Contravention Code 05 — Parked After the Expiry of Paid-For Time

Last updated: March 2026

Ran back to your car a few minutes late and found a PCN on the windscreen? Code 05 is issued when you overstay the time you paid for in a meter or pay-and-display bay. The good news is that the law provides a built-in grace period defence — read on to find out if it applies to you.

What Does Code 05 Mean?

Contravention code 05 is a lower-level contravention issued when a vehicle remains parked in a pay-and-display, meter, or cashless-payment bay after the paid-for period has expired. The penalty is set at the lower band — typically £50 outside London or £80 in London boroughs, halved if paid within 14 days. Despite being lower-level, it is one of the most frequently issued codes in the country.

When Is This Code Issued?

A Civil Enforcement Officer will check the pay-and-display ticket on your dashboard or the digital records for cashless parking. If the paid time has expired and the vehicle is still present, the CEO will typically begin an observation period (usually five minutes) before issuing a PCN. They must record the time, location, and evidence including photographs of your ticket or meter reading.

Common Defences

The 10-Minute Grace Period

This is by far the most powerful defence for code 05. Under the Deregulation Act 2015, councils in England must allow a minimum 10-minute grace period after paid-for time expires before issuing a PCN. If the CEO issued your ticket within 10 minutes of your payment expiring, the PCN is invalid. Check the timestamps carefully — the time on the PCN, your pay-and-display ticket, and any cashless parking confirmation should all be compared.

Note: This grace period applies to on-street council bays in England. It does not apply in Scotland, nor does it apply to private car parks.

Broken or Faulty Meter

If the parking meter or pay-and-display machine was out of order and no alternative payment method was available, you may have a valid defence. The key question is whether you took reasonable steps to pay. If the machine was broken and there was no cashless payment option, photograph the machine and gather evidence.

Observation Period Not Met

Best-practice guidance from the Department for Transport states that CEOs should observe a vehicle for a period before issuing a PCN. If the CEO's notes show no observation period, or the observation was insufficient, this can support your appeal — particularly if you returned to the vehicle within a few minutes.

Cashless Parking Errors

If you used a phone-based parking app and can show that you attempted to extend your session but the app malfunctioned or failed to process payment, this can form a valid defence. Screenshots and app transaction logs are valuable evidence.

What Are Your Chances of Success?

Code 05 appeals have a strong success rate, largely thanks to the 10-minute grace period rule. Many councils issue PCNs prematurely, either because the CEO miscalculated the time or because they did not account for the statutory grace period. If you can demonstrate the PCN was issued within 10 minutes of expiry, your appeal should succeed. Even without the grace period defence, broken meter and cashless parking error appeals frequently win at tribunal.

Related Guides

• How to Appeal a Council Parking Ticket (PCN)
• Traffic Penalty Tribunal — How It Works
• The 10-Minute Grace Period
• Contravention Code 73 — Parked Without Payment