Harborough District Code 93 PCN Appeal (2026)

1. What does Harborough District Code 93 mean?

Code 93 alleges parking in a car park when it was closed. A period with no parking charge is not necessarily an open-parking period, and an open gate does not always override a stated closure. The applicable closing condition and the vehicle's presence at that time are central.

Contravention

Code 93 alleges parking in a car park when it was closed

Category

Council Car Park PCNs

Issuing authority

Harborough 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

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

2. What must Harborough District establish?

Compare the opening-hours notice with the tariff board. Record different weekend, holiday or event hours and any instruction about vehicles remaining overnight.

Photograph a changed or conflicting closure notice and preserve any exit-fault report. Check closure under the parking conditions rather than treating every charge-free period as either open or closed.

• The order and applicable arrangements must prohibit parking during the closed period alleged. The end of charging hours is not automatically a closure.
• The closing hours and any date-specific changes should be clearly communicated, with the relevant area and overnight arrangements identifiable.
• The evidence must show that the vehicle was parked during that closed period, using the correct date and time rather than an assumed departure time.
• Any overnight permit, event permission or inability to leave must be considered against the actual conditions. An open gate alone does not override a stated closure.

3. Grounds and exemptions for a Harborough District Code 93 appeal

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

An overnight permit, event arrangement or specific permission may matter. A general season ticket may still be subject to closing hours. If the council unexpectedly locked the exit or changed access, preserve the instructions and report rather than assuming that every closure automatically cancels a PCN.

• The car park was open at the recorded time. Provide the complete opening-hours sign, relevant date and any published holiday or event arrangement.
• The authority confused the end of charging with closure. Compare the tariff and opening conditions and ask which provision prohibited parking at that time.
• The vehicle was not parked during the closed period alleged. Use exit, recovery or other reliable timing evidence to address the PCN record.
• Authorised late parking or an unavoidable inability to leave applied. Supply the permission, gate-fault report or breakdown timeline and explain what assistance was sought.
• 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 Harborough District

For a parking PCN attached to the vehicle or handed to the driver, send an informal challenge to Harborough 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.

• The opening-hours sign and separate charging-hour information.
• The PCN timestamp and evidence of the vehicle's presence or departure.
• Event instructions, overnight permission or permit conditions.
• Gate-fault, helpline or recovery records explaining why departure was prevented.

1. Follow the submission instructions on your current notice. The link below is Harborough 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 93 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 Harborough District have to respond?

Harborough 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 Harborough District rejects your representation

A formal Notice of Rejection explains Harborough 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 93 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 Harborough District appeal to Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Traffic Penalty Tribunal is independent of Harborough District. Use the registration instructions and verification details in the Notice of Rejection, upload your evidence and explain why the alleged Code 93 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 Harborough 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

26 of 81 recorded cases were allowed (32.1%).

Full Code 93 PCN Appeal Guide

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