What is a contravention code on a PCN?

It is the two-digit national code that says exactly what the council alleges you did — "01" for parking on yellow lines, "31" for stopping in a box junction, and so on. The list is statutory and identical across England and Wales, so the same code means the same thing whichever council issued your Penalty Charge Notice. The code, plus the officer's observation or the camera images, is what defines the allegation you have to answer.

What does the letter after the code mean?

Some codes carry an official letter suffix that narrows the contravention further — 52m is "motor vehicles", 50r is "no right turn", 34j means camera-enforced. The suffixes are published in the national list; they are not invented by individual councils. Where a code has them, its page lists every valid variant. Always appeal against the exact code printed on your notice, not the bare number.

How much is a PCN, and does the code change the amount?

Indirectly, yes — each code is either higher-level or lower-level. A higher-level PCN is £160 in inner London (Band A) or £140 in outer London, and around £70 elsewhere in England. Lower-level is £110 / £90 in London and about £50 elsewhere. All are halved if you pay within 14 days — and most councils freeze that discount while they consider an early challenge.

Is the contravention code the same in every council?

For England and Wales, yes — these are national codes under the Traffic Management Act 2004, maintained by London Councils for parking and gov.uk Annex B for bus-lane and moving-traffic contraventions. Wording can vary slightly between councils and code-list versions, and off-street car-park numbering is the least consistent, but the meaning of each code does not change. Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate regimes.

Can I appeal any contravention code?

Yes. Every council PCN carries the same statutory grounds of appeal regardless of the code — the contravention did not occur, the signs or Traffic Regulation Order were non-compliant, there was a procedural error, you were not the owner, or the penalty exceeded the amount due. The code just determines which of those is most likely to fit. Challenge the council first, then make formal representations, then appeal free to an independent adjudicator.

Updated 28 September 2026

PCN contravention codes explained

Every council Penalty Charge Notice carries a two-digit contravention code saying exactly what you are alleged to have done. The list is national — the same code means the same thing in every English and Welsh council. Below are all 45 codes we cover, what each one actually means, whether it is charged at the higher or lower rate, and the official letter suffixes for the 19 codes that have them.

On-street parking codes

Issued by a civil enforcement officer or camera on the public highway.

On-street parking codes: code, what it means, penalty level and official suffixes
Code	What it means	Level	Suffixes
01	Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours	Higher-level	—
02	Parked or loading/unloading in a restricted street where waiting and loading/unloading restrictions are in force	Higher-level	—
12	Parked in a residents’ or shared-use parking place or zone without a valid permit, voucher or pay & display ticket	Higher-level	—
16	Parked in a permit space or zone without a valid permit	Higher-level	—
21	Parked wholly or partly in a suspended bay or space	Higher-level	—
23	Parked in a parking place or area not designated for that class of vehicle	Higher-level	—
25	Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading	Higher-level	—
27	Parked adjacent to a dropped footway	Higher-level	—
40	Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge	Higher-level	—
45	Stopped on a taxi rank	Higher-level	45w
46	Stopped where prohibited (on a red route or clearway)	Higher-level	—
47	Stopped on a restricted bus stop or stand	Higher-level	—
48	Stopped in a restricted area outside a school	Higher-level	—
62	Parked with one or more wheels on or over a footpath or any part of a road other than a carriageway	Higher-level	621 622 624 62c 62g 62j
05	Parked after the expiry of paid for time	Lower-level	—
06	Parked without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket or voucher	Lower-level	—
07	Parked with payment made to extend the stay beyond the maximum permitted time	Lower-level	—
19	Parked in a residents’ or shared-use parking place or zone displaying an invalid permit, voucher or pay & display ticket	Lower-level	—
22	Re-parked in the same parking place within the period during which return is prohibited	Lower-level	—
24	Not parked correctly within the markings of a bay or space	Lower-level	—
30	Parked for longer than permitted	Lower-level	—
11	Parked without payment of the parking charge	Lower-level	11g 11u
14	Parked in an electric vehicles’ charging place during restricted hours without charging	Higher-level	148 149
26	Parked in a special enforcement area more than 50 cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place	Higher-level	26n
28	Parked in a special enforcement area on part of the carriageway raised to meet the level of an adjacent footway, cycle track or verge	Higher-level	28n 28o
49	Parked wholly or partly on a cycle track or lane	Higher-level	—
99	Stopped on a pedestrian crossing or crossing area marked by zig-zags	Higher-level	—

Car-park (off-street) codes

Issued in a council car park. Numbers vary slightly between councils — go by the code on your notice.

