Can I get a PCN for parking across my own driveway?

Not usually, if it is a residential property and the driveway serves only your home. The exception in section 86 does not apply to shared driveways.

Do dropped kerbs need yellow lines to be enforced?

No. The prohibition comes from section 86 of the Traffic Management Act 2004, so it applies in a special enforcement area without lines or signs.

How long can I stop at a dropped kerb to unload?

Under the Act's loading exception, for no longer than necessary and no more than 20 minutes, and only if the loading could not reasonably be done elsewhere.

Is code 27 higher or lower level?

Higher level. Outside London that is £60 or £70 depending on the council's band, halved if paid within the discount period.

PCN code 27: parked adjacent to a dropped footway

Council parking PCN · England · Code 27 · Higher level · Last checked 23 October 2026

Code 27 is for parking next to a dropped kerb, either at a driveway or where the pavement is lowered to help people cross. Unlike most parking rules, it comes straight from an Act of Parliament, so no yellow line or sign is needed. The Act also sets out its own exceptions.

What code 27 means

27: Parked in a special enforcement area adjacent to a footway, cycle track or verge lowered to meet the level of the carriageway

Standard wording as published in council code lists: Knowsley Council and Wandsworth Council (some councils use the shorter "Parked adjacent to a dropped footway"). Some councils use slightly different wording or add a letter suffix to the code.

Section 86 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 says that in a special enforcement area a vehicle must not be parked on the carriageway next to a footway, cycle track or verge that has been lowered (or where the road has been raised) to help pedestrians cross, cyclists join or leave the road, or vehicles cross the footway. Areas with civil parking enforcement are generally designated as special enforcement areas at the same time; your PCN and the council's parking pages will say if this applies.

Because the prohibition comes from the Act, there is no requirement for lines or signs at the dropped kerb.

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.

The exceptions in section 86

The Act lists them. The prohibition does not apply where:

the vehicle is wholly within a designated parking bay, or anywhere parking is specifically authorised;
the vehicle is parked outside residential premises by, or with the consent of, the occupier (not consent given for payment). This does not apply to a shared driveway;
the vehicle is being used by the fire, police or ambulance services;
goods are being delivered, collected, loaded or unloaded and it cannot reasonably be done otherwise, for no longer than necessary and no more than 20 minutes;
the vehicle is being used for building works, waste collection, road or utility works, and cannot be used without parking there;
the driver stopped because of circumstances beyond their control or to avoid an accident, or stopped only as long as needed for people to get in or out.

Situations where code 27 is issued

A resident parked across their own driveway, but the driveway is shared with a neighbour.
A visitor parked across a resident's driveway with the resident's permission.
A car parked partly across a lowered crossing point at a junction.
A delivery took longer than 20 minutes.

Grounds and evidence that fit code 27

The contravention did not occur: an exception applied, or the kerb was not lowered for one of the purposes in the Act.
Evidence: a signed statement from the occupier giving consent, with proof of address; photos showing whether the driveway serves one home or several; photos of the kerb profile; delivery records with times.

Common pitfalls

The occupier exception covers residential premises only, and not shared driveways. It also needs the occupier's consent: a neighbour cannot consent for someone else's drive. A kerb that has simply worn down, rather than being lowered for access or crossing, may not count, so photograph the profile of the kerb from the side.

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 27

Can I get a PCN for parking across my own driveway?: Not usually, if it is a residential property and the driveway serves only your home. The exception in section 86 does not apply to shared driveways.
Do dropped kerbs need yellow lines to be enforced?: No. The prohibition comes from section 86 of the Traffic Management Act 2004, so it applies in a special enforcement area without lines or signs.
How long can I stop at a dropped kerb to unload?: Under the Act's loading exception, for no longer than necessary and no more than 20 minutes, and only if the loading could not reasonably be done elsewhere.
Is code 27 higher or lower level?: Higher level. Outside London that is £60 or £70 depending on the council's band, halved if paid within the discount period.

Last checked 23 October 2026. Sources: Traffic Management Act 2004, s.86 (dropped footways); Knowsley Council, Standard PCN codes: on-street; 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.