How does CancelMyFine work?

Answer 5 simple questions about your parking fine, and our AI generates a formal appeal letter referencing relevant UK legislation. Pay £4.99 and download your letter as a PDF instantly.

What types of parking fines can I appeal?

We cover private parking charges (ParkingEye, NCP, UKPC etc.), council Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), and police Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

How long does it take?

The whole process takes under 2 minutes. Answer the questions, pay £4.99, and your PDF downloads automatically.

What if my appeal is rejected?

You can escalate for free. Private fines go to POPLA (BPA members) or IAS (IPC members). Council PCNs go to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

What is POFA 2012 for parking fines?

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA) allows private parking operators to hold the registered keeper liable for a parking charge if the driver cannot be identified, provided specific conditions are met including timely service of a Notice to Keeper.

What is the Notice to Keeper requirement under POFA?

Under POFA 2012, the parking operator must serve a compliant Notice to Keeper within 14 days of the alleged contravention (or 29 days for hire cars). If this deadline is missed, keeper liability does not transfer and the charge is unenforceable against the keeper.

Can I avoid a parking fine by saying I wasn't the driver?

Under POFA 2012, if the operator correctly serves the Notice to Keeper and you do not identify the driver, liability transfers to the registered keeper. Simply saying you were not driving is not sufficient to avoid the charge.

POFA 2012 — Keeper Liability for Parking Fines Explained

What Is POFA 2012?

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA), specifically Schedule 4, is the law that allows private parking operators to hold the registered keeper of a vehicle liable for parking charges — even if they weren't the driver. Before POFA, operators could only pursue the driver, making enforcement practically impossible since they rarely knew who was driving.

How Keeper Liability Works

POFA creates a mechanism for transferring liability from the unknown driver to the registered keeper. However, this only works if the operator follows strict requirements:

The operator must have the right to issue charges on the land (via a contract with the landowner).
A Notice to Driver must be issued (typically placed on the windscreen).
A Notice to Keeper (NtK) must be sent to the registered keeper within the required timeframe.
The NtK must contain all prescribed information.
The keeper must be given the opportunity to name the driver.

Notice to Keeper Requirements

The NtK is critical. It must:

Be sent within 14 days of the alleged contravention (or within a reasonable period after receiving DVLA data).
State the amount of the charge.
Describe the alleged parking contravention.
Explain the keeper's right to appeal.
Provide a mechanism for the keeper to identify the driver.

If the Operator Fails

If any POFA requirement is not met, the operator cannot pursue the registered keeper. This is one of the most powerful defences against private parking charges. Check the dates on your NtK carefully and verify all required information is included.

Generate Your Appeal Letter

Use POFA to your advantage. Generate your personalised appeal letter in minutes with CancelMyFine — just £4.99. Visit CancelMyFine.co.uk for a POFA-focused appeal letter.