Out of Time — Reopen at the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC)
When a council penalty has escalated past the appeal stage — a Charge Certificate, then an Order for Recovery, then enforcement agents — an Order for Recovery is challenged at the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton, within 21 days (use the date shown on the Order for Recovery). At the Charge Certificate stage no court form can be filed yet. Which form you need depends first on WHERE the penalty was issued. Since 14 October 2026 the forms are TE13, PE3 and TE14 (they replaced TE7, TE9 and PE2). Outside the London boroughs, a council parking or moving traffic penalty, including a bus lane penalty, uses form TE13, the witness statement. Inside a London borough it splits: parking still uses TE13, but a moving traffic penalty such as a bus lane contravention uses PE3, the statutory declaration. Form TE14 asks to file either one late or for more time, and is always sent together with the completed TE13 or PE3. A statutory declaration must be sworn; a witness statement need not be. The separate Dart Charge, Mersey Gateway and clean air zone versions of the old forms are no longer listed. Send it to the Traffic Enforcement Centre (tec@justice.gov.uk), not to the council.
Legal basis
Civil Procedure Rules Part 75 and Practice Direction 75 govern the enforcement of road traffic penalty debts registered at the Traffic Enforcement Centre, Northampton. The forms and their scope are as published by HM Courts and Tribunals Service on GOV.UK, where forms TE13 and TE14 replaced TE7, TE9 and PE2 on 14 October 2026: form TE13, the witness statement, is for a parking contravention inside or outside London, or a moving traffic contravention outside London only; form PE3, the statutory declaration, is for a moving traffic contravention in a London borough, including a low emission zone or clean air zone, and must be sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths, a Justice of the Peace (magistrate) or an officer of the County Court; form TE14 is the application to file a statement (TE13) or declaration (PE3) out of time or for an extension of time, and is sent together with a completed TE13 or PE3. The distinction is therefore territorial first and only then by contravention type. The GOV.UK page for form TE13 states that a court order (order for recovery) is challenged within 21 days. A witness statement (TE13) need not be sworn. The statement must state one, and only one, of the grounds set out in regulation 23(2) of the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/71); the grounds are printed on the official form, and the person signing it chooses there the one that is true for them. Regulation 23(1)(c)(i) requires service on the county court within 21 days of notice of the order, and regulation 23(4) allows a district judge to extend that period.
How to identify this in your case
The ticket or correspondence mentions a Charge Certificate, an Order for Recovery, a warrant of control, or contact from enforcement agents/bailiffs. At any of these stages the council PCN debt has been (or is about to be) registered at the TEC. A court form can be filed once an Order for Recovery has been made.
Beat It writes this argument automatically
Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket and drafts an appeal letter. You check it and tap send: we send it in your name where the council takes email, or through the council’s own website where we can; otherwise we guide you through their own online form so you press submit, or give you a letter to post. The win fee is only charged if you win.
Scan my ticketSources
- Traffic Enforcement Centre forms — the HMCTS collection (updated 14 October 2026: now PE3, TE13 and TE14):
- https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/traffic-enforcement-centre-forms
- Form TE13 — Apply to challenge a traffic enforcement order (HMCTS):
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-challenge-a-traffic-enforcement-order-form-te13
- Form TE14 — Apply to file a statement or declaration out of time, or an extension of time for traffic enforcement charges (HMCTS):
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-file-a-statement-or-declaration-out-of-time-or-an-extension-of-time-for-traffic-enforcement-charges-form-te14
- Form PE3 — Challenge an unpaid penalty charge notice (HMCTS):
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-pe3-challenge-an-unpaid-penalty-charge-notice
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