Camera misread a foreign or similar-looking plate
Automatic number-plate recognition cameras sometimes misread foreign-style plates as UK ones, or vice versa. This can mean a penalty charge notice ends up sent to the wrong vehicle keeper entirely. If you are a foreign visitor, you may also have been sent a notice to an address you never received it at.
Legal basis
Civil Enforcement Regulations 2022; CAZ/LEZ Charging Orders; EU Cross-Border Enforcement Directive (post-Brexit limited mutual recognition)
How to identify this in your case
Recipient's vehicle is UK plate but ANPR shows EU/EEA-style plate; or recipient is foreign keeper without UK address.
Sample appeal wording
To: [Council/TfL] CAZ/ULEZ Team Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] The ANPR record [shows a foreign-registered vehicle but is being enforced against my UK plate / shows my foreign-registered vehicle but I never received the original notice]. Cross-border enforcement post-Brexit has limited mutual recognition under the EU CBE Directive. Evidence: [photos / international postal records]. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [Keeper Name]
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
Beat It writes this argument automatically
Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and submits it to the council on your behalf. Only pay if you win.
Scan my ticketSources
- Civil Enforcement Regulations 2022
- EU CBE Directive