Reviewed using publicly available legal resources
Received a PCN from the London Borough of Ealing? The dispute process is straightforward if you act quickly and keep your challenge factual. This guide takes you through each stage from informal challenge to, if needed, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Check the basics first
Before drafting your challenge:
- Confirm the issuing authority — Is the PCN from Ealing Council or from Transport for London (TfL)? TfL issues notices for red route and bus lane contraventions. The issuing body is printed on the notice.
- Check the vehicle registration — Confirm the registration on the PCN matches your vehicle's V5C. A wrong registration is grounds for cancellation.
- Check the contravention code — The PCN includes a contravention code (for example, code 01 is "parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours"). Knowing the code helps you understand exactly what you are being charged with.
Deadlines and amounts
| Band | Full | 14-day discount |
|---|---|---|
| Band A | £80 | £40 |
| Band B | £130 | £65 |
You have 28 days to pay. Pay within 14 days for the discounted amount. Filing an informal challenge pauses these deadlines entirely — you will receive a fresh payment deadline if the challenge is rejected.
Step 1 — Collect your evidence
Evidence you should gather as soon as possible:
- Photos of the parking bay or restriction — Focus on what the signage looked like from the driver's perspective. Was any sign damaged, obscured, or missing?
- Photo of any permit displayed — If a resident permit or visitor permit was in the vehicle, photograph it in situ on the dashboard.
- App screenshots — If you tried to pay via PayByPhone and the transaction failed, screenshot the error. Check your bank or PayByPhone account to confirm no charge was made.
- Timestamped photographs — If you used your phone camera, the metadata will record the time. This can corroborate your account.
Step 2 — Draft your challenge
Write a short, factual account of what happened. Stick to the relevant facts:
- Where you were parked and at what time
- What restriction applies and why you believe the PCN was issued in error (or should be cancelled on mitigating grounds)
- What evidence you are attaching
Avoid lengthy narratives or appeals to sympathy. Councils assess informal challenges against the facts of the contravention and the quality of the evidence.
Real example: permit partially obscured behind sun visor
An Ealing Broadway resident received a PCN for parking in a resident permit zone. The resident was a valid permit holder and had placed the permit disc on the dashboard as required. However, the permit had slipped while the car was parked and become partially obscured behind the sun visor. The Civil Enforcement Officer photographing the vehicle could not see the permit clearly from outside.
The resident filed an informal challenge via ealing.gov.uk and attached a photograph showing the permit on the dashboard — slightly obscured by the sun visor as found, plus a second photograph of the permit itself confirming it was valid and in date.
Ealing Council upheld the challenge and cancelled the PCN.
This type of challenge works because the permit was genuine and present in the vehicle — the CEO simply could not see it from outside. Photographic evidence of the permit in situ is critical for this ground.
Step 3 — Submit your informal challenge via ealing.gov.uk
Go to the parking section of ealing.gov.uk and use the online PCN challenge form. You will need:
- PCN reference number
- Vehicle registration
- Your description of grounds
- Evidence attachments (photos, screenshots)
Once submitted, Ealing Council will acknowledge receipt. The payment clock pauses from this point. Ealing will review and respond in writing — keep a copy of everything you submit.
Step 4 — Formal representation
If Ealing rejects your informal challenge, they will send a Notice to Owner (NTO). You have 28 days to make a formal representation — a written response setting out your legal or factual grounds. Submit via the same portal or by post.
Ealing must consider your formal representation and give you a written decision. They can accept it and cancel the PCN, or reject it and issue a Notice of Rejection.
Step 5 — Traffic Penalty Tribunal
If your formal representation is rejected, you have 28 days to appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT). This is free and independent. TPT adjudicators are not employed by the council.
Appeal online at tribunals.gov.uk. Most cases are decided on written representations — you do not need to attend a hearing. If TPT allows your appeal, the PCN is cancelled.
Pine can help
Not sure how to phrase your challenge? Pine can help you draft a clear, factual informal challenge based on your PCN details and what happened. Upload your PCN and any photos, describe the situation, and Pine will put together a challenge letter you can review and submit directly to ealing.gov.uk.
Key contacts
- Ealing Council PCN portal: ealing.gov.uk
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal: tribunals.gov.uk
This guide covers PCNs issued by the London Borough of Ealing under the Traffic Management Act 2004. Reviewed using publicly available legal resources.