Paid for the wrong day or the wrong number plate

This is one of the most frustrating penalties: you paid, but the payment is attached to the wrong registration or the wrong day, so the camera record for your journey shows nothing paid. TfL lists exactly this as a reason it issues PCNs. You may still be able to fix it, and if not, it is a reasonable case to put to the authority.

First, try to fix it before a PCN arrives

TfL has an amend or refund service for charges paid in error; Dart Charge lets you check which crossings are paid in your account; merseyflow lets you print receipts and check paid crossings. If you spot the mistake within the payment window, correcting it may stop the PCN being issued at all.

If a PCN has already come

The legal ground "the charge was paid at the time and in the manner required" is strict: a payment for a different registration or a different date was not a payment for this journey. So the strongest approach is usually two-part: show the payment exists and was clearly meant for this journey (same day, one character wrong, or the right plate on the next day), and ask the authority to accept it or use its discretion.

Outside London, ask for cancellation for compelling reasons (SI 2013/1783 reg 8(1)(b)). In London, TfL considers mitigating circumstances at the representations stage, but London Tribunals cannot, so make the case fully to TfL.

Send

• The payment receipt and reference.
• A bank statement line showing the amount left your account.
• The V5C showing your correct registration, if one character was mistyped.
• A short explanation of the mistake, without apologising for things you did not do.

Ask for the misdirected payment back

If the authority keeps the penalty, ask in the same letter for the payment made against the wrong plate or date to be refunded or reallocated, since no charge was owed on it.