Penalty Charge Notices

What is a Penalty Charge Notice?

A Penalty Charge Notice (aka PCN) is a civil penalty issued by local authorities or Transport for London (TfL) for contraventions like Parking Violations (e.g double yellow lines, disabled bays, etc.), Moving Traffic Offences (e.g bus lane misuse, forbidden turns etc.), and failure to pay Tolls (such as Dartford Crossing Charges)

A typical Penalty Charge Notice will show the contravention, vehicle details, time, date, location, and issuer details and payment instructions. PCNs typically range from £60-£130 with a discounted amount if paid off within a certain period. Failure to pay can result in an increased fine, or even enforcement action.

You can usually appeal a penalty charge notice if you think it was issued incorrectly, a Penalty Charge Notice will state if it can be appealed and how.

It’s a common myth that Penalty Charge Notices can only be issued within 14 days of an offence (as with Notices of Intended Prosecution). Penalty Charge Notices can be issued at any time, we’ve previously received Penalty Charge Notices after weeks, months, and even years from the date of the contravention.

Charge Certificates (Penalty Charge Notice)

A Charge Certificate is a formal notice issued when a Penalty Charge Notice hasn’t been paid within the required time frame. Once issued, the original fine is usually increased by 50% and you lose the right to appeal.

Parking Charge Notices

Parking Charge Notices (also abbreviated as PCN) are issued by private parking companies, they often look like Penalty Charge Notices. These are not fines, but rather invoices for breaching a contract you entered by parking on private land.

Parking Charge Notices are appealed via POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) for BPA Members or IAS (Independent Appeals Service) for IPC Members

Police Issued Offences

Some road traffic offences - such as speeding, running a red light, or using a mobile phone while driving - are enforced directly by the police. These are handled differently from council-issued Penalty Charge Notices or private Parking Charge Notices. If Zenion received one on your behalf, we’ll contact you directly with the details and next steps.

How Zenion Deals with PCN’s

When a PCN (Penalty Charge Notice or Parking Charge Notice) is issued, it’s sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle, which is us.

When we receive a PCN, we’ll first identify the driver using the time of the contravention and the vehicle registration number. We’ll then make representations to the issuing authority, letting them know of your details. We’ll also let you know this has happened, so you can be prepared and in some cases pay the PCN directly.

The issuing authority will then contact you to settle the Penalty. Any appeals and payments should be handled directly with the issuing authority and not Zenion. Note that it can take some time between issuing the PCN and it being received by our office, so don’t delay if you receive a PCN.

For certain contraventions, we will invoice you directly and settle the penalty with the council. We will usually give you a certain amount of time to pay the fine before we consider the payment overdue.

FAQs

Can I pay the fine through Zenion? - In most cases, no. You’ll need to pay the issuing authority directly. If Zenion settles the fine on your behalf we will invoice you and provide payment instructions.

I’ve received a PCN directly, should I tell Zenion? - Yes, as per the terms of your rental agreement, if you receive a notice directly you must settle it and inform us so we can ensure it’s handled correctly.

What happens if i don’t pay the fine in time? - The fine may increase (via Charge Certificate) and could even lead to enforcement action. If Zenion has paid the fine on your behalf, we’ll invoice you and may escalate the debt to a collection agency if not paid.

Can I appeal a PCN? - Yes, most PCNs include appeal instructions. If you believe the notice was issued incorrectly, you should appeal directly to the issuing authority. We can help clarify the details if needed.

How does Zenion identify the driver? - We use the vehicle registration and timestamp to match the contravention against our rental agreements.

What’s the difference between a Penalty Charge Notice and a Parking Charge Notice? - Penalty Charge Notices are issued by councils and TfL under civil law. Parking Charge Notices are issued by private companies under contract law. They look similar but are handled differently.

What if the notice is from the Police? - Police-issued notices (e.g. speeding, red light offences) follow a different legal process. If Zenion receives one, we’ll contact you directly.

How long after the offence can a PCN be issued? - There’s no fixed limit. We’ve seen PCNs arrive weeks, months, or even years after the contravention. Always check the date and details carefully. Local authorities will still chase PCN’s even if they’ve issued them after a significant amount of time.