General guidance, not legal advice
PCN code 01: parked on yellow lines during restricted hours
Checked against the official sources linked on this page on 26 October 2026. Rules change, so check the dates on your own notice.
In short: Code 01 on a council PCN in England means the council says you parked on a single or double yellow line while the restriction was in force. It's higher level everywhere in England, and the 10-minute grace period doesn't apply. If you parked outside the restricted hours, were loading where that's allowed, or had a Blue Badge displayed correctly, say so.
Yellow lines catch out more people than almost anything else. Here's what code 01 means and where the council can get it wrong.
What does PCN code 01 mean?
The official wording, used across England and by London Councils, is short:
"Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours."
A restricted street is one with a waiting restriction, usually yellow lines. The prescribed hours are the times the restriction applies:
- Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, even if there are no upright signs.
- Single yellow lines apply at the times on the nearby time plate, or on the zone entry sign if you're in a Controlled Parking Zone.
What the letter after the code means
| Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a | Temporary traffic order (a temporary restriction, such as for roadworks or an event) |
| j | Camera enforcement |
| o | Blue Badge holder |
| y | Blue Badge obscured or illegible |
| z | Blue Badge out of date |
If the suffix doesn't fit what happened, point that out.
Similar codes you might have instead
- Code 02: parked, or loading, where there's a loading ban as well (yellow kerb dashes). Also higher level.
- Code 46: stopped where prohibited on a red route or clearway.
- Code 48: stopped on school keep-clear markings when prohibited.
Is code 01 a higher or lower level PCN?
Higher level, everywhere in England. The regulations for England outside London list breaking a waiting restriction as a higher-level contravention, and London uses the same split.
How much is a code 01 PCN in London and the rest of England?
| Code 01 (higher level) | Paid early | |
|---|---|---|
| London, Band A | £160 | Half price within 14 days (21 days if issued from CCTV) |
| London, Band B | £140 | As above |
| Rest of England, Band 1 | £60 | £30 |
| Rest of England, Band 2 | £70 | £35 |
Your PCN shows the amount. Leave it until a Charge Certificate arrives and it goes up by half (£90 or £105 outside London). If the council turns down your challenge, London PCNs go to London Tribunals and the rest of England to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
Can a council send a code 01 PCN by post from a camera?
Only in one situation. On the street, a camera PCN by post is limited to a short list of places, and for yellow lines that means a mandatory cycle lane that also has yellow line or loading markings. Anywhere else, a code 01 PCN should be put on the car or handed to you.
A council can still post a PCN if the warden was prevented from serving it, or you drove off before they'd finished. If yours came by post with only camera evidence and there's no mandatory cycle lane where you parked, that's a strong point to raise.
Does the 10-minute grace period apply to code 01?
No. The grace period is for overstaying in a designated parking place, like a pay-and-display or time-limited bay. DfT's guidance says plainly that a road with a yellow-line restriction isn't a designated parking place, during or outside its hours. Even a few minutes on a yellow line in restricted hours can be a contravention.
What about Blue Badge holders on yellow lines?
In England, Blue Badge holders can usually park on single or double yellow lines for up to 3 hours, as long as:
- there's no loading ban (yellow kerb dashes or signs), unless the council has chosen to exempt badge holders from it
- the badge and the blue parking clock are displayed, with the clock set to the quarter hour you arrived
- you haven't parked in the same road in the previous hour that day
This doesn't apply on yellow lines in off-street car parks. It also doesn't fully apply in four central London areas, which run their own schemes: the City of Westminster, the City of London, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and part of the London Borough of Camden. If your code 01 PCN is from one of those, check that council's rules.
What are the common grounds for appealing a code 01 PCN?
The ratings are our reading of the rules, not a prediction. The council (and, if it comes to it, the adjudicator) decides each case on its evidence.
