Challenge a penalty charge notice (PCN)
If you think your penalty charge notice (PCN) has been issued incorrectly you can challenge it.
You can see photographs showing why you have received a penalty charge notice before you challenge it by entering your Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) number and vehicle registration number in the 'Manage or pay your Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)' form.
To make a challenge online you will need:
- a PCN number (which will always start with "GH")
- the vehicle registration number
Other ways to challenge
You can write to us with details of your penalty charge notice number, vehicle registration and the reason why you think your ticket has been issued incorrectly. If your informal challenge is unsuccessful, we may extend the discounted period for payment for a short time.
Write to:
Parking Services
Gateshead Council
Civic Centre
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
When we receive your challenge your case will be placed on hold. We will normally respond within 20 working days, although this may take longer in certain circumstances (such as if require further information).
If your challenge is accepted you won't have to pay anything. If we reject the challenge, we'll write to you explaining why and tell you how to pay or how to follow the formal appeals process.
Notice to owner
For parking tickets issued affixed to the vehicle or handed to the driver, if you do not pay the charge or make an informal challenge within 28 days of receiving your PCN, a Notice to Owner will be sent to the owner of the vehicle. The law says that this is the registered keeper, unless it is proved to us otherwise.
Do not ignore this notice: either make formal "representations" or pay the outstanding charge at the amount shown on the Notice to Owner.
Your representations will be considered by someone who would not have been involved in consideration of any previous informal challenge relating to your PCN.
We will write back to you with our decision. If we decide not to cancel your parking ticket, we will send you a letter explaining why, called a Notice of Rejection. You will be given the opportunity to pay the full charge of £50 or £70 (depending on the offence).
We will also explain how you can appeal to the independent Parking Adjudicator and will send you a form (called a Notice of Appeal) on which you can make your appeal.
If we reject your formal challenge and you still wish to dispute the PCN, you can appeal to the Independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal (opens new window) (TPT). Details of how to do this are also printed on the rejection letter sent out to you