Pine AI covers all England council PCNs | Updated May 2026
In England, parking enforcement is handled locally. Every council — from the London boroughs to Manchester City Council to a rural district council in the Cotswolds — issues its own Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) under the Traffic Management Act 2004. There is no central system: your PCN comes from whichever council or authority was enforcing the road where you parked.
The right place to dispute or pay is always the council named on your PCN.
Fine Levels in England
England uses a two-band system for council PCNs. In London, the amounts are:
| Band | Full Amount | Pay within 14 days |
|---|---|---|
| Band A (less serious) | £80 | £40 |
| Band B (more serious) | £130 | £65 |
Outside London, Band A and Band B amounts are lower — typically £70 and £50 — though the exact amounts vary by council.
If you pay within the 14-day discount window, the fine is halved. If you miss 28 days without paying or challenging, the full amount increases — typically to one and a half times the original fine.
Informal challenge pauses the payment clock. For council PCNs, submitting a challenge suspends the 28-day deadline entirely while your challenge is under consideration.
Find Your City
How England's PCN System Works
All English councils follow the same statutory process under the Traffic Management Act 2004:
- PCN issued — on the street or by post (postal PCNs are used for camera-enforced contraventions)
- 28-day window — pay at full amount, or challenge (informal challenge pauses the clock)
- 14-day discount window — pay at 50% within the first 14 days
- Informal challenge — submit to the issuing council; clock pauses
- Formal representations — if the informal challenge is rejected, you receive a Notice to Owner with a further 28-day window to make formal representations
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal — independent adjudication if formal representations are rejected; free to use
Let Pine AI Handle It
Upload your PCN. Pine identifies the issuing council, checks your strongest dispute grounds, and files your challenge directly.