Challenge an Order for Recovery

If you have received an Order for Recovery, it usually means the local authority claims that:

• The penalty was not paid, and

• No valid appeal was made

However, many Orders for Recovery are issued incorrectly, especially where:

• A Penalty Charge Notice was never received

• An appeal or representation was submitted and not responded to

• An appeal was in progress when the Charge Certificate was issued

In these situations, the Order for Recovery must be cancelled.

Challenging an Order for Recovery gives you back control of the process.

If you challenge it correctly:

• Enforcement is suspended while the application is considered

• The case does not progress further

• You may have the Order for Recovery cancelled

• You may be able to challenge the original Penalty Charge Notice

• You may be able to pay the original lower amount

Challenging an Order for Recovery is the last formal opportunity to correct errors before enforcement escalates.

No. There is no requirement to pay an Order for Recovery immediately.

Instead, you should first check whether it was issued correctly.

An Order for Recovery is issued before the case can escalate further. If you challenge it properly, enforcement is suspended and the local authority must respond.

Paying immediately closes your opportunity to:

• Have the Order for Recovery cancelled

• Restore your appeal rights

• Resolve the case at a lower amount

The documents required depend on the type of Penalty Charge Notice.

• TE7 and TE9
  For parking penalties issued on the road

• PE2 and PE3
  For moving traffic and bus lane penalties

Our system automatically identifies the correct forms based on your case. The required form is also stated on the Order for Recovery itself.

We will also explain:

• Whether the documents need to be witnessed or signed

• How and where to submit them

An Order for Recovery can only be issued by the Traffic Enforcement Centre and only after a Charge Certificate.

However, many Orders for Recovery are issued when the legal conditions are not met.

Common reasons it must be cancelled include:

• You did not receive the Penalty Charge Notice

• You appealed to the council and were waiting for a response

• You appealed to the tribunal and were waiting for a decision

• The Charge Certificate was issued incorrectly

In these situations, the authority must cancel the Order for Recovery and enforcement must stop.