Overview
- The government laid the Private Parking Code of Practice before Parliament on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, requiring a five‑minute arrival window and a ten‑minute exit window for drivers to avoid charges.
- Under the Code the maximum private parking charge is frozen at £100 and smaller errors such as a mistyped registration or forgotten permit must be reduced by appeal to no more than £20.
- Operators must report data on charges and appeals to a newly created independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board and face losing access to DVLA vehicle‑keeper records if they break the rules, which would limit their ability to pursue fines.
- Drivers still need to appeal to have charges cancelled for honest mistakes or uncontrollable events such as breakdowns, medical emergencies or broken ticket machines, since cancellations do not happen automatically.
- The Code covers England, Scotland and Wales, is expected to come into force by the end of 2026 after parliamentary scrutiny, and the government will consult next year on whether to change the existing £70 cap on debt recovery fees.