Parking Fine (PCN) Cost Calculator
Enter your PCN issue date to see what you owe today, and when the discount deadline and the 28-day point fall.
By Prakash
Published 27 August 2026
Updated 17 October 2026
Sources: GOV.UK · TfL · Traffic Penalty Tribunal
How does the PCN cost calculator work?
Civil parking fines (Penalty Charge Notices, or PCNs) follow a timeline. Pay within 14 days for a 50% discount, or pay the full charge, which GOV.UK says you usually have 28 days to do. If it stays unpaid, the council can send a Notice to Owner, and if that is also unpaid, a Charge Certificate that adds 50%. This calculator takes your issue date and today's date to show which stage you are likely at and what you would owe.
3 worked examples
Example 1 — Paid within the discount window
A lower-level PCN issued in England outside London, paid 6 days later.
£50
Within 14 days:50% discount applies, so £25 payable
Example 2 — Missed the discount, paid within 28 days
A higher-level PCN issued in London, paid on day 20.
£160
Result:The 14-day discount window (£80) has passed, so the full £160 is payable. No increase applies yet, since day 20 is within the 28 days.
Example 3 — Left unpaid past 28 days
A lower-level PCN issued in England outside London, still unpaid on day 35.
£50, and the council can now send a Notice to Owner
If a Charge Certificate is later issued:The amount rises by 50%, to £75
Example 3 shows what ignoring a PCN can cost. A £25 problem if paid within 14 days can become £75 if it reaches a Charge Certificate, and unpaid debts can go on to court registration and enforcement agents.
PCN rates by level and location
| Location | Level | Full charge | Discounted (within 14 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| England outside London | Lower | £50 | £25 |
| England outside London | Higher | £70 | £35 |
| London | Lower | £110 | £55 |
| London | Higher | £160 | £80 |
London boroughs raised their charges from £80/£130 to these levels, with notices dated 2025 and 2026. Some borough notices from 2025 also show a lower-priced second band (£90 and £140), so your PCN is the final word. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules and amounts.
A PCN is not the same as a speeding ticket
A Penalty Charge Notice is a civil penalty issued by a council or TfL for a parking or traffic contravention. It does not carry penalty points and is not a criminal matter.
A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) is different. GOV.UK says points can apply to certain parking FPNs, such as leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position, as well as to FPNs for driving offences like speeding. See our Penalty Points Calculator if you have that kind of notice.
How to challenge a PCN
If you believe a PCN was issued incorrectly, you can challenge it:
- Informal challenge. Write to the issuer early. TfL says that if you challenge within 14 days, the discounted charge is held while your representation is considered. Other councils vary, so check yours
- Formal representations. If the PCN stays unpaid, the council sends a Notice to Owner, and you can then make formal representations on the legal grounds listed on it
- Independent tribunal appeal. If your representations are rejected, you get a Notice of Rejection. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which covers England outside London and Wales, says you generally have 28 days from that notice to appeal, and appeals are free. In London, use the tribunal details on your PCN papers
What happens if you don't pay?
- First 14 days: the discounted charge is available
- Up to 28 days: the full charge. GOV.UK says you usually have 28 days to pay
- After 28 days: the council sends a Notice to Owner. If that stays unpaid, a Charge Certificate follows, raising the amount by 50%. GOV.UK says you then have 14 days to pay
- Still unpaid: the debt can be registered at the County Court, and enforcement agents (bailiffs) can add fees
The longer a PCN is left, the more it costs. If you plan to challenge it, do it promptly through the proper channel instead of ignoring it.
What this calculator can't tell you
Your exact charge and dates
Charge levels and the discount window are set by the council or TfL. The 14 days usually runs from the issue date, but some PCNs allow longer, for example 21 days for London PCNs issued by camera.
Whether a Charge Certificate has been issued
The 50% increase needs the council to issue a Charge Certificate after the Notice to Owner stage. Tick the box above if you have already received one.
