PCN code 19: parked displaying an invalid permit, voucher or ticket
Code 19 means something was on display in a residents' or shared-use bay, but the officer decided it was not valid for that place, vehicle or time. It is a lower level code. Because there is a document at the centre of it, these tickets often come down to reading that document carefully.
What code 19 means
19: Parked in a residents' or shared use parking place or zone displaying an invalid permit, an invalid voucher or an invalid pay and display ticket
Standard wording as published in council code lists: Knowsley Council and Wandsworth Council (London lists add "or after the expiry of paid for time"). Some councils use slightly different wording or add a letter suffix to the code.
A permit, voucher or ticket is "invalid" for code 19 if, for example:
- it had expired, or was not yet valid;
- it was for a different zone or street;
- it showed a different registration from the vehicle;
- a scratch-card visitor voucher was filled in wrongly, for example with two dates scratched;
- it was a copy, or had been altered.
If nothing at all was displayed or recorded, the council would normally use the higher level code 12 instead.
How much it costs
| Where | Penalty | If paid within the discount period |
|---|---|---|
| England outside London (council's band 1 or band 2) | £40 or £50 | £20 or £25 |
| London (band A or band B, from 7 April 2025) | £110 or £90 | £55 or £45 |
This is a lower 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%. Check the amount on your PCN against the published level for your area: charging the higher level for a lower level contravention is a ground for representations.
Situations where code 19 is issued
- An annual permit expired over a weekend and the renewal had not arrived.
- A visitor voucher was scratched for the wrong month or the wrong start time.
- A vehicle was changed and the permit still showed the old registration.
- A permit for zone B was used in a zone C bay one street away.
- A pay and display ticket from a machine in another tariff zone was displayed.
Reading the document
Start with the officer's photos. Do they show the permit or voucher clearly enough to support what the PCN says? If the photo shows a valid date, zone or registration, the officer may have misread it. If the photo is unreadable, ask the council what exactly it says was wrong. A vague reason makes it hard to respond, and you can say so.
Then check the permit's own terms, often printed on the back or in the council's permit rules. Some schemes let a permit holder use any vehicle they are driving; others tie the permit to one registration.
Grounds and evidence that fit code 19
- The contravention did not occur: the permit or voucher was valid for that place, vehicle and time.
- Compelling reasons: the permit had been renewed and paid for, or the vehicle had just changed and the council had been told.
- Evidence: the permit or voucher itself (front and back); the renewal application and payment date; the V5C or hire agreement for a new or replacement vehicle; any email to the council about the change; the officer's photos.
Common pitfalls
Do not throw away a used scratch-card voucher: it is your best evidence of what was displayed. If the council says a voucher was filled in wrongly, compare its instructions with what you did. A permit printed at home from a virtual scheme may not be accepted as a display permit if the scheme does not use display; follow the scheme's rules and keep the confirmation email.
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 19
- What is the difference between code 19 and code 12?
- Code 19 (lower level) means a permit, voucher or ticket was displayed but was not valid. Code 12 (higher level) means none was displayed or recorded at all.
- My permit had expired but I had paid for the renewal. Can I challenge?
- Yes. Send proof of the renewal application and payment with dates. Councils can take this into account, although it is a matter for their discretion.
- Can I use my residents' permit in a neighbouring zone?
- Usually not. Most permits are valid only in the zone printed on them. Check your council's permit rules.
- The officer's photo of my permit is blurred. What can I do?
- Ask the council to say exactly what was invalid and send a clear photo or copy of the permit. If the council cannot show what was wrong, say so in your representations.
Related codes: Code 12: residents' bay, no permit · Code 05: paid time expired · Code 16: permit space, no permit · All contravention codes
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; 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.