Parking charges: understanding grace periods and appeal deadlines

If you’ve received a Parking Charge Notice, it’s important to understand the timings that apply. Consideration periods and grace periods affect when a charge can be issued, while separate deadlines determine how long you have to appeal.

Consideration periods and grace periods

A consideration period allows time on arrival to find a space, read the signs, understand how to pay and decide whether to stay.

The private parking sector Code of Practice sets these minimums:

• Five minutes at car parks with fewer than 500 spaces that offer at least one hour of free parking.
• Ten minutes at car parks with more than 500 spaces that offer at least one hour of free parking.
• Five minutes at pay-on-arrival, pay-on-departure and permit car parks.
• One minute in short-stay areas where parking is limited to 30 minutes or less.

The consideration periods set out in the code are minimums. The appropriate period is the time a motorist reasonably needs to review the terms and decide where to park. It can end earlier where there is evidence that the motorist has accepted the terms, such as by paying or parking and leaving the site. It may also last longer where the motorist reasonably needs more time to consider the terms. A consideration period is not additional free parking.

When might a motorist need more time?

The Code of Practice recognises that some motorists, including disabled motorists, may reasonably need longer consideration and grace periods. This could include additional time to find and access a parking bay appropriate to their needs, reach or use payment machinery, or use another available payment method. These circumstances should be taken into account when an appeal is considered.

When does a grace period apply?

A grace period comes after a permitted, time limited parking period. For any car park with more than 30 minutes of permitted parking, the minimum grace period is ten minutes. Short stay car parks of 30 minutes or less have no grace period.

A Parking Charge mustn’t be issued during an applicable grace period. Different rules apply to unlimited parking, no stopping zones and some event or customer linked parking. A grace period applies only where the driver has otherwise followed the parking terms.

How long do you have to appeal?

There are two main deadlines:

• You normally have 28 days from receiving the Parking Charge Notice to appeal to the operator.
• If a British Parking Association member rejects your appeal, it should provide a ten-digit POPLA verification code. POPLA must receive your appeal within 28 days of the rejection date.

Submit all your grounds and evidence with your POPLA appeal, as you can’t add new grounds or evidence later. The operator then has 21 days to provide its evidence, followed by seven days for you to review and comment on it.

If you intend to appeal, don’t pay first, as payment may end your right to appeal.

Appealing to POPLA

If a British Parking Association member has rejected your first appeal, POPLA can provide a free and independent review. To submit an appeal, you’ll need your ten-digit verification code, Parking Charge Notice number, vehicle registration and supporting evidence.

Visit the POPLA appeals page to submit your appeal.