Warning
Fife Council has recently been made aware of a possible scam attempt involving text messages about unpaid parking tickets.
Please note that Fife Council/Local Authorities would never send a text message about an outstanding parking ticket and parking tickets cannot be paid through texts.
If you have received such a message, do not click on the link or provide payment details.
If you do get a ticket:
The penalty charge (£60) must be paid, which means we must have received payment, before 28 days have passed, beginning with the date of the notice.
- If the penalty charge is paid before 14 days, beginning with the date of the notice, the amount of the penalty charge will be reduced by 50% (£30).
- Please note, it is not possible to pay the outstanding charge and then appeal or challenge the Penalty Charge Notice.
How to pay a Penalty Charge Notice
Penalty Charge increase
From Tuesday, 1 July 2025, Fife Council will increase Penalty Charge levels for parking in Fife to £100 (discounted to £50 if paid within 14 days).
The Penalty Charge level has not increased in Scotland since 2001. To date, all other Scottish Local Authorities (who operate Decriminalised Parking Enforcement) have increased the Penalty Charge level.
The increase in Penalty Charge level will only affect the relatively small percentage of drivers who do not adhere to the Traffic Regulations Orders and who are then served with a PCN.
There are no other changes to enforcement or restrictions as a result of this change, and the Blue Badge scheme will continue to operate as normal.
Existing and new Penalty Charge levels
| Level of penalty if PCN is paid within 14 days | Level of penalty if PCN is paid within 28 days | Level of penalty if PCN is unpaid after 28 days and Notice to Owner is issued | Level of penalty if PCN is unpaid after 56 days and Charge Certificate is issued |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Existing charge (until 30 June 2025) | £30 | £60 | £60 | £90 |
New charge (from 1 July 2025) | £50 | £100 | £100 | £150 |
How to challenge a Penalty Charge Notice
If you receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and feel that there are grounds to challenge it you can appeal the ticket by following the procedure detailed below.
For legal reasons, all challenges to PCNs must be made in writing, and your PCN number must be quoted in all correspondence. PCN reference numbers start with two letters (FP) followed by eight numbers. Please note that if the reference number starts FP0, the ”0” is the number zero and not the letter O.
There are three stages to the challenge process:
- Informal challenge
- Formal representations
- Appeal to the independent adjudicator (Transport Appeals, Edinburgh)
Appeals Procedure
Informal Challenge
You must make an informal challenge within 28 days of receiving the PCN. Please state your case clearly and provide any evidence to support your case, such as receipts, pay and display ticket, valid permit or photographs. (We recommend sending copies and not the originals.)
You can submit an informal challenge online by using the following link - Appeal Your Parking Fine - or in writing by sending it to Fife Council, ADMAIL 4243, Glenrothes, KY7 4ZT.
When your appeal is received, the outstanding fine is held at the relevant amount until the appeal is dealt with and if your challenge is accepted, the PCN will be cancelled and you will pay nothing.
If your challenge is rejected, you can either pay the PCN or continue to the next stage of the appeal process.
You will still have the option to pay at the discounted rate provided that your challenge was received within 14 days of the PCN issue date.
Formal Representations
If Fife Council rejects your informal challenge and you do not pay the charge, we will send a letter called a Notice to Owner to the registered vehicle owner or keeper.
The owner or registered keeper of a vehicle is liable for the Penalty Charge Notice even if they were not driving the vehicle when the parking fine was issued.
If you receive a Notice to Owner, you can use the form to make formal representations to Fife Council by sending it to Fife Council, ADMAIL 4243, Glenrothes, KY7 4ZT. Please refer to the Notice to Owner form, which lists the legal grounds on which a formal representation can be made.
You should make your representations within 28 days of receiving the Notice to Owner. Please state your case clearly and provide any evidence to support your case, such as receipts, pay and display ticket, valid permit or photographs. (We recommend sending copies and not the originals.)
You can also submit formal representations online by using the following link: Appeal Your Parking Fine. You will need to quote the PCN reference number and your vehicle registration number.
You will receive a reply either accepting or rejecting your formal representations.
If your formal representations are accepted, the PCN will be cancelled and you will pay nothing.
If your formal representations are rejected, you can either pay the PCN or continue to the next stage of the appeal process.
Appeal to the Independent Adjudicator (Transport Appeals, Edinburgh):
If your formal representations are unsuccessful, we will send out a Notice of Rejection of Representations letter to the registered keeper or owner, which will advise how to appeal online or how to obtain an appeal form by post. Your appeal will be logged on the Adjudicator's website, which explains what they can consider and how to appeal.
Once you have submitted your appeal and any evidence, Fife Council will then submit their response and all case evidence, which you will be able to view. The Adjudicator will then decide on the case either without a hearing or by a telephone hearing with all parties.
You must submit your appeal within 28 days of the Notice of Rejection of Representations being received.
If the appeal is upheld and the Appellant is not liable to pay the penalty charge, which is then cancelled by Fife Council.
Or
If the appeal is refused and the Appellant is liable to pay the penalty charge to Fife Council within 28 days of the Adjudicator’s written decision.
If you fail to pay the outstanding fine, Fife Council will continue enforcement proceedings and pursue the debt.
If you wish to enquire about paying a Penalty Charge Notice, you can call 01604 625634.
You can also contact us at parking.management@fife.gov.uk if you have any general enquiries about a PCN issued to your vehicle. (Not to be used for appeals or challenges).
