Most money lost on these penalties is lost to deadlines rather than to the original charge. This page lists each one, what starts it, and the rule behind it.
When the clock starts
Most deadlines run from the date of service, not the date printed on the notice. Outside London, first-class post counts as served on the second working day after posting (SI 2013/1783 reg 3(4)); TfL treats a notice as served when it would arrive in the ordinary course of post. Many notices print the date of service; use it.
The timeline
| Stage | England (CAZ, Dart, Mersey) | London (TfL) | Scotland (LEZ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay the charge | CAZ: by end of 6th day after; Dart: midnight next day; Mersey: 11.59pm next day | Midnight on 3rd day after | No charge to pay |
| PCN must be served | No set limit | No set limit | 28 days from detection (reg 6(2)) |
| Discount | 14 days from service | 14 days from service | 14 days from service |
| Representations | 28 days from service | 28 days from service | 28 days from service |
| Authority must reply | 56 days or deemed accepted | No set limit | No set limit |
| Appeal | 28 days from notice of rejection | 28 days from notice of rejection | 28 days from notice of rejection |
| Charge certificate | After 28 days unpaid; +50% | After 28 days unpaid; +50% | After relevant period; +50% |
| Pay charge certificate | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days before enforcement |
| Order for recovery | 21 days to pay or file statement | 21 days | Not used |
Counting days
"28 days beginning with" a date includes that date. So if a PCN is served on 3 March, day 28 is 30 March.
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Questions people ask
What if the deadline falls on a weekend?
The regulations count calendar days. Send it before the weekend.
Sources
Last checked: 13 November 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against these official pages. How we check