If you receive a parking fine, known as a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), you should not ignore it but should decide whether you are going to pay the fine or challenge it.
Please note that on 1 April 2023, we, Surrey County Council, took on responsibility for the management of on-street parking and the enforcement of parking regulations from the borough and district councils, who had previously carried it out on our behalf. Any parking fines issued on street before 1 April, or in a car park at any time, are the responsibility of the borough and district councils.
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- Parking fines issued on street from 1 April 2023
- Parking fines issued on street up to 31 March 2023 or in a car park
Parking fines issued on street from 1 April 2023
How to pay your parking fine
You can pay a parking fine using our online payment portal below. To do this you will need to have the PCN number and your vehicle registration number and one of the following debit or credit cards - Mastercard, Visa, Switch or Delta.
Alternatively, you can pay over the phone, using our 24hr payment line, on 0330 175 5930. Again you will need to have the PCN number, your vehicle registration number and one of the above-mentioned debit or credit cards.
Although we would encourage you to pay online or over the phone if possible, as these are more efficient and secure methods of payment, you can also pay by post using a cheque or postal order. To do this, please complete the slip attached to the bottom of the PCN and send it with your cheque or postal order, made payable to Surrey County Council, to Surrey County Council Parking, PO Box 355, Sheffield, S98 1ES. Please write the PCN number and your vehicle registration number on the back of the cheque or postal order and, if you would like a receipt, please also enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
How to challenge a parking fine
If you do not think you should have to pay the penalty charge, you can submit a challenge online or by post, quoting the PCN number, to: Surrey County Council Parking, PO Box 355, Sheffield, S98 1ES.
Challenge your parking fine online
Your challenge should explain why you do not think you should not pay the penalty charge and include any supporting evidence that you have.
If we receive a challenge within 14 days of the date on which the PCN is served, but reject the challenge, we will allow a further 14 days from the date on which the rejection letter is issued in which to pay the reduced penalty charge.
If at any time a challenge or representations are accepted, the PCN will be cancelled, and the person that submitted them will not have to pay the penalty charge.
For queries about a parking fine, for example if you have lost the penalty charge notice or you are having a problem using the payment system, call our helpline on 0330 175 5930, where someone should be able to help you.
What happens next
If the penalty charge is not paid, or the notice cancelled, within 28 days of the date on which the PCN was served, a Notice to Owner (NtO) will be served on the owner of the vehicle. If you are served with an NtO, you should either pay the penalty charge or make representations against liability for payment of it, and information about how to do this will be explained on the notice. If those representations are rejected, you may submit an appeal against that decision to an independent adjudicator. Details of how to do this will be supplied if the representations are rejected.
If no representations are received, or they have been received and are then rejected, or an appeal has been submitted and dismissed, and no payment is made within 28 days, the charge is increased by 50% and a charge certificate is issued to the owner of the vehicle. This is the start of the process to enforce payment of the penalty charge, which can lead to the charge being registered as a debt and possibly passed to an enforcement agency to pursue payment, at which stage the outstanding amount would increase further. It is therefore important that you do not to ignore any notices that you receive.
You can find out more information about the PCN process and appeals to the independent adjudicator on the PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) and Traffic Penalty Tribunal websites.
Parking fines issued on street up to 31 March 2023 or in a car park
If your query is about a PCN that you received on street on or before 31 March 2023, or in a car park at any time, it would have been issued by the relevant borough or district council, so you should contact them according to the list below:
- Elmbridge
- Epsom and Ewell
- Guildford
- Mole Valley
- Reigate and Banstead
- Runnymede
- Spelthorne
- Surrey Heath In Surrey Heath, Woking Borough Council carried out on street enforcement, including in service areas, but Surrey Heath Borough Council are responsible for enforcement in their car parks.
- Tandridge In Tandridge, Sevenoaks District Council carried out on street enforcement on behalf of the county council and carry out off street enforcement (in car parks) on behalf of the district council.
- Waverley In Waverley, Guildford Borough Council carried out on street enforcement but Waverley Borough Council were, and still are, responsible for enforcement in their car parks.
- Woking.
