PCN contravention code 02: parked or loading in a restricted street where loading is prohibited
Updated 20 September 2026 · By the AppealGo team
Short answer
Contravention code 02 on a council PCN means "parked or loading in a restricted street where loading is prohibited". 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: kerb blips or the loading plate were missing, faded or illegible; the ban was not in force; you were setting down or picking up a passenger.
| Code | 02 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Parked or loading in a restricted street where loading is prohibited |
| 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 02 is issued where waiting and loading are both restricted. The loading ban is shown by short yellow lines painted on the kerb, known as kerb blips, with a plate giving the hours: one blip means the ban applies during the hours shown, two blips means at all times. The loading exemption that saves many code 01 tickets does not apply here, which makes the signage and timing even more important.
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 02 PCN
- Kerb blips or the loading plate were missing, faded or illegible. Loading bans must be marked on the kerb and signed. Photograph the kerb and the plate.
- The ban was not in force at the time on the PCN according to the plate.
- You were setting down or picking up a passenger, which is still permitted during a loading ban.
- Blue Badge holder boarding or alighting, where the loading ban is not marked, or for the time it takes to board or alight where it is.
- The PCN details are wrong.
- Broken down, with evidence.
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
What do the yellow marks on the kerb mean?
They show a loading restriction. One short yellow line means no loading during the hours on the plate; two lines mean no loading at any time. They are separate from the yellow lines on the road, which restrict waiting.
I was only stopped for a minute to unload. Is code 02 valid?
If a loading ban was in force and correctly marked, unloading for any period is a contravention. Your challenge should focus on whether the kerb marks and plate were present and legible, and whether the ban actually applied at that time.
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
Got one of these? Check it for free.
Snap a photo of the notice. We read it, tell you the grounds we found, and only charge £6.99 if you ask us to file the appeal.
Check my noticeRelated guides
- CodePCN contravention code 01: parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
- Notice typeHow to appeal a council PCN (Penalty Charge Notice)
- Notice typeGrounds for appealing a parking ticket: the reasons that actually win
- CodePCN contravention code 12: parked in a residents' or shared-use bay without a valid permit or payment
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.
