Private parking fines: Everything you need to know as rules change from today
They're aimed at protecting motorists from unreasonable fees, says minister
Last updated 27th May 2022
Drivers around England and Wales will received greater protection from "aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees", the Government has announced.
New rules coming into force today (7th February) will see a 50% cut to the private parking fine cap as well as changes to how private car parks operate.
London is the only city that will be excluded from the parking fine cap crackdown.
Here's all you need to know about the new rules:
Maximum fine is reduced from £100 to £50
Under a new Parking Code of Practice introduced on Monday (7th February), the maximum fine will be reduced from £100 to £50 for most cases in England and Wales, excluding London.
10-minute grace period for lateness
Under the new rules, private car parks will have to display prices more clearly, use a fairer appeal system and give drivers a 10-minute grace period for lateness. This will help people who are a few minutes late escape unreasonable fees and make their driving experience fairer.
50% off if you pay your fine early
The new plans, which are set to bring private parking firms more into line with councils, will also mean motorists will get a 50% discount if they pay within 14 days.
£70 fine for more serious breaches
Though the maximum charge will be reduced to £50 in most cases, more serious breaches, such as parking in Blue Badge bays, could result in a £70 to £100 fine.
Private firms who breach the new code could also be banned from collecting fines in future, by having their access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data cut off.
Minister for Levelling Up, Neil O'Brien, said: "Private firms issue roughly 22,000 parking tickets every day, often adopting a system of misleading and confusing signage, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees designed to extort money from motorists.
"The new Code Of Practice will set out a clear vision with the interests of safe motorists at its heart while cracking down on the worst offenders who put other people in danger and hinder our emergency services from carrying out their duties."
'These are much needed upgrades'
Vehicle insurance and breakdown companies the AA and RAC have welcomed the new code.
President of the AA, Edmund King, said: "These much-needed upgrades to private parking rules will give better protection to drivers.
"For too long, those caught by private parking firms simply pay the charge to get rid of it. Thankfully these days are numbered.
"Drivers should feel confident that having a single Code of Practice and a new Appeals Charter will give them confidence to appeal and be properly heard.
"We are also pleased that honest mistakes, like mistyping the car registration into the machine, will now be automatically cancelled."
RAC head of roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, added: "This will undoubtedly make drivers' experience of using private car parks fairer while at the same time force rogue operators to clean up their acts once and for all."