Parking CCJ: default judgment, paying in a month and setting aside

What a parking CCJ is

A County Court Judgment is a court order saying you owe money. In parking cases it is most often a default judgment: the parking company asks the court for judgment because no acknowledgment of service or defence was filed in time. The judgment letter usually says 'Judgment for Claimant (in default)'.

Act quickly. What you can do depends on whether you received the claim form and what you did after.

The one-month rule

If you pay the full amount within one month of the judgment date, the judgment isn't kept on the public register. After that, records are usually kept for 6 years.

How a default judgment happens

• The claim form went to an old address, so you never saw it.
• The claim form arrived but the deadline was missed.
• An acknowledgment of service was filed, but no defence followed in time.
• A defence was sent but didn't reach the court, or was filed under the wrong claim number.

If you've moved since the parking, check whether your address was up to date with the DVLA. Claim forms are often sent to the address the company has on record, so an old address is one of the most common reasons people never see the claim.

Setting aside a parking CCJ

If you never received the claim form, or you sent a defence on time and still got judgment, you can apply to the court to set the judgment aside. This uses form N244 and a court fee applies (you may qualify for Help with Fees). The court expects you to act promptly once you know about the judgment.

1. 1

   Step 1: Get the details

   Note the claim number and judgment date. If you need to, ask the court for copies of the claim.

2. 2

   Step 2: Write down what happened

   For example the dates you lived at each address, or when you sent your defence and how.

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare a draft defence

   The court will want to see that you have a real defence to the claim.

4. 4

   Step 4: Apply with form N244

   Explain why judgment should be set aside and attach your evidence.

5. 5

   Step 5: Get free advice

   National Debtline, StepChange or Citizens Advice can help you check your application.

Checking whether a CCJ is registered

If you're not sure whether there is a judgment against you, you can search the official Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for a small fee. Credit reference agencies also show registered judgments on your credit file.

If you find a judgment you knew nothing about, note the claim number and the court, then contact the court to ask for copies of the claim and the judgment. Act quickly — the sooner you apply to set it aside, the better.

If you decide to pay

Paying is a valid choice, especially if you have no defence. If you pay after the one-month window, the record stays on the register for 6 years but is marked as satisfied once the court is told it has been paid. If you can't pay all at once, you can ask about paying in instalments.

If you sold the car before the parking date, read parking ticket for a car I sold. For earlier stages, see the county court claim parking charge guide. 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.