PCN contravention code 16: parked in a permit space without displaying a valid permit
Updated 20 September 2026 · By the AppealGo team
Short answer
Contravention code 16 on a council PCN means "parked in a permit space without displaying a valid permit". 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 bay plate was missing, faded, turned away or obscured; you hold the relevant permit; the bay markings did not distinguish it.
| Code | 16 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Parked in a permit space without displaying a valid permit |
| 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 16 is issued for bays reserved for a particular class of permit holder rather than residents generally: doctors' bays, business permit bays, car club bays, personalised disabled bays and similar. Because these bays are often marked only by a small plate, drivers frequently mistake them for ordinary bays, and the signage is the first thing to check.
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 16 PCN
- The bay plate was missing, faded, turned away or obscured. A permit bay must be signed; photograph the bay and every plate nearby.
- You hold the relevant permit and it was displayed or is held digitally.
- The bay markings did not distinguish it from the adjacent ordinary bays.
- The restriction did not apply at the time according to the plate's hours.
- The PCN details are wrong.
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
I parked in a car club bay by accident. Will the council cancel it?
Only if the bay was not adequately signed, or the council chooses to exercise discretion. Check the plate and markings carefully; if they were clear, the strongest option is a short explanation with photographs and a request for discretion.
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 12: parked in a residents' or shared-use bay without a valid permit or payment
- CodePCN contravention code 40: parked in a disabled bay without displaying a valid Blue Badge
- Notice typeHow to appeal a council PCN (Penalty Charge Notice)
- CodePCN contravention code 01: parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
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.