Whether you have grounds to challenge
This tool works out cost from timing. It cannot tell you whether the PCN was issued correctly.
Common mistakes
Assuming a PCN adds points to your licence
A civil PCN does not carry penalty points. Only certain FPNs do.
Ignoring the PCN
Non-payment does not make it go away. It escalates through a Notice to Owner and a Charge Certificate, and can reach the County Court.
Missing the 14-day discount while deciding whether to challenge
If you may pay anyway, paying inside 14 days can save money. A challenge that is rejected may not keep the discount, depending on the issuer, so check the rules on your PCN.
Not checking who issued the notice
A private parking company on private land issues Parking Charge Notices under a different framework. This calculator covers council and TfL PCNs only.
If you've just received a PCN
- Read the contravention code and the amount printed on the notice, and don't assume it matches the typical figures here
- Decide quickly whether to pay or challenge, because the discount window is short
- Keep evidence such as photos, timestamps and signs if you plan to challenge
- Check who issued it, because a private parking charge follows a different process
- Don't ignore follow-up letters. A Notice to Owner or Charge Certificate means the case is escalating
🔴 Dealing with a driving offence instead?
If you've received a Fixed Penalty Notice for a driving offence rather than a parking PCN, check how it affects your licence.
Use the Penalty Points Calculator →How we calculate
Full charge is looked up from your location and level. Up to day 14: payable = full charge × 50%. Day 15 to day 28: payable = full charge. After day 28: payable = full charge, with a note that a Notice to Owner and possibly a Charge Certificate can follow. If you tick the Charge Certificate box: payable = full charge × 150%.
Frequently asked questions
Does a parking fine (PCN) add points to my licence?
No. A PCN is a civil penalty from a council or TfL and does not carry penalty points. GOV.UK says points can apply to certain parking Fixed Penalty Notices, such as for leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position.
How long do I have to pay a PCN at the discounted rate?
Typically 14 days from the issue date for a 50% reduction. Some PCNs, such as London camera PCNs, allow 21 days. After the discount period you usually have until 28 days to pay the full charge.
What happens if I don't pay a PCN at all?
The council can send a Notice to Owner, then a Charge Certificate that adds 50%, and then register the debt at the County Court, where enforcement agents can add fees.
Can I challenge a PCN?
Yes. You can challenge informally, make formal representations after a Notice to Owner, and appeal to an independent tribunal if those are rejected. Outside London that is the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Is a private parking charge the same as a council PCN?
No. A charge from a private parking company follows a different framework with different rules and appeal routes. This calculator covers council and TfL PCNs only.
References & data sources
- GOV.UK — Parking tickets. The 14-day reduction, the 28 days to pay, the Charge Certificate and the court stage.
- Transport for London — Enforcement process. The 14-day discount, £80 reduced charge and informal challenge.
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal — tpt.gov.uk. Who it covers and the 28-day appeal limit.
- London borough notices — Lambeth and Harrow (notice dated 19 February 2026). London charge levels.
- Gravesham Borough Council — Penalty Charge Notice. An example of £50/£70 levels and the Notice to Owner and Charge Certificate sequence outside London.
Charges and processes are set by individual councils and TfL. Always check the amount and deadlines on your actual PCN before paying or challenging.
Prakash
Prakash is the founder and editor of UK Driving Tools. He maintains the site's calculators and guides and checks the rates and rules they use against official UK sources, such as GOV.UK, the DVLA, HMRC and Transport for London, before publishing.
Pages are drafted with the help of AI tools and then checked by the editor. He isn't a lawyer, accountant or UK-qualified adviser, so every page lists its sources and states what its calculator can't tell you. Nothing on this site is legal or financial advice.
Pages on UK Driving Tools are drafted with the help of AI tools. Before publishing, the figures and rules on each page are checked against the official source named on the page, and calculator examples are tested against the working formula. Pages are updated when rates or rules change. Our Editorial Policy explains the full process, including how to report a mistake.
Spotted a mistake or an out-of-date rate? Let us know and we'll check it against the official source.