Wrong offence code used on the PCN
Every PCN must carry a code that correctly matches what you are accused of doing. If the code on your PCN describes a different offence — or one that cannot even apply at that location — the notice is misleading and defective. It means you cannot tell with certainty what you are actually being accused of, which is a procedural failing that can make the PCN invalid.
Legal basis
Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Representations and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/576); requirement that a PCN state the grounds on which the charge is believed to be payable; procedural impropriety.
How to identify this in your case
Look at the offence code printed on your PCN. Then check what that code officially means using the Department for Transport or London Councils code list (available online). Now compare that official meaning with what the civil enforcement officer wrote as the reason for the ticket, and where it was issued. If the code describes a different act from the one alleged, or describes something that simply could not apply at that location, this ground may apply to you.
Sample appeal wording
formal
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
Beat It writes this argument automatically
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