PCN code 27: meaning and how to appeal

Higher levelOn-street parking

Official description: “Parked in a special enforcement area adjacent to a footway, cycle track or verge lowered to meet the level of the carriageway”

What it means

You parked next to a dropped kerb (lowered footway) used by pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles to cross - for example a driveway entrance or crossing point.

The exceptions are set out in section 86 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

How much is a code 27 PCN?

Code 27 is a higher-level contravention, so the amount depends on where you were:

On TfL red routes (suffix n) the penalty is £160, or £80 if paid within 14 days.

Sources: London Councils (London amounts from 7 April 2025) and SI 2022/71 Schedule 3 (outside London). Full fines guide.

Deadlines

• PCN on the windscreen or handed to you: 50% discount if paid within 14 days. If you challenge within 14 days and are refused, councils are recommended to re-offer the discount. Full amount due within 28 days, after which a Notice to Owner can be sent.
• PCN posted because you drove away or the officer was prevented from issuing it: 50% discount within 14 days, and 28 days to pay or make formal representations.
• Notice to Owner: 28 days to pay or make formal representations. The council must decide within 56 days or the representations are deemed accepted.
• Notice of Rejection: 28 days to appeal to the tribunal (free).
• Charge certificate: the penalty rises by 50%. Order for recovery: 21 days to pay or file a witness statement.

Common grounds to appeal a code 27 PCN

• You parked outside a home with the occupier's consent (not paid-for consent). This exception does not cover shared driveways.
• Loading/unloading to premises that could not reasonably be done otherwise, for no longer than necessary and no more than 20 minutes.
• Emergency services use, or building, waste, road or utility works.
• You were wholly within a marked bay, or the kerb was not actually lowered for crossing.

Also check the PCN itself: are the date, time, location, vehicle and code correct, and was it served on time? Errors can support the statutory grounds, such as procedural impropriety or 'the contravention did not occur'.

Evidence to gather

• Clear, dated photos of the vehicle position, road markings and every nearby sign or time plate (take them as soon as possible).
• A signed statement from the occupier giving consent (for the residential exception).

Code 27 suffixes

The letter after the code shows the type of bay, vehicle or enforcement. Suffixes that apply to code 27:

How to appeal

1. Informal challenge if the PCN was put on your vehicle (ideally within 14 days).
2. Formal representations within 28 days of the Notice to Owner or postal PCN.
3. If rejected, appeal to the tribunal within 28 days.

Hire or lease company? See how to transfer liability to the hirer.

Related codes

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• London Councils: Penalty Charge Notices contravention code list (v7.0)
• PATROL / Traffic Penalty Tribunal: Contravention codes (England and Wales)
• London Councils: Parking and traffic charges in London
• SI 2022/71 Schedule 3: penalty charge bands outside Greater London
• SI 2022/576 regulation 5: grounds for representations
• DfT statutory guidance: civil enforcement of parking contraventions (updated 20 Oct 2022)