.

Today vs when the new Code starts

For everything else in the new Code, see the new private parking code of practice 2026. Last checked against GOV.UK: Monday 2 November 2026.

This is self-help information, not legal advice. You don't have to say who was driving, but never say anything untrue. 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.