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New Private Parking Code: what changes for drivers
Published · Based on official sources
On 20 October 2026 the government laid a new statutory Private Parking Code of Practice before Parliament. It sets national rules for private car parks in England, Scotland and Wales, including grace periods, a £100 cap and a £20 limit for honest mistakes. It is not in force yet.
Status on 30 October 2026: laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026; Parliament has a 40-day scrutiny period. Once issued, the code comes into force 21 days later and replaces the parking industry’s own code. Until then, private parking charges follow the existing industry code.
Sources: Commons statement HCWS393; the code as laid. Minimums; some car parks differ (see below).
What happened in Parliament
On 20 October 2026, Florence Eshalomi MP, Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, made a written statement to the House of Commons saying she had “laid before Parliament the Private Parking Code of Practice”. The same statement was repeated in the House of Lords by Baroness Blake of Leeds. (Commons statement HCWS393; Lords statement HLWS400.)
The government announced the code the day before, in a GOV.UK press release from the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who said: “These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.” (GOV.UK press release.)
The code is made under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 and applies to private parking operators in England, Scotland and Wales. It does not cover council on-street parking or council car parks, where penalty charge notices have their own rules. (the code; explanatory memorandum.)
Why the government is acting: the numbers
The government measures how many private parking charges are issued using the number of times operators ask the DVLA for a vehicle keeper’s details. Its impact assessment says these requests rose from 1.9 million in 2012 to 8.4 million in 2019, and to over 15 million in the year to September 2025. The government notes that more camera-enforced (ANPR) car parks explain part of the rise. (Impact assessment, paragraphs 26–27.)
Up about 8 times since 2012. Years shown are those given in the impact assessment; they are not evenly spaced.
Show as a table
| Period | Requests |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.9 million |
| 2019 | 8.4 million |
| Year to September 2025 | Over 15 million |
Source: MHCLG, Private Parking Code of Practice: final stage impact assessment (20 Oct 2026), para 26. The government’s press release puts last year’s total at almost 17 million charges.
About half of charges are never paid. Of those appealed to the operator, 55% succeed, which is why the new code’s appeals rules and £20 limit matter.
Show as a table
| Outcome | Share |
|---|---|
| Paid (any rate) | 48.9% |
| Not paid | 51.1% |
| Appealed to the operator (first stage) | 21% |
| First-stage appeals that succeed | 55% of appeals (about 12% of all charges) |
| Went to an independent second-stage appeal | 0.9% |
| Second-stage appeals that succeed | 49% of those appeals |
Source: impact assessment, methodology annex (outcome shares from British Parking Association data; second-stage figures from POPLA and IAS). “About 12” is 55% of 21, rounded.
When does it start?
Not yet. The code is laid under the negative procedure, which gives Parliament 40 days to scrutinise it. After that it can be issued, and it comes into force 21 calendar days after it is issued. It will then replace the industry’s existing Sector Single Code. The government says transitional enforcement arrangements will be published on GOV.UK when the code comes into force. (explanatory memorandum.)
- Jul–Sep 2025Public consultation (over 4,000 responses)
- 19 Oct 2026Prime Minister announces the code
- 20 Oct 2026Laid before Parliament
- Now40-day scrutiny by Parliament
- Date to be confirmedCode issued by the government
- 21 days after issueCode in force; replaces the industry code
We will update this page when the code is issued and a start date is confirmed.
The main changes for drivers
- 5 minutes to decide. A minimum consideration period before you are treated as having parked: at least 5 minutes, or 10 minutes at free car parks with 500 or more spaces. It does not apply to pre-booked parking. (Code, clause 5.1 and Annex B.)
- 10 minutes to leave. A minimum 10-minute grace period after your parking time ends before enforcement, except at clearly signed short-stay locations. (Code, clause 5.2 and Annex B.)
- £100 cap, £60 if you pay within 14 days. The maximum parking charge is £100, and operators must offer at least a 40% discount for payment within 14 days. The minister’s statement says the charge will be “capped at £60 if paid within a fortnight, and frozen at £100 if not”. (Code, clauses 8.2.1–8.2.2; Commons statement.)
- £20 for honest mistakes. Under the code’s Appeals Charter, a charge is reduced to £20 if, for example, you paid but entered the wrong registration, or had a valid permit you didn’t display and can supply a copy. A first-time failure to display a valid Blue Badge is also reduced to £20. (Code, clause 19.1.)
- Cancelled in some situations. The Appeals Charter includes cancellation where you paid but made a minor keying error, your vehicle broke down, a ticket machine was out of order with no reasonable alternative way to pay, or the operator broke the code. The government’s press release also lists medical emergencies. (Code, clause 19.1; press release.)
- Clearer appeals. You get 28 days to appeal, and the operator must respond within 28 days. If your appeal is rejected, you can go to an independent second stage whose decision the operator must accept, and enforcement is paused while it is decided. (Code, clause 8.3.)
- Debt recovery fees. Operators may still add up to £70 for debt recovery under the code. The government says it will consult “as soon as possible” on cutting or removing these fees. (Code, clause 9.1; press release.)
- Consequences for operators. Operators that don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA vehicle keeper data, which they need to chase payment. (Commons statement; explanatory memorandum.)
What this means if you get a parking charge now
Until the new code is in force, a private parking charge issued today follows the operator’s accredited trade association code and its appeal route. Don’t ignore it. Check who issued it, note the deadline, keep your evidence (photos of signs, your payment confirmation, your registration as entered) and appeal to the operator first. If the problem started with a payment that didn’t go through, here’s what to record when a parking payment fails.
Not sure whether your notice is from a council or a private company? Read Parking charge notice or penalty charge notice? If a text message asks you to pay a parking fine through a link, treat it with suspicion and check with the issuer directly.
Official sources: UK Parliament written statement HCWS393 (Commons) · HLWS400 (Lords) · Private Parking Code of Practice (as laid) · Explanatory Memorandum · GOV.UK press release, 19 October 2026 · all code documents on GOV.UK · final stage impact assessment. Clause numbers refer to the code as laid and may change if the code is revised before it is issued.
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