PCN contravention code 01: parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
Updated 20 September 2026 · By the AppealGo team
Short answer
Contravention code 01 on a council PCN means "parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours". Higher-level contravention: £160 or £140 in London depending on the charging band (£160 on TfL red routes), and £70 in most of the rest of England (£60 in a few areas). Halved if paid within the discount period. The challenges that most often succeed are: the lines or signs were defective; you were loading or unloading; you were picking up or setting down a passenger.
| Code | 01 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours |
| Penalty | Higher-level contravention: £160 or £140 in London depending on the charging band (£160 on TfL red routes), and £70 in most of the rest of England (£60 in a few areas). Halved if paid within the discount period. |
| Challenge route | Informal challenge (windscreen PCNs), formal representations within 28 days of the Notice to Owner, then a free tribunal appeal within 28 days of a rejection |
Code 01 is the most common parking contravention in the country. It means the council says you were waiting on a single or double yellow line during the hours the restriction applies. A single yellow line operates during the hours on the nearby time plate; a double yellow line operates at all times and does not need a sign.
Higher-level contravention: £160 or £140 in London depending on the charging band (£160 on TfL red routes), and £70 in most of the rest of England (£60 in a few areas). Halved if paid within the discount period.
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Check my noticeGrounds for challenging a code 01 PCN
- The lines or signs were defective. Faded or broken yellow lines, a missing or illegible time plate for a single yellow line, or a plate positioned where you could not see it. Photograph the exact spot and the nearest plates in both directions.
- You were loading or unloading. Yellow lines permit loading unless there are yellow kerb blips. The officer should observe before issuing; if goods were being carried to or from the vehicle, say so and provide evidence.
- You were picking up or setting down a passenger, which is permitted for as long as it reasonably takes.
- The restriction was not in force at the time stated, because the time plate shows different hours or days.
- You hold a Blue Badge and were parked on a yellow line within the three-hour allowance with the badge and clock displayed, where no loading ban applies.
- The PCN details are wrong: registration, location, time or code.
- Broken down, with evidence from a recovery service.
How to challenge it
Council PCNs follow the statutory process: an informal challenge within the 14-day discount period for windscreen and hand-served notices, formal representations within 28 days of the Notice to Owner, and a free appeal to London Tribunals or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal within 28 days of any rejection. The full route is in our council PCN guide.
Whatever the ground, photographs of the location, the signs and the road markings taken from the driver's viewpoint are the evidence that wins. AppealGo reads the PCN, checks the code against the details, and drafts and files the challenge for you.
Common questions
Can I stop on a single yellow line to drop someone off?
Yes. Setting down and picking up passengers is permitted on yellow lines for as long as it reasonably takes. If the PCN was issued while you were doing that, say so and describe the circumstances.
What is the difference between code 01 and code 02?
Code 01 is a waiting restriction (yellow lines). Code 02 is a loading restriction (yellow kerb blips) and is used when you were loading or unloading where loading itself is prohibited. If you were loading and got a code 01, the loading exemption may apply.
Is a double yellow line PCN harder to appeal?
The line does not need a time plate, so the sign-defect ground is narrower, but faded lines, loading, passenger drop-off and Blue Badge exemptions still apply.
Sources
- London Councils: parking and traffic PCN levels from 7 April 2025
- SI 2022/71 Schedule 3: penalty charge levels outside London
- Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Representations and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/576
- SI 2022/71 regulation 5: the 10-minute grace period
- London Tribunals (Environment and Traffic Adjudicators)
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal
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Check my noticeRelated guides
This guide is general information about UK motoring penalties, not legal advice. Deadlines, amounts and procedures are set by the issuer and the regulations in force, and the notice you were sent is always the authoritative source for your own dates. See our disclaimer.
