Challenging a Penalty Charge Notice and making representations

If you receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for a civil traffic or parking contravention, please follow the directions as detailed on the notice.

The following summary details how we handle communications received throughout the statutory recovery process.

• Informal challenge against the issue of the PCN (before the issue of a Notice to Owner/Enforcement Notice)

  An officer will review the case file and serve a Notice of Acceptance or a Notice of Rejection by post.

• Second or subsequent communication received at the informal stage (before the issue of a Notice to Owner/Enforcement Notice)

  The communication will be added to the PCN case file, but it will not be reconsidered by an officer and a further response will not be sent. The PCN case file will be progressed to the next stage of the statutory recovery process and further charges may be incurred as a result.

• Formal Representation (can only be submitted on receipt of either a Notice to Owner or an Enforcement Notice)

  An officer will review the case file, even if an earlier review resulted in the issue of a Notice of Rejection. A Notice of Acceptance or a Notice of Rejection will be sent by post

• Second or subsequent formal representation received

  The communication will be added to the PCN case file, but it will not be reconsidered by an officer and a further response will not be sent. The PCN case file will be progressed to the next stage of the statutory recovery process and further charges may be incurred as a result.

• Charge Certificate

  The communication will be added to the PCN case file, but it will not be reconsidered by an officer. A response will be generated automatically to confirm that payment is due, and this will outline the statutory options at the Charge Certificate stage of the recovery process. The PCN case file will be progressed to the next stage of the statutory recovery process and further charges may be incurred as a result.

• Order for Recovery/Witness Statement or Statutory Declaration

  At this stage, the options are either to pay the charge due or submit a Witness Statement or Statutory Declaration to the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court.
  Please note: You may only submit a Witness Statement of Statutory Declaration if one of the stated grounds is relevant. This is a court approved document and therefore there may be a penalty for misuse. Please read the directions carefully.
  Any communication sent to the authority will not be considered and a response will not be sent. The PCN case file will be progressed to the next stage of the recovery process and further charges may be incurred as a result.

• Enforcement agent

  Once a penalty charge debt is passed to an enforcement agent through a Warrant of Control authorised by the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court, all communication should be with the enforcement agent direct. Any communication received at this stage of the recovery process will be added to the PCN case file and may be forwarded to the enforcement agent for their consideration. A response will not be sent by the authority.