Parking ticket for a car I sold: what to do

Why the letter came to you

Parking companies get the keeper's details from the DVLA. If the sale wasn't recorded, or was recorded late, the DVLA record still shows you, so the letters come to you — sometimes months after the sale. It can feel alarming, but it is a common situation and usually straightforward to explain with the right paperwork.

What the law says about the keeper

Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 defines the keeper as the person keeping the vehicle at the time it was parked. It presumes this is the registered keeper, but that presumption can be disproved with evidence. In other words: proof of the sale date is what matters.

Proof of sale to gather

• A sale receipt or invoice with the date and the buyer's name.
• Any DVLA letter confirming the change of keeper.
• Messages or emails with the buyer arranging the sale.
• Bank records showing the payment you received.
• A part-exchange invoice if you traded the car in.

Send copies, not originals, and keep the originals somewhere safe. If you're sending proof by email, check that every page is readable.

Our checker builds a fuller version of this letter for each stage, with your dates filled in. Use it only if every part is true for you.

What to do at each stage

1. 1

   Step 1: Parking letter or reminder

   Write to the company with your proof and say you weren't the keeper on that date.

2. 2

   Step 2: Debt collector

   Send the same letter and proof. Ask them to return the matter to their client.

3. 3

   Step 3: Letter of Claim

   Reply within 30 days, explaining the sale and enclosing proof.

4. 4

   Step 4: Court claim form

   Respond by the date on the form. For a claim issued Wednesday 9 September 2026, that would mean an acknowledgment of service by Monday 28 September 2026. See county court claim parking charge.

5. 5

   Step 5: Judgment already made

   If you never got the claim form, ask about setting it aside — see our parking CCJ guide.

If the buyer didn't register the car

Sometimes a buyer never tells the DVLA, or a sale is recorded with the wrong date. The record can then show you as keeper for months. Whatever the reason, the key question is the same: who was keeping the car on the day it was parked?

If the car went to a dealer or was part-exchanged, the dealer's invoice is strong evidence. If it was scrapped, the certificate of destruction shows the date.

Keep your letters short

You don't need to argue about the parking itself — you weren't the keeper. Say when you sold the car, attach your proof, and ask the company to confirm it has closed the matter. If it comes back with questions, answer them honestly and keep copies.

DVLA not updated? Fix it now

If the DVLA still shows you as keeper, tell them now. GOV.UK explains how; if you sold the car without a logbook, you have to write to the DVLA. Keep a copy of whatever you send.

You can share the buyer's name and address if you have them — that is factual information about the sale, not a claim about who was driving.

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.