Appeal an APCOA parking charge

Where to send your appeal, how long you have, and what happens if APCOA says no. For Parking Charge Notices on private land in the UK.

Write an APCOA appeal letter

Not legal advice, and not connected to APCOA. This is general information and a template letter. It does not assess your case and no outcome is guaranteed.

Check what kind of notice you have. APCOA's site refers to PCNs, ECNs and PNs. This page and the letter builder cover a Parking Charge Notice on private land only. If yours is a Penalty Charge Notice or a Penalty Notice, follow the appeal route printed on it instead.

Where to send it

Online: https://pcnpayments.apcoa.co.uk/pcnonline/index.php

By post: use the appeals address printed on your notice, and keep proof of posting.

This link was taken from APCOA's own website on 11 October 2026. If your notice gives a different address or website, use the one on the notice.

How long you have

Appeal within 28 days of receiving the notice. Under the private parking sector single Code of Practice, the operator must reply within 28 days, or acknowledge your appeal and say when it will decide (clause 8.4.1).

If APCOA rejects your appeal

APCOA's home page does not name its trade association in text. Check your notice: it should name the association, and a rejection letter must tell you which independent appeals service to use (POPLA or the IAS).

The independent appeal is free for you, and enforcement must be suspended while it is decided (clause 8.4.7).

What to put in the letter

Pick the one ground that matches what happened and give the facts and evidence for it. The letter builder covers five:

The vehicle left within the grace or consideration period (clauses 5.1 and 5.2, Annex B).
The notice to keeper arrived more than 14 days after parking, with nothing left on the windscreen (England and Wales; Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4).
The tariff was paid but one character of the registration was mistyped (clause 6.3, Annex F).
Signs were missing, hidden or unreadable (clause 3.1, Annex A).
The payment machine or app was not working (Annex F.1(i)).

As registered keeper you do not have to say who was driving. Only state things that are true, and keep a copy of everything you send.

Start the letter

If you get a letter of claim or a court claim form

Do not ignore it. Both have strict deadlines, and an unanswered claim form leads to a county court judgment. Citizens Advice, law centres and Support Through Court offer free help.