Drivers will be given more time to park and leave under a new Private Parking Code of Practice laid before Parliament today, according to the government. The rules, which apply in England, Scotland and Wales, guarantee motorists five minutes to decide whether to park and ten minutes to depart once their session ends.

Key points

  • Appeals — charges cancelled for medical emergencies, breakdowns or broken ticket machines
  • Honest slips — maximum £20 on appeal for mistakes such as forgetting a permit or mistyping a numberplate
  • Charge freeze — maximum parking charge held at £100
  • Mileage fraud — car clocking added to the list of banned practices

Drivers who can show an honest error, such as stopping briefly to check directions, will also have charges cancelled on appeal. Some smaller mistakes, including entering the wrong registration or failing to confirm it at the machine, will be capped at £20 if challenged. The top parking charge is frozen at £100, and firms that fail to follow the rules risk losing access to DVLA data, making it harder for them to trace owners and chase payment.

A consultation held between July and September 2025, which received 4,526 responses, preceded these changes. The code forms one element of the Prime Minister's broader drive to ease everyday costs, an effort that has already addressed airline charges, subscription traps, rogue traders and school uniforms. A new independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board will supervise the industry, and operators are required to report data on charges and appeals.

In a separate move, dealers who turn back odometers to conceal a car's true mileage will be targeted with tougher enforcement. Clocking, as this practice is known, is a crime already, but its addition to the official register of banned practices aims to make action against those responsible easier. The government also intends to consult during the coming year about private parking debt recovery fees, including the question of reducing or abolishing the current £70 cap.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner, announcing the code, remarked: "Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle." According to Minister for Consumer Action Kate Dearden, the clocking measures would safeguard "consumers' hard-earned money" and back businesses "that play by the rules".

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

The new code gives drivers firmer ground when a parking session runs a few minutes over or a ticket machine will not co-operate. It is worth keeping evidence of breakdowns or medical emergencies, and reading any appeal form carefully before paying a charge.

  • Appeals: if a charge seems unfair, check whether it falls under the Appeals Charter before paying.
  • Buying used: ask for a full service history and mileage record to guard against clocking.
  • Watch this space: a consultation on debt recovery fees is promised for next year.