For the first time, private car park operators in England and Wales will have to follow a code written by the government rather than by their own trade bodies. The draft Private Parking Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026 under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019. This page sets out what it changes, in plain terms, and what it means if you already have a charge.
When it starts
Parliament has 40 days to object. If it doesn't, the code is issued and comes into force 21 calendar days later. Legal press and MoneySavingExpert report an expected issue date of 30 November 2026, which would put the start date around 21 December 2026; the government itself hasn't published a date and says only that it will come in as soon as possible.
Until it's in force, our checker uses the industry's Sector Single Code. We'll switch it on the day the new code applies, and update this page.
What stays the same
- The £100 cap. The maximum parking charge stays at £100. A new oversight body will review it.
- The 40% discount. Pay within 14 days and you pay £60 on a £100 charge. Under the new code the 14 days run from when the notice is issued, and the discount stays open for 14 days after an appeal is rejected.
- The £70 debt fee cap. Debt recovery fees stay capped at £70 for now. The government has promised a further consultation, expected in 2027, on cutting or scrapping them.
What changes
Consideration and grace periods are set in law
Every car park must give at least 5 minutes on arrival to read the signs and decide whether to stay (10 minutes at free car parks with 500 or more spaces; none for pre-booked parking). After your paid or permitted time ends you get at least 10 more minutes before a charge, except at short-stay sites such as drop-off zones. See our grace period guide.
No charge if you paid before you left
At camera car parks, a driver who pays the full tariff before leaving shouldn't get a charge, however long it took to pay. For stays over 24 hours, payment is due within 24 hours of arriving. At free camera sites that ask you to enter your registration, you need to do it before you leave.
Nor should you be charged if you were physically unable to leave in time, for example stuck in a queue inside the car park, as long as you stayed in your vehicle.
Reasons a charge must be cancelled
Operators must cancel charges on appeal where there is evidence of:
- a minor mistake typing your registration
- a breakdown, an emergency or sudden illness
- a medical appointment that overran, or childcare delays
- broken payment machines with no other way to pay
- the operator breaking the code itself, for example with missing signs
£20 maximum for honest mistakes
Where you held a valid permit but didn't display it, paid but entered the wrong registration, or forgot to enter your registration at a terminal, the charge should be no more than £20. The same applies to a Blue Badge that wasn't displayed, on the first occasion.
Late appeals and deadlines
You still have 28 days to appeal, but operators must accept late appeals for good reasons such as a hospital stay, holiday, bereavement or a notice sent to an old address. Operators must answer appeals within 28 days, and must pause enforcement while a second-stage appeal is pending.
What about POPLA and IAS?
The two existing independent appeals services, POPLA and the IAS, carry on for now. Reports say a single government-backed appeals service is planned but won't replace them straight away.
What to do if you have a charge now
If you parked before the new code applies, your charge is judged under the Sector Single Code, which already includes the £100 cap, 10-minute grace periods and no-charge-if-paid-before-leaving. Don't wait for the new code to appeal: the 28-day clock is already running. Check your charge to see which rules apply to your date.
Questions
When does the new private parking code come into force?
The draft code was laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026. If neither House objects within 40 days it is issued, and it comes into force 21 days after that. Reports point to issue on 30 November 2026, which would mean it applies from around 21 December 2026. The government hasn't confirmed the date.
Is the maximum parking charge going down?
No. The cap stays at £100, with a 40% discount if you pay within 14 days of the notice being issued.
Does the new code apply to charges I already have?
It applies to parking on or after the day it comes into force. Earlier parking is judged under the industry's Sector Single Code.
Sources: GOV.UK, Private Parking Code of Practice (draft laid 20 October 2026) and the government response to the 2025 consultation; Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, sections 2–3; MoneySavingExpert and LexisNexis reporting on the expected issue date.