What is a Notice to Keeper?

It is the letter a private parking company sends to the registered keeper of a vehicle when it does not know who was driving. Under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, a compliant Notice to Keeper lets the company pursue the keeper for the unpaid charge. If the notice is late, or missing required information, it cannot use that route.

How long does a parking company have to send a Notice to Keeper?

If no ticket was left on the vehicle (typical of camera/ANPR car parks), the notice must be delivered within 14 days beginning with the day after the parking ended. If a ticket was left on the windscreen first, the notice must be delivered between day 29 and day 56 after that ticket — not earlier, not later.

When is a posted notice treated as delivered?

On the second working day after it was posted, unless the contrary is proved. Working days exclude weekends and bank holidays in England and Wales. The notice itself must state the date it was sent.

Does this apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No. Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 applies in England and Wales only. In Scotland and Northern Ireland there is no keeper-liability regime of this kind, so a parking company generally has to pursue the driver.

If the notice was late, do I still have to respond?

Yes — appeal rather than ignore it. Point out that the Notice to Keeper was not given within the period required by Schedule 4, so the keeper cannot be held liable. You are not legally required to name the driver.

Free tool · England & Wales

Notice to Keeper deadline checker

A private parking company can only chase the registered keeper if its Notice to Keeper arrives within a strict statutory window. Enter two dates from your paperwork to see whether yours did.

Was a ticket left on the windscreen (or handed to the driver)?

No — the first I heard was a letterCamera / ANPR car parksYes — a ticket was left firstA “Notice to Driver”, then a letter

Date you left the car park

The day the parking period ended, as shown on the letter.

Date on the Notice to Keeper letter

The law requires the letter to state the date it was sent.

It came by post (the date on it is the posting date). Untick if it was handed to you — the date is then the day you received it.

Rules read at legislation.gov.uk on 27 September 2026. Your dates never leave your browser.

The two deadlines

No ticket on the car

Camera / ANPR car parks. The Notice to Keeper must be delivered within 14 days beginning with the day after the parking ended — so if you left on the 1st, the last possible delivery day is the 15th.

Ticket left on the windscreen first

The driver gets 28 days to pay first, so the Notice to Keeper may only be delivered between day 29 and day 56 after the windscreen ticket. Early is non-compliant as well as late.

Posted notices count as delivered on the second working day after posting (weekends and England & Wales bank holidays don't count), unless it can be shown they arrived on a different day.

Where these rules come from

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, paragraph 9(5)
“The relevant period for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4) is the period of 14 days beginning with the day after that on which the specified period of parking ended.”
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, paragraph 8(5)
“The relevant period for the purposes of sub-paragraph (4) is the period of 28 days following the period of 28 days beginning with the day after that on which the notice to driver was given.”
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, paragraphs 8(6) and 9(6)
“A notice sent by post is to be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to have been delivered … on the second working day after the day on which it is posted”

Late notice? Turn it into an appeal

AppealIQ writes a formal appeal that sets out the Protection of Freedoms Act point alongside any other grounds you have — signage, payment, grace periods.

1 free letter every month, then £2.99 per extra letter — no subscription. See pricing

Frequently asked questions

What is a Notice to Keeper?: It is the letter a private parking company sends to the registered keeper of a vehicle when it does not know who was driving. Under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, a compliant Notice to Keeper lets the company pursue the keeper for the unpaid charge. If the notice is late, or missing required information, it cannot use that route.
How long does a parking company have to send a Notice to Keeper?: If no ticket was left on the vehicle (typical of camera/ANPR car parks), the notice must be delivered within 14 days beginning with the day after the parking ended. If a ticket was left on the windscreen first, the notice must be delivered between day 29 and day 56 after that ticket — not earlier, not later.
When is a posted notice treated as delivered?: On the second working day after it was posted, unless the contrary is proved. Working days exclude weekends and bank holidays in England and Wales. The notice itself must state the date it was sent.
Does this apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland?: No. Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 applies in England and Wales only. In Scotland and Northern Ireland there is no keeper-liability regime of this kind, so a parking company generally has to pursue the driver.
If the notice was late, do I still have to respond?: Yes — appeal rather than ignore it. Point out that the Notice to Keeper was not given within the period required by Schedule 4, so the keeper cannot be held liable. You are not legally required to name the driver.

More free tools

BPA or IPC lookupType the company on your parking charge to see whether it is a BPA or IPC member — and so whether a rejected appeal goes to POPLA (28 days) or the IAS (21 days).PCN discount calculatorEnter the date on a council Penalty Charge Notice to see the last day for the 50% discount, when a Notice to Owner can arrive and when the charge rises by 50%.

General information, not legal advice. Read more: POFA 2012 keeper liability explained.