General guidance, not legal advice
PCN code 40: parked in a disabled bay without a valid Blue Badge displayed
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 40 on a council PCN in England means the council says your car was in a disabled person's bay without a valid Blue Badge displayed properly. It's a higher-level contravention everywhere in England. If a valid badge was on show the right way, the contravention didn't happen. If it slipped or was the wrong way round, ask the council to use its discretion.
Whether you hold a badge and feel stitched up, or you nipped into the bay and now regret it, here's what code 40 means and what you can do.
What does PCN code 40 mean?
This is the official wording, used by councils across England and by London Councils:
"Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner."
For the council to be right, two things have to be true: the bay was a designated disabled bay, and there was no valid Blue Badge displayed the right way. That covers no badge at all, an invalid one, or a valid one displayed wrongly.
If your PCN says 40n, the "n" means the bay was on a red route.
Similar codes you might have instead
- Code 87: the same contravention in a council car park. Also higher level.
- A private car park (supermarket, retail park, many hospitals): that's a private parking charge, not a PCN. See how to appeal a private parking charge.
How do you display a Blue Badge properly?
gov.uk's Blue Badge rules for England say:
- Put the badge on the dashboard or fascia panel, where it can be read clearly through the windscreen. No dashboard? Somewhere it can be read clearly from outside.
- The front faces up, showing the hologram. The photo side shouldn't be visible through the windscreen.
- In a time-limited disabled bay, display the blue parking clock too, set to the quarter hour you arrived.
- The badge must be legible. A faded or illegible badge can get you a PCN, so ask your council for a new one.
In an on-street disabled bay, badge holders park free and, unless the signs say otherwise, without a time limit.
Is code 40 a higher or lower level PCN?
Code 40 is higher level everywhere in England, and so is code 87 in council car parks. The government's guidance puts parking in a disabled bay without a valid badge alongside double yellow lines and red routes, as more serious than overstaying in an ordinary bay.
How much is a code 40 PCN in London and the rest of England?
The code means the same thing everywhere in England. The price and the tribunal are what change.
| Code 40 (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 will show the amount and the band. Ignore it and, once a Charge Certificate is issued, the charge goes up by half (£90 or £105 outside London).
If the council says no, London PCNs go to London Tribunals. The rest of England goes to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
One London difference worth knowing: the Blue Badge scheme doesn't fully apply in the City of Westminster, the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea and part of Camden. They run their own schemes. If your ticket's from one of those, check that council's rules before you build your case around the national ones.
What are the common grounds for appealing a code 40 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 own evidence.
| What happened | Why it can matter | Our reading |
|---|---|---|
| A valid badge was displayed the right way | The contravention didn't happen | Strong, especially with a photo |
| The PCN came by post from camera evidence, and the bay isn't on a red route | On the street, camera PCNs by post are only allowed in a short list of places. A red route is on it; an ordinary disabled bay isn't | Strong |
| The bay had no sign, or its markings were missing or worn away | The council must keep signs up that explain the restriction, and the bay has to be backed by a traffic order. You can ask to see the order | Worth arguing |
| A valid badge was in the car but slipped, flipped or was face down | Not displayed "in the prescribed manner", so the contravention may technically have happened. Councils have discretion and must consider mitigation | Worth arguing, with a copy of the badge showing it was valid that day |
| A valid badge was on show, but the problem was something else (a time limit, the clock) | Code 40 is about the badge. If yours was displayed, say the contravention described didn't happen | Worth arguing |
| The badge had just expired and a renewal was on its way | Not a valid badge on the day. Proof you'd reapplied is mitigation at most | Weak to worth arguing |
| You were only there a moment | The grace period only applies where you were allowed to park | Weak |
| You were collecting something for the badge holder, who wasn't with you | The badge is only for when the holder is travelling, or being dropped off or picked up there. Misuse is a criminal offence | Weak, and don't try it |
| There were no other spaces | The Highway Code says you must not park in spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders unless entitled | Weak |
For how these compare with other tickets, see the best grounds to appeal a parking ticket.
What evidence should you gather for a code 40 appeal?
- The badge. A clear copy of the front and back, showing it was valid on the date, and a photo of how it sat on the dashboard if you have one.
- The bay. Photos of the sign (or the lack of one) and the markings, with your car in shot if possible.
- The council's evidence. Ask for the officer's photos and notes. DfT's guidance says these should be kept.
- The PCN. Check the code, suffix, location, date, time and registration.
- Who was travelling. If you're the badge holder or were dropping them off, say so plainly in your challenge.
- For mitigation: anything that explains how the slip happened, or a renewal email if the badge had just run out.
How do you challenge a code 40 PCN?
Same route as any council PCN in England: an informal challenge if it was put on the car, formal representations when a Notice to Owner arrives, then the tribunal. The half-price window is short, so move quickly.
- 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.
Want a straight answer on whether it's worth it? For £3 Unclamped checks your ticket against the official rules. If you've got a case, the appeal letter is £7 more. If not, we'll tell you.
Residents' bay instead? See PCN code 12.
Sources
- Department for Transport, Civil enforcement of parking contraventions: guidance for local authorities (updated 20 October 2022): "Setting charges", "Grace periods", "The exercise of discretion", 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
- London Councils, Parking and traffic charges in London. www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/parking-services/parking-
- gov.uk, The Blue Badge scheme: rights and responsibilities in England. www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-blue-badge-scheme-rig
- The Highway Code, Waiting and parking (238 to 252), rule 241. www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238
- SI 2022/71, regulations 10 and 11. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/regulation/10 · www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/71/regulation/11
- SI 2022/576, regulation 5. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/576/regulation/5
- The Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (England and Wales) Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/2489), regulation 18. www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/2489/regulation/18
- gov.uk, Parking tickets: Challenging a ticket. www.gov.uk/parking-tickets/challenging-a-ticket
- 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
My Blue Badge fell off the dashboard. Will the PCN be cancelled?
A badge that wasn't on display doesn't count as displayed, so the contravention may have happened. You can still ask the council to cancel using its discretion. Send a copy of the valid badge and explain what happened.
Can I park in a disabled bay if the badge holder is in the car?
Yes, if the badge is theirs, it's valid and it's displayed properly. The badge only counts when the holder is travelling in the car, or is being dropped off or collected there.
Is there a time limit in an on-street disabled bay?
Not unless the signs say so. If they do, display your blue parking clock too.
Does code 40 apply in a supermarket car park?
No. A council PCN is for council bays and council car parks (code 87 off-street). A supermarket's disabled bay ticket is a private parking charge with its own appeal route.
I'm a badge holder in central London. Do the normal rules apply?
Not fully in the City of Westminster, the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea and part of Camden. Check that council's own scheme.
Can a council send a code 40 PCN by post?
Yes, if the warden was prevented from serving it or you drove off first. A camera-only PCN by post is allowed on a red route, not in an ordinary disabled bay on the street. In a council car park (code 87), councils can also send one by post from camera evidence.
Your ticket, your case
Got a code 40 PCN?
Answer a few questions and we’ll match your ticket to the rules and count your deadlines. £3 for the verdict; if you’ve got a case, the appeal letter is £7 more.
Check my ticketA few questions, your deadlines counted for you. Your ticket photos never leave your phone.
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).