I have a virtual permit. Why did I get a code 12?

The officer's device found no valid permit for the registration it checked. Common causes are a typo in the registration, the wrong zone or dates. Send the permit record showing the registration, zone and dates with your challenge.

Can I park in a residents' bay outside the controlled hours?

Yes, outside the times shown on the bay sign or the zone entry sign, unless another restriction applies. Photograph the signs showing the hours.

My new car was not on my permit yet. Can I challenge?

You can ask the council to cancel. Include the permit, proof of address, and proof that you owned or were driving the vehicle on that date, such as the V5C or a courtesy car agreement. This is usually treated as compelling reasons, which the council can accept but does not have to.

What is the difference between code 12 and code 16?

Code 12 is for residents' and shared-use bays. Code 16 is for bays reserved for other permit holders, such as business, doctor or specific-purpose permits.

PCN code 12: parked in a residents' or shared use bay without a permit or ticket

Council parking PCN · England · Code 12 · Higher level · Last checked 23 October 2026

Code 12 means the vehicle was in a residents' or shared-use bay and the officer found no permit, visitor voucher or payment for it. It is a higher level code, so it costs more than an invalid permit (code 19). Many code 12 tickets turn on virtual permits: the permit exists, but not for the registration the officer checked.

What code 12 means

12: Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place or zone without clearly displaying either a permit or voucher or pay and display ticket issued for that place

Standard wording as published in council code lists: Knowsley Council and Wandsworth Council (London lists add "or without payment of the parking charge"). Some councils use slightly different wording or add a letter suffix to the code.

Residents' bays are reserved for permit holders during the controlled hours shown on the signs. Shared-use bays allow permit holders and paying visitors. Code 12 says that nothing valid for that place was displayed or recorded at all.

Many councils now issue virtual permits linked to the registration, so nothing needs to be displayed. The officer's handheld device checks the registration against the council's permit database.

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 12 is issued

A virtual visitor permit was booked for the wrong registration, the wrong day or the wrong zone.
A resident's permit lapsed while renewal was being processed.
A resident was driving a courtesy car, hire car or new car that was not yet on the permit.
A paper visitor voucher was not filled in, or was not on display.
The driver parked outside the controlled hours they thought applied, but the zone entry sign showed longer hours.

Code 12 or code 19?

Code 12 (higher level) means no permit, voucher or ticket for that place. Code 19 (lower level) means something was displayed but it was not valid, for example expired or for another zone. If the officer's photos show a permit or voucher on display, ask why code 12 was used. Charging the higher level when the lower level applies is a ground in itself: the penalty exceeded the amount applicable.

Grounds and evidence that fit code 12

The contravention did not occur: a valid virtual permit or session existed for that registration, zone and time, or the time was outside the controlled hours.
The penalty exceeded the amount applicable: a permit was displayed, so at most code 19 applied.
Evidence: the permit confirmation email or account screenshot showing the registration and dates; the renewal application and payment date; courtesy car paperwork from the garage; photos of the zone entry sign and bay sign showing the hours.

Common pitfalls

A permit for one zone does not usually cover a neighbouring zone, even a street away. If the permit was in your name but the vehicle was different, the council may still treat that as compelling reasons rather than a ground; include the paperwork that links you, the address and the vehicle. If the renewal lapsed, say when you applied and paid: councils can take that into account, but it is discretionary.

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 12

I have a virtual permit. Why did I get a code 12?: The officer's device found no valid permit for the registration it checked. Common causes are a typo in the registration, the wrong zone or dates. Send the permit record showing the registration, zone and dates with your challenge.
Can I park in a residents' bay outside the controlled hours?: Yes, outside the times shown on the bay sign or the zone entry sign, unless another restriction applies. Photograph the signs showing the hours.
My new car was not on my permit yet. Can I challenge?: You can ask the council to cancel. Include the permit, proof of address, and proof that you owned or were driving the vehicle on that date, such as the V5C or a courtesy car agreement. This is usually treated as compelling reasons, which the council can accept but does not have to.
What is the difference between code 12 and code 16?: Code 12 is for residents' and shared-use bays. Code 16 is for bays reserved for other permit holders, such as business, doctor or specific-purpose permits.

Last checked 23 October 2026. Sources: Knowsley Council, Standard PCN codes: on-street; Wandsworth Council, PCN contravention codes (London levels); SI 2022/576 reg 5 (grounds for representations); SI 2022/71 Schedule 3 (penalty bands outside London); Wandsworth Council, London-wide penalty charge changes from 7 April 2025; The Highway Code, rules 238 to 252 (waiting and parking); SI 2022/71 (General Provisions Regulations 2022); 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.