Dart Charge ticket sent to wrong keeper
A Dart Charge penalty notice must be sent to whoever was the registered keeper of the vehicle at the exact time it crossed the Dartford Crossing. If you had already sold or transferred the vehicle before that crossing took place, or if the DVLA's records had not yet been updated, the notice has been sent to the wrong person. If you were the previous keeper, you have a complete defence — but you need to show the transfer date from your logbook paperwork.
Legal basis
Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1783) reg.6; Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 s.22; statutory ground 'the recipient was not the keeper'
How to identify this in your case
Check V5C 'date of transfer' against crossing date. Get the buyer/seller details from V5C/3 slip if you sold; or new V5C if you bought.
Sample appeal wording
Dear Sir/Madam, Re: PCN [NUMBER] — Vehicle [REG] — Crossing [DATE] I challenge this PCN. I was not the registered keeper at the time of the alleged contravention. - Crossing date: [DATE] - I [sold the vehicle to [Name] on [DATE] / acquired the vehicle on [DATE]] - V5C section [9/10] / V5C/3 transfer slip attached Under SI 2013/1783 reg.6 the PCN must be served on the registered keeper at the time of the contravention. I was not that person. This is an express ground of representation: 'the recipient is not the person liable'. Please cancel the PCN and pursue the actual keeper if appropriate. Yours faithfully, [NAME]
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
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Related appeal grounds
- Aberdeen Clean Air Zone ticket issued too early
- Appealing a Scottish tribunal's legal error to a higher tribunal
- Attorney acting for keeper under Scottish power of attorney
- Bailiff acted without proper advance warning notice
- Bath CAZ — Sunset Period for Pre-Registered Commercial Vehicles
- Bay Obstructed or Too Small — Could Not Park Within the Bay Markings