How to appeal a Transport for London (TfL) PCN
Updated 20 September 2026 · By the AppealGo team
Short answer
Transport for London PCNs are £160 for red route, bus lane and moving traffic contraventions and £180 for ULEZ, each halved if paid within 14 days. TfL posts them to the registered keeper: view the images online, make representations within 28 days, and appeal free to London Tribunals within 28 days of a Notice of Rejection. If you make representations inside the discount period and TfL rejects them, it normally re-offers the discount for a further 14 days.
| Red route, bus lane and moving traffic PCN | £160, reduced to £80 if paid within the discount period |
|---|---|
| ULEZ PCN | £180, reduced to £90 if paid within 14 days |
| Representations | Within 28 days of the PCN, online or in writing |
| Independent appeal | London Tribunals, within 28 days of a Notice of Rejection; free |
| Licence points | None. TfL PCNs are civil penalties. |
Transport for London is the single largest issuer of PCNs in the UK. It enforces the red route network (the major roads marked with red lines), bus lanes on those roads, the Congestion Charge, the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the Low Emission Zone, almost entirely by camera. Its notices are posted to the registered keeper and can be viewed, paid and challenged online.
The amounts are £160 for red route, bus lane and moving traffic contraventions and £180 for ULEZ penalties, each halved if paid within 14 days. Congestion Charge penalties follow the same representations process.
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 noticeCommon TfL contraventions and how they are challenged
- Stopping on a red route (code 46). Red routes prohibit stopping at all during the hours shown, with marked exceptions for loading bays and parking bays. Challenges succeed where the signs were obscured or the vehicle was in a marked bay, loading where permitted, or stopped because of traffic or an obstruction.
- Bus lane (code 34). See our bus lane guide; permitted left turns, unclear signs and trivial incursions are the usual grounds.
- Congestion Charge. Paid late, paid for the wrong day or registration, Auto Pay not active, exemption or discount not registered. TfL accepts evidence of genuine attempts to pay.
- ULEZ. See our ULEZ guide: compliant vehicles, exemptions, paid charges and cloned plates.
- Yellow box and banned turns on TfL roads. See the moving traffic guide.
The TfL process
- PCN by post, with a link to the footage. 28 days to pay or make representations; 50% discount for 14 days.
- Representations through TfL's online form or in writing. TfL must consider representations on the statutory grounds and respond with a Notice of Acceptance or Rejection.
- Appeal to London Tribunals within 28 days of a rejection. Free and independent; TfL will supply the footage to the adjudicator.
- If ignored: Charge Certificate (+50%), registration at the Traffic Enforcement Centre, then enforcement agents. A TE9 witness statement applies to TfL PCNs too.
If representations are made within the discount period and rejected, TfL normally re-offers the discount for a further 14 days.
Common questions
Do TfL PCNs carry penalty points?
No. They are civil penalties. The exception is a police fixed penalty for an offence such as driving in a bus lane where the police rather than TfL have taken action, which is rare.
I have several TfL PCNs from the same week. Can I challenge them together?
Yes. List every PCN number in one set of representations and TfL will consider them together. If the underlying cause was the same, such as a compliant vehicle wrongly recorded as non-compliant, they will usually all be cancelled together.
Can I see the evidence TfL has against me?
Yes. Enter the PCN number and registration on the council's PCN portal to see the civil enforcement officer's photographs or the camera footage. If the evidence does not show a contravention, say so in your representations and describe exactly what it does show.
Sources
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
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.
