PCN code 24: not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space
Code 24 is issued when part of the vehicle is outside the white bay markings. It is a lower level code, often issued alongside a perfectly valid ticket or permit. Photos are almost everything here: the officer's, and yours.
What code 24 means
24: Not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space
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.
Redcar and Cleveland's code list says the contravention occurs when one or more wheels of a vehicle are seen to be parked outside the markings of a bay, because other parts of the vehicle will then be encroaching on the next bay or causing an obstruction. Wandsworth's explanation is shorter: all the wheels must be within the parking space.
Councils differ on the test they apply, so ask for the council's policy and look closely at the photos. In car parks the equivalent code is 86. Redcar and Cleveland's list notes that motorhomes and vehicles with trailers should buy enough tickets to cover all the bays they occupy, which is worth checking before you park a long vehicle across two spaces.
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 24 is issued
- A long vehicle, such as a van or a car with a tow bar or bike rack, overhangs the end of the bay.
- The bay markings are worn, so the end of the bay is hard to see.
- Another vehicle was parked badly, leaving too little room to park within the lines.
- A wheel was on the bay line rather than clearly outside it.
- Bays had been repainted shorter than before.
What the photos need to show
Ask the council for all the officer's photos. They should show where the wheels and bodywork were in relation to the markings. A photo taken from an angle can make a vehicle look further out than it was. Your own photos should be taken square to the bay, ideally from both ends, showing the lines and the vehicle's position before it was moved.
If you did not take photos at the time, photograph the bay later with measurements: bay length, and the length of your vehicle from its V5C or manufacturer specification. If the vehicle is longer than the bay, explain that it could not fit.
Grounds and evidence that fit code 24
- The contravention did not occur: the vehicle was within the markings, or the markings were not visible enough to show the bay's limits.
- Compelling reasons: another vehicle's position made it impossible to park fully within the lines, and moving away would have meant leaving the bay.
- Evidence: the officer's photos; your own dated photos; bay and vehicle measurements; photos of worn or missing markings.
Common pitfalls
Do not argue that the overhang was "only a few inches" without photos. Some councils treat any part of the vehicle outside the bay as a contravention; others look at the wheels. Ask which test your council applies and whether its own policy was followed, because inconsistency with a published policy is worth raising.
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 24
- Is a wheel on the white line a code 24 contravention?
- Councils apply different tests. Ask for your council's policy and the officer's photos, and check whether the vehicle was in fact outside the markings.
- My car is longer than the bay. What can I do?
- Measure the bay and check your vehicle's length on the V5C or the manufacturer's specification. If it could not fit, explain this with the measurements.
- Another car parked badly and squeezed me out. Is that a defence?
- It is not a statutory ground on its own, but you can ask the council to cancel for compelling reasons. Photos of the other vehicle's position are the key evidence.
- Is code 24 higher or lower level?
- Lower level. Outside London that is £40 or £50 depending on the council's band, halved if paid within the discount period.
Related codes: Code 23: wrong class of vehicle · Code 05: paid time expired · Code 83: car park, no ticket · All contravention codes
Last checked 23 October 2026. Sources: Knowsley Council, Standard PCN codes: on-street; Redcar and Cleveland Council, PCN contravention codes and charges; Wandsworth Council, PCN contravention codes (London levels); 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.