Parking tickets (Penalty Charge Notices)
How much is a penalty charge for a parking ticket?
There are two levels of penalty charges depending on the severity of the parking contravention:
- Lower penalty charge - £50 (reduced to £25 if paid within 14 days)
- Higher penalty charge - £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days).
See which parking contraventions may result in a lower or higher charge.
Find out more about challenging a parking ticket.
How do I pay a parking ticket?
Online:
You can now pay any penalty charge notices issued in East Sussex online, using our online payment system:
By post:
- make your cheque or postal order payable to East Sussex County Council and write the notice number (shown on the front of the parking ticket) on the back of your cheque. Complete the tear-off strip at the bottom of the parking ticket and attach to your cheque.
- credit/debit card payments can be made using the tear-off slip at the bottom of the parking ticket.
Send postal payments for tickets issued in Lewes or Eastbourne to:
East Sussex County Council
The Parking Shop
PO Box 80
Lewes BN7 2WU
By telephone:
Call our payment line on 08456 585500, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. with your card details and PCN number.
Please note this number is only for payments. If you want to make an enquiry please see the information below about challenging a parking ticket.
In person:
Challenging a parking ticket
Stage 1 – challenging the parking ticket
If you believe that a parking ticket has been issued incorrectly you should contact us in writing within 14 days of issue so that we can consider your challenge. When you write to us, your ticket will be put on hold and the amount due will not increase.
You can write to us using the following form:
We will write back to you with our decision. If we decide not to cancel your parking ticket, you will be given the opportunity to pay the discounted charge of £25 or £35 (depending on the offence), providing you had challenged it within 14 days.
Stage 2 – making formal representations
If the parking ticket is not paid, a Notice to Owner will be sent to the person or company that we believe to be the owner of the vehicle. At this point the full charge must be paid.
If you receive a Notice to Owner, you can use the form to make formal representations to us. The notice to owner form gives details of the legal grounds on which formal representation may be made. You must make representations within 28 days of receiving the form. Please state your case simply and clearly.
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 of Representations. 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.
Stage 3 – appealing to an independent parking adjudicator
If you have made formal representations to us and have received a Notice of Rejection of Representations, you can appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
There is no charge for making an appeal. You can present your case to either in writing or in person at a hearing. Hearings are held locally.
If your appeal is successful, we will cancel your parking ticket. The Parking Adjudicator does not normally award costs. If your appeal is unsuccessful, you will have to pay the full penalty charge of £50 or £70.
What happens if a parking ticket is neither paid or challenged?
If a parking ticket remains unpaid without being challenged, we will seek a Court Order and add the cost of the Court Order to the amount you will have to pay. If you still do not pay, bailiffs will enforce the Court Order and you will have to pay their costs as well.
Lost tickets
If you have lost your ticket but still need to pay, please contact the Lewes Parking Shop or Eastbourne Parking Information Centre.
