PCN code 01: parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
Code 01 is the most common council parking ticket in England. It means a civil enforcement officer saw the vehicle waiting on a yellow line while the restriction was in force. Whether it stands usually turns on three things: what the lines and signs actually said, how long the vehicle was there, and whether one of the exemptions in the traffic order applied.
What code 01 means
01: Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours
Standard wording as published in council code lists: Knowsley Council and Wandsworth Council. Some councils use slightly different wording or add a letter suffix to the code.
A "restricted street" is one covered by a waiting restriction in a traffic regulation order (TRO), shown on the road by yellow lines. The Highway Code (rule 238) sums up the rule: you must not wait or park on yellow lines during the times of operation shown on nearby time plates, or on the zone entry signs if you are in a controlled parking zone.
- Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, even without an upright sign, unless a plate shows a seasonal restriction.
- A single yellow line means waiting is restricted for part of the time. The times are on a nearby plate, or on the zone entry sign in a controlled parking zone.
Code 01 covers waiting only. If there are also yellow marks on the kerb (a loading ban), the council should use code 02 instead.
How much it costs
| Where | Penalty | If paid within the discount period |
|---|---|---|
| England outside London (council's band 1 or band 2) | £60 or £70 | £30 or £35 |
| London (band A or band B, from 7 April 2025) | £160 or £140 | £80 or £70 |
This is a higher level code. Outside London the bands are set by Schedule 3 to SI 2022/71; London levels are set for all boroughs together. If a charge certificate is issued, the penalty goes up by 50%. The amount printed on your PCN is the one that applies to you: if it does not match the published level for your area, that is itself a ground for representations.
Situations where code 01 is issued
- Parking on a single yellow line a few minutes before the restriction ends, or after it starts, often because the plate is some distance away.
- Stopping to load or unload, when the officer did not see any loading activity.
- Waiting to pick someone up, with the engine running and the driver in the seat.
- Parking with a Blue Badge, but without the clock, or for more than three hours.
- Parking where lines have worn away, were broken by roadworks or stop short of the vehicle.
Exemptions that often apply
The exemptions are written in the council's traffic order, so read the order for your street (councils must make it available). Most waiting restrictions allow:
- Loading and unloading, where there is no loading ban, for as long as the loading continues. Councils usually watch for a few minutes before issuing; Knowsley's published list, for example, gives a 5-minute observation period for code 01.
- Boarding and alighting: stopping for as long as it takes for passengers to get in or out.
- Blue Badge holders: in England a badge holder can usually wait on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, with the badge and the clock displayed, but in general not where there is a loading ban. Some central London areas run their own schemes.
- Works and emergencies, such as building works with a council dispensation, or a breakdown.
Grounds and evidence that fit code 01
Most code 01 representations use one of the statutory grounds: the contravention did not occur (an exemption applied, or the lines and signs did not properly show the restriction) or a procedural impropriety (for example, the PCN or Notice to Owner is missing required information). Evidence that matters:
- Dated photos of the lines where the vehicle was, including both ends of the line, and any worn or missing sections.
- Photos of the nearest time plate or zone entry sign, taken from the driver's position.
- For loading: delivery notes, invoices, a statement from the person receiving the goods, and the times.
- For a Blue Badge: a photo of the badge and clock as displayed, and the badge's expiry date.
- The officer's photos and notes, which you can ask the council for.
Common pitfalls
"I was only there for two minutes" is not an exemption on its own: there is no grace period on yellow lines. The 10-minute grace period in the regulations applies only to parking places such as pay and display bays. Waiting in the car does not change the position either. Keep the representation to the exemption or defect you can show, and put any personal circumstances in a separate paragraph headed "compelling reasons".
Deadlines for this PCN
This code is usually issued by a civil enforcement officer, with the PCN fixed to the vehicle or handed to the driver. The clock runs from the dates on your notices, and post is treated as served on the second working day after posting (SI 2022/71 reg 3).
| Stage | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Discounted payment | 14 days, beginning with the day the PCN was served |
| Informal challenge | Any time before a Notice to Owner; challenging inside the 14 days keeps the discount question open, and councils should consider re-offering it if they reject an early challenge |
| Notice to Owner | Can be sent once 28 days pass without payment, and normally within 6 months (reg 20) |
| Formal representations | 28 days, beginning with the day the Notice to Owner is served |
| Council's decision | 56 days from receiving your representations, or they are treated as accepted (SI 2022/576 reg 6) |
| Appeal to the tribunal | 28 days, beginning with the day the Notice of Rejection is served (reg 7) |
The dates printed on your own notices set your deadlines; where the count is in doubt, work to the earlier date. Our stage-by-stage guide to council PCNs explains each stage, and the one-page PCN deadlines checklist has space to write your own dates.
Questions people ask about code 01
- Can I get a code 01 PCN while sitting in the car?
- Yes. Code 01 is about the vehicle waiting where waiting is restricted. Being in the driver's seat does not create an exemption, although stopping briefly for passengers to get in or out is usually exempt.
- Is there a grace period on yellow lines?
- No. The 10-minute grace period in regulation 5 of SI 2022/71 applies to vehicles left in a designated parking place after the paid or permitted time ends. It does not apply to yellow lines.
- Can I park on double yellow lines with a Blue Badge?
- Usually, for up to three hours, with the badge and the clock displayed, but in general not where there is a loading ban shown by yellow kerb marks. Some central London boroughs run their own schemes, so check the local rules.
- What if the single yellow line has no time plate?
- Outside a controlled parking zone, a single yellow line should have a time plate nearby showing when it applies. If you cannot find one, photograph the street in both directions. Missing or unclear signs can support the ground that the contravention did not occur.
Related codes: Code 02: loading ban · Code 25: loading bay · Code 27: dropped kerb · All contravention codes
Last checked 23 October 2026. Sources: Knowsley Council, Standard PCN codes: on-street; Wandsworth Council, PCN contravention codes (London levels); The Highway Code, rules 238 to 252 (waiting and parking); SI 2022/71 reg 5 (10-minute grace period); DfT, The Blue Badge scheme: rights and responsibilities in England; SI 2022/71 Schedule 3 (penalty bands outside London); Wandsworth Council, London-wide penalty charge changes from 7 April 2025; SI 2022/71 (General Provisions Regulations 2022); SI 2022/576 reg 5 (grounds for representations); Traffic Penalty Tribunal; London Tribunals. General information about council enforcement in England, not legal advice about your ticket. Wales has its own regulations; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems.