If your challenge is successful, we'll cancel the fine and write to you to let you know.
Appeal a parking or bus lane fine
You can appeal your fine if you think you’ve been wrongly given a parking or bus lane fine, also known as Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
Do not pay your fine if you intend to appeal it. We can’t refund a fine after it has been paid.
When to make an appeal
When you log in to pay or appeal your fine, you will be given a code and a short explanation of the rule that was broken. These are set by the Department for Transport and are called contravention codes. There may also be photo evidence for you to review.
If you feel you shouldn’t have been given a fine, you can appeal it.
You should make your appeal within 28 days of receiving the notice. If you make your appeal within 14 days, the cost of your fine will be held at the lower rate until after we have made our decision on your appeal.
Before you appeal your fine
To make sure your appeal is valid, it is a good idea to:
- review the photo evidence we supply
- look at the CCTV footage for Bus Lane or CCTV PCNs
- if you got a fine when using a parking permit, review the terms and conditions and where you can and can’t park for your permit type
- get your supporting evidence ready, this can include:
- a photo of parking signs and where your car was parked
- a copy of a valid permit or parking ticket
- a repair note, if your car broke down
How to appeal a parking fine
You will need your PCN number to make an appeal, if you don’t have it you can contact us to find out your PCN number.
You can also send an appeal by post to Brighton & Hove City Council, PO BOX 204, Sheffield, S98 1LS.
Our decision
We will write to let you know the outcome of your appeal in 4 to 8 weeks.
Please do not call to chase the decision during this period of time.
Make sure to check your spam or junk inboxes for any emails regarding our decision.
If your challenge is successful
If your challenge is not successful
If your challenge is not successful, you’ll get a ‘notice to owner’. It will explain how to pay or make a formal challenge.
Pay the fine
If your challenge is not successful, we will send you a letter explaining why and ask you to pay the fine. How long you have to pay depends on the type of notice:
- parking PCN - you have 14 days from the date of our letter to make your payment
- bus lane and CCTV notice - you have 21 days from the date of our letter to make your payment
Formal challenge and appeal to an independent tribunal
Read the GOV.UK advice on how to make a formal challenge and if it is not successful, how to appeal to an independent tribunal.
You must pay or challenge your fine. Find out what can happen if you don’t pay your fine.
Complaints
If you have a complaint about the conduct of a Civil Enforcement Officer, contact parking services, selecting the category “Other”.