Car-park (off-street) codes: code, what it means, penalty level and official suffixes
Code	What it means	Level	Suffixes
82	Parked in a car park after the expiry of paid for time	Lower-level	—
83	Parked in a car park without clearly displaying a valid pay & display ticket or voucher	Lower-level	—
85	Parked in a car park without a valid permit displayed	Higher-level	—
73	Parked without payment of the parking charge	Lower-level	73u
81	Parked in a restricted area in a car park	Higher-level	81o
86	Not parked correctly within the markings of a bay or space	Lower-level	86p 86r 86s
87	Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge	Higher-level	—

Bus lane codes

Camera-enforced, always at the higher rate.

Bus lane codes: code, what it means, penalty level and official suffixes
Code	What it means	Level	Suffixes
34	Being in a bus lane	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	34j 340

Moving-traffic codes

Box junctions, banned turns, no-entry and bus gates — camera-enforced, and the fastest-growing category since councils outside London gained these powers in 2022.

Moving-traffic codes: code, what it means, penalty level and official suffixes
Code	What it means	Level	Suffixes
31	Entering and stopping in a box junction when prohibited	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	31j
29	Failing to comply with a one-way restriction	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	—
50	Performing a prohibited turn	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	50j 50l 50r 50u
51	Failing to comply with a no entry restriction	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	51j
52	Failing to comply with a prohibition on certain types of vehicle	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	52j 52g 52m 52s 52v 52x
53	Failing to comply with a restriction on vehicles entering a pedestrian zone	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	53j
32	Failing to drive in the direction shown by the arrow on a blue sign	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	32j 32d 32t 32w
33	Using a route restricted to certain vehicles	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	33j 33b 33c 33e 33f 33g 33h 33i 33k 33q 33r 33s
37	Failing to give way to oncoming vehicles	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	37j
38	Failing to comply with a sign indicating that vehicular traffic must pass to the specified side of a sign	Higher rate (camera-enforced)	38j 38l 38r

Jump to a code

01 02 12 16 21 23 25 27 40 45 46 47 48 62 05 06 07 19 22 24 30 11 14 26 28 49 99 82 83 85 73 81 86 87 34 31 29 50 51 52 53 32 33 37 38

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Contravention codes — frequently asked questions

What is a contravention code on a PCN?: It is the two-digit national code that says exactly what the council alleges you did — "01" for parking on yellow lines, "31" for stopping in a box junction, and so on. The list is statutory and identical across England and Wales, so the same code means the same thing whichever council issued your Penalty Charge Notice. The code, plus the officer's observation or the camera images, is what defines the allegation you have to answer.
What does the letter after the code mean?: Some codes carry an official letter suffix that narrows the contravention further — 52m is "motor vehicles", 50r is "no right turn", 34j means camera-enforced. The suffixes are published in the national list; they are not invented by individual councils. Where a code has them, its page lists every valid variant. Always appeal against the exact code printed on your notice, not the bare number.
How much is a PCN, and does the code change the amount?: Indirectly, yes — each code is either higher-level or lower-level. A higher-level PCN is £160 in inner London (Band A) or £140 in outer London, and around £70 elsewhere in England. Lower-level is £110 / £90 in London and about £50 elsewhere. All are halved if you pay within 14 days — and most councils freeze that discount while they consider an early challenge.
Is the contravention code the same in every council?: For England and Wales, yes — these are national codes under the Traffic Management Act 2004, maintained by London Councils for parking and gov.uk Annex B for bus-lane and moving-traffic contraventions. Wording can vary slightly between councils and code-list versions, and off-street car-park numbering is the least consistent, but the meaning of each code does not change. Scotland and Northern Ireland run separate regimes.
Can I appeal any contravention code?: Yes. Every council PCN carries the same statutory grounds of appeal regardless of the code — the contravention did not occur, the signs or Traffic Regulation Order were non-compliant, there was a procedural error, you were not the owner, or the penalty exceeded the amount due. The code just determines which of those is most likely to fit. Challenge the council first, then make formal representations, then appeal free to an independent adjudicator.