Pay or contest a Penalty Charge Notice
You may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), also known as a parking ticket or fine, for a parking offence or moving traffic offence (e.g. box junctions, bus lanes, moving traffic). Notices may be left on your vehicle or be sent to you in the post. We use civil enforcement officers (CEOs) and CCTV to issue PCNs. If you receive a PCN, you have the option to either pay it or dispute it.
Before proceeding please ensure that you have:
- your PCN notice number, which is 10 digits long starting with "AF" (if it is not, your penalty was issued on a "red route" by Transport for London or outside Redbridge; please refer to the correct authority)
- your vehicle registration number.
- a valid credit or debit card - this system will accept Visa, Mastercard and Switch/Maestro
Do not ignore Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). If you pay your PCN within the specified time limit, the PCN will be payable at the reduced rate of 50%.
Review a PCN
Contest a PCN
You can also appeal a Penalty Charge Notice if you feel that you have been charged unfairly. A challenge/formal representation may be made within 28 days from the date the Penalty Charge Notice or Notice to Owner was served.
If you contest the PCN within the discount period the lower amount will be held and if your challenge/representation is rejected, we will offer a further period to pay the reduced amount. However, if the discount period has expired the full amount will be due; although you may still be able to contest the charge if within the 28 days.
If you are within the period to make a challenge/representation, you will be shown that option when reviewing the notice.
If your challenge has been rejected (yellow PCN only) and you wish to appeal further you must wait for another notice (Notice to Owner) to be served before you can make a formal representation.
If your formal representation was rejected, you will not be able to make another dispute to the Council. With the Notice of Rejection, you will be sent a form and full details on how to make an appeal to the Environment and Traffic Adjudicator. This is an independent body who will make a final decision which will be binding on both parties.
Please note that appeals can take up to 56 days to investigate. You will then receive a response as to whether or not your challenge has been successful. Please only contact us about your appeal status if you haven't had a response and 56 days have passed.
Unfortunately, we do not send acknowledgements for receipt of your challenge. If you make a challenge online you will get an automated response that we have received your challenge. If you send us your challenge in writing then please send it recorded delivery.
Your notice will be held at its existing charge whilst we investigate your challenge.
View the grounds for not accepting a challenge or an appeal for a PCN