Two short periods protect drivers from charges for a few minutes either side of their stay. Most overstay charges that get cancelled come down to one of them.
The consideration period: arriving
This is time to drive in, read the signs and decide whether to stay. If you leave within it, no contract was made and there should be no charge.
| Site | Sector Single Code (now) | Government code (from its start date) |
|---|---|---|
| Most car parks | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Free car parks with more than 500 spaces | 10 minutes (with at least 1 hour free) | 10 minutes (500+ spaces, at least 30 minutes free) |
| Short-stay areas (30 minutes or less) | 1 minute | 5 minutes |
| Pre-booked parking | — | None |
The grace period: leaving
After your paid or free time ends, you get at least 10 more minutes to return to your car and leave. It doesn't apply at short-stay sites such as airport and station drop-off zones, and it only helps if you otherwise kept to the terms.
Why this matters with cameras
ANPR cameras record when you pass the entrance and the exit. That includes queueing for a space and queueing to get out. So on a 2-hour free car park, a camera stay of up to about 2 hours 15 minutes can be inside the rules: 5 minutes to consider, 2 hours parked, 10 minutes to leave. At larger free sites it can be 2 hours 20.
These are minimums. Operators can be more generous, and drivers with disabilities may reasonably need longer.
If you were held up leaving
Under the government code, a driver physically unable to leave in time, for example stuck in a queue inside the car park, shouldn't be charged if they stayed in their vehicle. Under the current industry code it's still a strong point to make with times and any evidence.
Sources: POPLA, "Parking charges: understanding grace periods and appeal deadlines" (August 2026); government draft Private Parking Code, clause 5.2 and Annex B. Check your times.