Camera misread your number plate in Birmingham CAZ

Birmingham's Clean Air Zone uses cameras to read number plates automatically. These cameras can make mistakes — for example, confusing similar-looking characters such as 'O' and '0', '8' and 'B', or 'I' and '1', or simply misreading a dirty plate. If the charge notice was sent to you because of a misread, and your vehicle was not actually in the zone at that time, the charge must be cancelled if you can provide proof.

Legal basis

Transport Act 2000; Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions Regulations 2022

How to identify this in your case

Recipient's vehicle was demonstrably elsewhere (telematics, fuel receipt, work timesheet, dashcam), or the ANPR image shows a different VRM/colour/make.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

To: Birmingham CAZ Team Re: CAZ PCN [PCN_NUMBER] This PCN is issued to a vehicle that was not in Birmingham at the alleged time. Evidence of my vehicle's actual location at [TIME] on [DATE]: [telematics report / fuel receipt / dashcam / work attendance log] (enclosed). The ANPR record is a misread. The image shows a vehicle that is [different colour / make / clearly a different VRM upon proper inspection — note the [O/0, 8/B, I/1] confusion]. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [Keeper Name]

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 sends it for you where the council takes email — guiding you through their own online form where they use one, so you press submit. The win fee is only charged if you win.

Camera misread your number plate in Birmingham CAZ

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps