Parking Tickets: Why You Shouldn’t Be Fined Until Ten Minutes After Your Time Is Up
Most UK drivers assume that the second their parking ticket runs out, they’re fair game for a fine. But here’s something that might surprise you - by law, you must be given a ten-minute grace period before a council can issue a parking ticket.
That’s right: if your pay-and-display ticket expires at 2:00pm, you cannot legally be fined before 2:10pm.
The Law Behind It
The rule was introduced under The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) General (Amendment) Regulations 2015.
It covers:
Council-run car parks and on-street pay-and-display bays.
Any designated parking area where a ticket, permit, or time limit applies.
The regulation was brought in to add a bit of common sense to parking enforcement - acknowledging that life happens. Whether it’s a slow checkout, a queue at the lift, or a lost ticket, you shouldn’t be punished for being a few minutes late.
But Here’s the Catch…
Despite being the law for almost a decade, many people - and even some councils - don’t seem to know it exists.
Drivers across the UK have reported getting fined within minutes of their ticket expiring, and some have paid up unaware they could have successfully appealed.
What About Private Car Parks?
This is where things get a little murky.
The ten-minute grace period only applies to local authority enforcement - in other words, council-run parking.
On private land (like supermarket or retail park car parks), it’s a different story. There’s no legal requirement for a grace period.
However, both the British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC) - the two main trade bodies for private parking firms — recommend that operators allow at least ten minutes before issuing a fine.
It’s a guideline, not a guarantee.
Even James May Has Had Enough
The issue has caught the attention of none other than James May, who’s covering it in his brand-new Quest series, James May’s Shed Load of Ideas.
In the first episode, titled “Traffic Warden”, May sets out to design a warden-warning system and explore how parking enforcement has become one of modern life’s biggest frustrations. It’s set to air on Quest this autumn and promises May’s trademark mix of wit, curiosity, and common sense.
It’s about time someone in the mainstream highlighted how little-known (and inconsistently applied) the ten-minute rule really is.
What To Do If You’re Fined Too Soon
If you receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) within ten minutes of your ticket expiring:
Take a clear photo of your original ticket or permit showing the expiry time.
Note the timestamp on the PCN.
Quote the 2015 Civil Enforcement Regulations in your appeal.
Councils are legally obliged to cancel fines issued too soon — though some might need reminding of their own rulebook.
The Bottom Line
The ten-minute rule is one of Britain’s best-kept motoring secrets — and arguably one of the fairest bits of parking legislation ever introduced.
With James May set to bring it to the nation’s attention, perhaps 2025 will be the year everyone - drivers, wardens, and councils alike - finally gets up to speed.