City of London Corporation: PCNs and how to challenge them

What City of London enforces

Parking

Enforces — civil enforcement officers (Marston Holdings) and some CCTV

Bus lanes / gates

Enforces — listed among its camera-enforced restrictions

Moving traffic

Enforces — mainly by CCTV, including the Bank junction restrictions; also from City of London Police witness statements

Penalty level

£160 higher level (£80 if paid early), £110 lower level (£55)

Appeals

London Tribunals (free)

About City of London PCNs

The City of London is the Square Mile's own local authority, so its PCNs start with CL rather than the prefix of a neighbouring borough; if yours has a different prefix, it came from someone else. Parking tickets are £160 or £110 depending on the contravention, halved if you pay early. The discount lasts 21 days for a CCTV notice and 14 days for a moving traffic notice or an ordinary parking ticket.

Most moving traffic PCNs here come from CCTV, covering banned turns, no entry, yellow boxes, pedestrian zones, U-turns, blue arrow signs and bus lanes. The City says the Bank junction restrictions are in force and have not been suspended. A less common route: if a City of London Police officer sees a moving traffic contravention, the Corporation can post a PCN to the keeper based on the officer's witness statement, and in that case there are no photographs.

View the evidence and challenge through the City's PCN portal; phone advisers cannot decide challenges. The City says that if an early challenge is rejected, the discount is offered again for 14 days (21 days for a CCTV notice) from the rejection letter, while a late challenge that fails leaves the full amount due. After a Notice to Owner or Enforcement Notice you have 28 days to make formal representations. If those are rejected, appeal to London Tribunals within 28 days of the Notice of Rejection, using the form sent with it. An unpaid charge rises by 50% with a Charge Certificate.

How to challenge a City of London PCN

1. Check the deadline. A camera PCN sent by post gets a 50% discount if paid within 14 days; representations are normally due within 28 days of the notice being served.
2. Make representations to the council using its online challenge form. Quote the PCN number and the grounds that apply.
3. If rejected, appeal to London Tribunals within 28 days of the Notice of Rejection. The adjudicator is independent of City of London.

London penalty levels from 7 April 2025: Band A £160/£110, Band B £140/£90; bus lane and moving traffic £160 (London Councils).

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