Private parking
Private Parking Code of Practice: what it changes and when
The calculator applies the timetable of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 to the day the Code was laid; add days of parliamentary adjournment to see the date move.
When can the Code be in force?
In force at the earliest
20 December 2026
| Laid before Parliament | 20 October 2026 |
| 40-day period ends | 28 November 2026 |
| Earliest issue | 29 November 2026 |
Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, section 2. The government has not announced a date: this is the earliest the Act allows.
The Private Parking Code of Practice is the government's own rulebook for companies that run car parks on private land in England, Wales and Scotland. It was prepared by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 and laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026. The Act gives Parliament a 40-day period to object; if neither House does, the Secretary of State must issue the Code, and it comes into force at the end of 21 days beginning with the day of issue. Counting from the day it was laid, the earliest date it can be in force is 20 December 2026, later if both Houses adjourn for more than four days. The government has not announced a date, and says transitional enforcement arrangements will be published on GOV.UK when the Code comes into force. Its main rules: a charge capped at £100, at least 40% off within 14 days, 28 days to appeal, a debt recovery add-on of no more than £70, and set grace periods.
Is this private charge above the Code limits?
Most the Code allows
£100
| Charge cap | £100 |
| Reduced within 14 days (at least 40% off) | £60 |
| Debt recovery add-on once overdue | £0 |
The Code is laid but not yet in force: these limits apply from the date it takes effect.
Rules, amounts and dates read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
The parliamentary timetable, step by step
Section 2 of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 sets the route. The Secretary of State consults, prepares the Code and lays it before Parliament. The 40-day period begins with the day it is laid. Days on which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued, or on which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days, are not counted. If either House resolves not to approve the Code, it cannot be issued and a new one must be prepared. If no such resolution is passed, the Secretary of State must issue it, and it takes effect at the end of 21 days beginning with the day of issue.
| Step | Date | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Code laid before Parliament | 20 October 2026 | GOV.UK publication |
| End of the 40-day period, if no recess counts | 28 November 2026 | Act, section 2(6) |
| Earliest issue | 29 November 2026 | Act, section 2(4) |
| Earliest entry into force | 20 December 2026 | Act, section 2(5) |
The explanatory memorandum confirms the two periods: 40 days of scrutiny, then entry into force 21 calendar days from issue (explanatory memorandum, section 11). Treat the date in the table as a floor, not a forecast.
What the Code requires of parking companies
| Rule | What the Code says | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Cap on a charge | no more than £100 | 8.2.1 |
| Prompt payment | at least 40% off within 14 days of issue | 8.2.2 |
| Unpaid tariff | can be claimed on top only above £60, by approved operators | 8.2.3 |
| First appeal | 28 days from delivery; answer within 28 days | 8.3.1 |
| After a rejection | the rate at the time of appeal held 14 more days | 8.1.2(e) |
| Second-stage appeal | debt recovery suspended until the outcome is known | 8.3.7 |
| Debt recovery | up to £70 added once overdue | 9.1 |
| Arrival and overstay | consideration of at least 5 minutes, grace of 10 on most sites | Annex B |
The Code also bans words that make a charge look like a public penalty, such as offence, violation or Notice of Intended Prosecution, and any design that deliberately resembles a council notice. It adds an Appeals Charter: a list of situations where an appeal with evidence must lead to cancellation, and others where the charge falls to £20 if paid within 14 days. Our registration error page and grace period page work through those lists.
How it differs from the industry code in use today
Since October 2024 the companies have followed a Sector Single Code published by the parking trade associations in June 2024. The memorandum says that code borrowed much from the government code withdrawn in 2022, including a single set of standards and a 28-day appeal period, but differed on the length of consideration and grace periods, on the £20 reduced charge and on appeals after payment. The new Code replaces it when it comes into force, and access to DVLA keeper data will be tied to compliance, checked through a certification scheme recognised by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (memorandum, paragraphs 5.6 to 5.10).
What stays the same
The Code is not directly enforceable in law: you cannot sue a company simply for breaking it. A parking charge remains a claim under contract, and only a county court can order payment. Keeper liability still depends on Schedule 4 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 in England and Wales, explained on our Notice to Keeper page. The documents, including the consultation response, are gathered in the GOV.UK collection; we read them again whenever a new document is added and update this page with the date.