| What happened | Why it can matter | Our reading |
|---|---|---|
| You parked on a single yellow outside the hours on the time plate or zone sign | The restriction wasn't in force, so the contravention didn't happen | Strong, with a photo of the plate |
| Blue Badge and clock displayed correctly, under 3 hours, no loading ban, outside the four central London areas | Badge holders are allowed to park there | Strong |
| The PCN came by post from camera evidence and there's no mandatory cycle lane | Camera PCNs by post for yellow lines are limited to mandatory cycle lanes | Strong |
| There was no time plate or zone sign for a single yellow line, or the lines were faded or broken | The council must keep up signs that give adequate information about the restriction | Worth arguing |
| You were loading or unloading, with no loading ban in force | The Highway Code says loading may be allowed where parking is restricted; the details are in the council's order | Worth arguing, with proof (delivery note, receipt) |
| You stopped briefly to let a passenger in or out | Often allowed by the council's order, but it varies | Worth arguing, check the order |
| A temporary restriction (suffix a) with no clear signs when you parked | You couldn't have known it was there | Worth arguing, with photos |
| Badge displayed, but the clock was missing or wrong | You didn't meet the badge conditions, but councils have discretion | Worth arguing, as mitigation |
| You were only there a couple of minutes | The grace period doesn't apply to yellow lines | Weak |
| Double yellow lines with no upright sign | Double yellows mean no waiting at any time, signs or not | Weak |
| You didn't notice the lines, or there were no other spaces | Not a ground on its own | Weak |
For how these compare across ticket types, see the best grounds to appeal a parking ticket.
What evidence should you gather for a code 01 appeal?
- The lines and signs. Photos of the yellow lines, any kerb dashes, the nearest time plate or zone entry sign, and anything faded, missing or hidden. Get your car in shot if you can.
- The PCN. Check the code, suffix, street, date and the observation times (DfT recommends PCNs show them).
- The council's evidence. Ask for the officer's photos and notes.
- Loading or passengers: delivery notes, receipts, or a statement from the person you were helping.
- Blue Badge: a copy of the front and back, and a photo of the badge and clock on the dashboard if you have one.
How do you challenge a code 01 PCN?
The same as any council PCN in England: informal challenge if it was on the car, formal representations after a Notice to Owner, then the tribunal. Watch the half-price window.
- Step by step: how to appeal a council parking ticket in England
- Every deadline: parking appeal deadlines
- Ticket from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland? Different rules: Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
Not sure your reason's good enough? For £3 Unclamped checks your ticket against the official rules and tells you whether it's worth fighting. If it is, the appeal letter is £7 more. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Overstayed in a bay instead? See PCN code 30. Other codes: code 12, code 40.
Sources
- Department for Transport, Civil enforcement of parking contraventions: guidance for local authorities (updated 20 October 2022): "Grace periods", "Collecting evidence of contraventions", "Enforcement using approved devices", Annex B "Contravention codes for civil parking enforcement, England-wide". www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-enforcement-of-park
- London Councils, Penalty Charge Notices: Contravention Code List (PCN Codes v7.0, 31 May 2022; web version published March 2025). www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/Penalt
- SI 2022/71, Schedule 3 (charging guidelines outside Greater London). www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/schedule/3
- SI 2022/71, regulations 9, 10 and 11. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/regulation/9 · www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/regulation/10 · www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/regulation/11
- SI 2022/71, regulation 5 (grace period). www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/regulation/5
- London Councils, Parking and traffic charges in London. www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/parking-services/parking-
- The Highway Code, Waiting and parking (238 to 252), rules 238 and 247. www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238
- gov.uk, The Blue Badge scheme: rights and responsibilities in England. www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-blue-badge-scheme-rig
- SI 1996/2489, regulation 18. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/2489/regulation/18
- SI 2022/576, regulation 5. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/576/regulation/5
- London Tribunals, Parking Penalty Charge Notice enforcement process. www.londontribunals.gov.uk/eat/understanding-enforcement-pro
- Traffic Penalty Tribunal, Parking PCN and appeal process. www.tpt.gov.uk/parking-pcn-and-appeal-process/
Questions people ask
Can I stop on a single yellow line?
Outside the times on the time plate or zone sign, yes. During those times, only if the council's order allows what you're doing, such as loading, or you're a Blue Badge holder following the rules.
Do double yellow lines need a sign?
No. Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, even with no upright sign.
Is there a grace period on yellow lines?
No. The 10-minute grace period only applies in designated parking places, and yellow lines aren't one.
Can I park on yellow lines with a Blue Badge?
In most of England, yes, for up to 3 hours with your badge and clock displayed, as long as there's no loading ban. Not fully in Westminster, the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea or part of Camden.
Can I get a code 01 PCN by post from a camera?
Only if you were in a mandatory cycle lane with yellow line or loading markings. Otherwise it should be put on the car or handed to you, unless the warden was prevented or you drove off.
What's the difference between code 01 and code 02?
Code 01 is a waiting restriction (yellow lines). Code 02 adds a loading ban (yellow kerb dashes), so you can't load there either.
Your ticket, your case
Got a code 01 PCN?
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General guidance about UK parking rules, not legal advice about your case. We only state rules we’ve checked against the official sources linked above. If your notice says something different, go by the notice and the source, and get advice if you’re unsure (Citizens Advice can help).