What is the 14-day rule for parking tickets?

Under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Schedule 4), a private parking company must send the Notice to Keeper within 14 days of the alleged parking event. If they miss this deadline, they cannot hold the registered keeper liable for the charge.

How do I count the 14 days?

Day 1 starts the day AFTER the parking event. If you parked on March 1st, day 1 is March 2nd. The Notice to Keeper must be served (posted) by March 15th. Check the date on the notice or the postmark on the envelope.

Does the 14-day rule apply to council parking tickets?

No. The 14-day rule under POFA 2012 Schedule 4 only applies to private parking charges. Council Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) have different rules — they must serve a Notice to Owner within 28 days under the Traffic Management Act 2004.

What if the notice was posted on day 14 but I received it on day 17?

The law says the notice must be 'given' within 14 days. There is debate about whether this means posted or received. Many POPLA assessors accept the date of posting (shown on the notice) as the relevant date. If it was posted within 14 days, the rule may not help you — but if it was posted after 14 days, you have a strong case.

The 14-Day Rule: How Late Notices Get Parking Tickets Cancelled

Last updated: March 2026

Updated March 2026 · 8 min read

If you've received a private parking charge, the very first thing you should check is the date. Not the date you parked — the date on the notice. Because if the parking company was too slow sending it, they may have lost the right to charge you.

This is the 14-day rule, and it's the single most effective ground for getting parking charges cancelled. Our data shows an 87% win rate when the notice was genuinely late.

What the Law Says

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA), Schedule 4, Paragraph 9 states that the keeper of the vehicle can only be held liable if:

A Notice to Driver was given before the vehicle was removed from the land (i.e., a ticket on the windscreen), OR
A Notice to Keeper was given within the "relevant period"

The "relevant period" is defined as 14 days beginning with the day after the day on which the vehicle was parked.

In plain English: if the parking company didn't put a ticket on your car AND didn't send you a letter within 14 days, they can't hold the registered keeper responsible for the charge.

Why this matters: Most private parking charges are now ANPR-based (no physical ticket on the car). The company has to identify the keeper through the DVLA and send a notice by post. If their process is slow, they miss the deadline — and you win.

How to Count the 14 Days

This is where people get confused. Here's exactly how to count:

Day 0: The day you parked (the alleged contravention). This day does NOT count.
Day 1: The day after you parked. The clock starts here.
Day 14: The last day the notice can be "given" (served/posted).

Example

Event	Date	Count
You parked	March 1st	Day 0
Clock starts	March 2nd	Day 1
Deadline	March 15th	Day 14
Notice dated March 16th or later	March 16th+	TOO LATE ✅

Check the date printed on the Notice to Keeper. If it's dated day 15 or later, keeper liability fails.

"Given" vs "Received": The law says the notice must be "given" within 14 days. There's legal debate about whether this means posted or received. Most POPLA assessors use the date on the notice (assumed posting date). If the notice is dated within 14 days but you received it much later, you may still have an argument — but it's weaker than a notice clearly dated outside the 14-day window.

What If a Ticket Was Put on My Car?

If a warden physically placed a ticket on your windscreen, that counts as a Notice to Driver. In that case, the 14-day rule for the NtK doesn't apply in the same way — the company has already notified the driver directly.

However, the company must still follow up with a Notice to Keeper to pursue the registered keeper. If the windscreen ticket was addressed to "the driver" and they later want to pursue the "keeper" (because they don't know who was driving), they still need to comply with the NtK requirements.

Where Does This Apply?

✅ England and Wales — POFA 2012 Schedule 4 applies fully
⚠️ Scotland — POFA Schedule 4 does NOT apply. Scotland has separate rules, and keeper liability works differently. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 is being implemented, but as of 2026, enforcement varies.
⚠️ Northern Ireland — Similar to Scotland, POFA Schedule 4 doesn't apply in the same way.

If your charge was in Scotland or Northern Ireland, the 14-day rule under POFA may not help — but the IPC and BPA Codes of Practice still require timely notification. Check the specific code that applies to your operator.

How to Use This in Your Appeal

At First Stage (to the operator)

Dear [OPERATOR NAME],

I am writing to appeal PCN reference [YOUR REF], allegedly issued at [LOCATION] on [DATE OF PARKING EVENT].

I challenge this charge on the grounds that the Notice to Keeper was not served within the statutory time limit.

Under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, paragraph 9, keeper liability can only arise if the Notice to Keeper is given before the end of the period of 14 days beginning with the day after the day on which the vehicle was parked on the relevant land.

The alleged contravention occurred on [DATE]. The Notice to Keeper is dated [DATE], which is [NUMBER] days after the event — exceeding the 14-day statutory requirement.

As keeper liability does not apply, the registered keeper cannot be held liable. I request this charge be cancelled immediately.

Yours faithfully,
[YOUR NAME]

At POPLA/IAS

If the operator rejects your 14-day rule appeal (some do, hoping you'll give up), escalate. At POPLA/IAS, present the same argument with:

The date of the alleged event
A photo or scan of the NtK showing its date
The postmark on the envelope (if you still have it)
A clear count showing the notice exceeded 14 days

What If the Operator Claims They Sent It on Time?

Some operators will argue the notice was sent within 14 days but was delayed in the post. Your response:

The date on the notice itself is the best evidence of when it was sent
If the operator can't prove the notice was posted within 14 days, they haven't met the burden
POFA places the obligation on the operator, not the motorist
If you kept the envelope, the postmark is strong evidence

Can They Still Pursue the Driver?

Here's the nuance: the 14-day rule prevents the operator from holding the registered keeper liable. In theory, they could still pursue the driver — but they'd need to prove who was driving, which they almost never can for ANPR-only charges.

If no windscreen ticket was issued and the NtK was late, the operator has no practical way to enforce the charge.

The 14-Day Rule Checklist

✅ Find the date of the alleged parking event
✅ Find the date on the Notice to Keeper
✅ Count from the day AFTER the event — is it more than 14 days?
✅ Check: was a ticket placed on your windscreen? (If yes, NtD may satisfy the requirement)
✅ Check: are you in England or Wales? (POFA Schedule 4 applies)
✅ Keep the envelope with the postmark if possible
✅ Appeal citing POFA 2012, Schedule 4, Paragraph 9

Think Your Notice Was Late? We'll Check for Free

Send us a photo of your parking charge notice on WhatsApp. We'll check the 14-day rule and tell you if you have a case.

Check My Notice

Key Takeaways

The 14-day rule has an 87% win rate — always check it first
Count from the day AFTER you parked — day 1 is the next day
The date on the notice is your key evidence
Keep the envelope and postmark if possible
Applies in England and Wales only (POFA 2012 Schedule 4)
If the notice was late AND no windscreen ticket was given, the charge is very hard to enforce
Always escalate to POPLA/IAS if the operator rejects this ground

Sources: Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Schedule 4), POPLA, BPA Code of Practice, IPC Code of Practice, Citizens Advice. Last updated March 2026.