BPA vs IPC — Which Trade Body and Why It Matters

Published: 2 December 2025

If you've received a private parking charge, one of the first things you need to work out is whether the operator is a member of the BPA or the IPC. It's not just an academic question — it determines your entire appeal route.

The Two Trade Bodies

Private parking in the UK is regulated through two accredited trade associations (ATAs). The British Parking Association (BPA) is the older and larger of the two, with members including ParkingEye, NCP, Smart Parking, UKPC, CP Plus, and Excel Parking. The International Parking Community (IPC) — formerly the Independent Parking Committee — is the newer alternative, with members including APCOA, Euro Car Parks (ECP), Horizon Parking, and Britannia Parking.

Both trade bodies are accredited by the government under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA). This accreditation is what allows their members to access DVLA keeper data — without it, a private parking company cannot identify who to send the charge to. In practical terms, every legitimate private parking operator in the UK must belong to one of these two bodies.

Why It Matters: POPLA vs IAS

Here's the key difference. Each trade body runs its own independent appeals service:

• BPA members use POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) — now operated by the Ombudsman Services.
• IPC members use IAS (Independent Appeals Service).

If you appeal to the wrong service, your appeal will be rejected — and you may lose valuable time. The appeal body is always listed on the rejection letter you receive from the operator (sometimes called a "Notice of Rejection of Representations" or similar). But it's worth knowing before you even get to that stage.

How to Check Which One

There are several ways to identify which trade body your operator belongs to:

• Check the parking charge notice: It should state the operator's ATA membership somewhere on the document, often near the bottom or in the small print.
• Check the signage: Car park signs typically display the BPA or IPC logo.
• Search the BPA member directory: The BPA website has a searchable list of approved operators.
• Search the IPC member directory: Similarly, the IPC website lists all its members.
• Google it: A quick search for "[operator name] BPA or IPC" will usually give you a clear answer.

Differences in the Appeal Process

While both POPLA and IAS serve the same fundamental purpose — providing an independent review of your appeal — there are some practical differences:

POPLA is a paper-based process. You submit your appeal online, the operator responds, and an assessor makes a decision based on the written evidence. There's no hearing and no phone call. Decisions are typically issued within a few weeks. POPLA decisions are binding on the operator but not on you — if you lose, you can still choose not to pay (though the operator may then pursue the matter through the courts).

IAS follows a similar paper-based model. You submit your evidence, the operator responds, and an independent assessor decides. The timescales and format are broadly comparable to POPLA. Like POPLA, IAS decisions are binding on the operator.

In practice, the quality of the outcome depends more on the strength of your appeal than on which service handles it. Both POPLA and IAS have track records of upholding reasonable appeals and rejecting weak ones.

What If the Operator Isn't a Member of Either?

This is actually good news for you. If a private parking company is not an accredited member of either the BPA or IPC, it cannot legally access DVLA keeper data. This means it can only pursue the driver (who it usually can't identify), not the registered keeper. In practice, charges from non-accredited operators are very difficult to enforce and are often dropped if challenged.

If you can't find any ATA membership on the charge notice or signage, it's worth questioning whether the operator is accredited at all. Mention this in your appeal — it can be a knockout blow.

The Takeaway

Before you do anything else with a private parking charge, identify whether you're dealing with a BPA or IPC member. It takes two minutes and it determines everything that follows — from which code of practice applies to which appeals service you'll use. Get this wrong and you risk wasting time and missing deadlines. Get it right and you're already on the path to a well-structured appeal.

Related Guides

• How to Appeal a Private Parking Charge
• POPLA Appeal Guide — How to Win
• Your Rights Against Private Parking Companies