Cotswold District Code 04 PCN Appeal (2026)

1. What does Cotswold District Code 04 mean?

Code 04 concerns a vehicle in an on-street meter bay while the meter indicates penalty time. It is a meter-specific allegation, not simply a claim that no payment appears in a parking app. In a double-headed meter, the officer must identify the display serving your space rather than the adjoining bay.

Contravention

Code 04 concerns a vehicle in an on-street meter bay while the meter indicates penalty time

Category

On-Street Parking PCNs

Issuing authority

Cotswold District Council

Formal representation deadline

28 days beginning with service of the Notice to Owner or postal parking PCN.

Penalty and discount

Use the charge and discount printed on your PCN; the applicable amount depends on the notice and contravention date.

Initial discount

The initial 50% discount applies for 14 days beginning with PCN service, or 21 days for an approved-device postal parking PCN. An early challenge may lead to a renewed discount if rejected; check the council's policy and the amount and deadline in its reply.

Appeal route

Cotswold District, then Traffic Penalty Tribunal after a formal Notice of Rejection.

2. What must Cotswold District establish?

Match the bay, meter number and any directional arrow. Photograph both faces of a double-headed meter if the council may have read the wrong one.

Read the bay's charging hours and meter instructions together. A controlled-zone entrance does not by itself establish the paid hours or meter allocation for this space.

• The vehicle must be in the meter bay governed by the applicable charging conditions during controlled hours.
• The penalty-time reading must be from the meter display serving that space. For a double-headed meter, distinguish the display for the adjoining bay.
• The payment credited and recorded expiry must support the alleged penalty time; a disputed fault or incorrect reading needs checking against the meter records.
• For qualifying permitted parking in England, no penalty is payable for an overstay of no more than ten minutes. Check the expiry and any concession before treating a penalty display as conclusive.

3. Grounds and exemptions for a Cotswold District Code 04 appeal

The statutory ground must match what happened. These code-specific points explain how to establish it.

Loading or necessary passenger assistance can be relevant if the parking order permits that activity in the meter bay. Describe what happened and the time needed. DfT's English Blue Badge guidance permits free on-street meter parking when its conditions are met, but central-London and other special schemes need a separate check.

• The meter still showed valid time for your bay. Compare its number, direction arrow or bay reference with the officer's photograph and the vehicle position. A neighbouring meter's expired display does not establish that your parking expired.
• The expiry was recorded incorrectly. Show the payment, amount credited and meter display. A fault report or inconsistent readings can support a request for the meter's inspection and transaction records.
• The PCN was issued within the statutory ten minutes after qualifying permitted parking ended in England. Establish the expiry and PCN time. This protection does not grant ten minutes of unpaid parking when payment was required from arrival.
• The meter charge did not apply at that time or a concession covered the vehicle. Use the bay's operating-hours sign and the actual permit or badge conditions, not the controlled-zone sign alone.
• The alleged parking contravention did not happen, including where a relevant exemption applied or the restriction was not adequately signed.
• You were not the owner at the relevant time: you never owned the vehicle, sold it before the event or acquired it afterwards.
• The vehicle was under someone else's control without the owner's consent at the time of the alleged contravention.
• You are a vehicle-hire firm and the vehicle was hired under a qualifying agreement with a signed statement accepting PCN liability. Supply the hirer's name and address.
• The authority is demanding more than the penalty legally applicable to this case.
• The authority failed to comply with a statutory requirement in imposing or recovering the penalty: a procedural impropriety.
• The traffic order relied on is invalid, except an order subject to Part 6 of Schedule 9 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
• For a postal PCN relying on prevented service or a qualifying drive-away under regulation 10(2)(b) or (c), nobody prevented the officer from attaching or handing over the PCN. This is not the ground for an approved-device postal PCN.
• The enforcement notice should not have been served because the penalty was already paid in full, or at the valid discounted amount by the applicable deadline. Paying a parking tariff is different from paying the penalty.

4. How to make a formal representation to Cotswold District

For a parking PCN attached to the vehicle or handed to the driver, send an informal challenge to Cotswold District. Formal representations are made against the Notice to Owner, or directly against a postal parking PCN, within 28 days beginning with service. Respond to the formal notice even if an earlier informal challenge is unanswered.

The initial 50% discount applies for 14 days beginning with PCN service, or 21 days for an approved-device postal parking PCN. An early challenge may lead to a renewed discount if rejected; check the council's policy and the amount and deadline in its reply.

• A photograph showing the vehicle, bay number and the meter that serves it.
• The meter display at the relevant time, including both faces of a double-headed meter if the reading is disputed.
• Payment records and any machine fault reference, with the amount and time credited.
• The bay's hours and any permit, badge or delivery evidence supporting an exception.

1. Follow the submission instructions on your current notice. The link below is Cotswold District's official parking information, not a verified submission form.
2. Check the issuing authority, PCN reference and vehicle registration on your current notice before choosing a challenge route.
3. Use the submission method and deadline stated on your current notice. Check that any online form is for the notice type and stage you have.
4. Keep a copy of your submission and attachments, and retain any acknowledgement or postal delivery record.
5. Explain which part of the Code 04 allegation you dispute. Include the PCN reference, vehicle registration, your address and copies of photographs or records supporting each point.
6. Save the full submission, attachments and dated acknowledgement.

5. How long does Cotswold District have to respond?

Cotswold District must serve its decision within 56 days beginning with receipt of qualifying formal representations. If it fails to comply, those representations are deemed accepted. This statutory period applies to formal representations, not an informal challenge or a request for photographs.

6. If Cotswold District rejects your representation

A formal Notice of Rejection explains Cotswold District's decision and how to appeal to Traffic Penalty Tribunal. You have 28 days beginning with service of that notice to pay or register your tribunal appeal.

Compare the reply with the Code 04 grounds and evidence you submitted. Identify any unanswered point, missing evidence or inconsistency between the restriction and the recorded event. Keep the rejection notice and the appeal details supplied with it.

An informal rejection is different: formal representations can be made if a Notice to Owner follows.

7. Taking your Cotswold District appeal to Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Traffic Penalty Tribunal is independent of Cotswold District. Use the registration instructions and verification details in the Notice of Rejection, upload your evidence and explain why the alleged Code 04 contravention or liability is disputed.

There is no fee to register the appeal. If it is refused, the full penalty is normally payable; an earlier discount does not automatically continue. If registering late, explain the delay so the adjudicator can decide whether to accept the appeal.

Read Cotswold District's evidence pack and respond to the points relevant to your case. Keep to the tribunal's directions and evidence deadlines.

2025 London Tribunals results: shared context

4,151 of 13,391 recorded cases were allowed (31.0%).

Full Code 04 PCN Appeal Guide

Read the detailed legislation, signage requirements, exemptions and case analysis for this contravention.