New Private Parking Code: Grace Periods, Fairer Appeals And A Car Clocking Crackdown

What's Changing

Private parking operators are getting an official rulebook. The Private Parking Code of Practice was laid in Parliament on 20 October 2026.

It gives you a guaranteed 5 minutes to decide whether to park, and 10 minutes to leave once your session ends. Under the Code, charges are scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, like stopping briefly to check directions. The same goes for a medical emergency, a breakdown or a broken ticket machine. To get a charge cancelled, you need evidence that one of the situations in the Code's Appeals Charter applies to you.

For smaller slip-ups, like forgetting a parking permit or entering the wrong registration, the maximum charge on appeal is £20. The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100.

Operators who don't follow the Code risk losing access to DVLA data. That makes it far harder for them to find the registered owner and chase payment.

The same announcement covers car clocking, which means winding back a car's mileage. Fraudulently selling a clocked car is already illegal, according to the government. It plans to add clocking to the list of banned practices under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which it says makes it easier for enforcers to crack down. That list doesn't include clocking yet.

When It Starts And Who It Affects

There's no start date yet. The Code was laid in Parliament on 20 October 2026. Parliament now has time to scrutinise it, and ministers then plan to bring it into force as soon as possible.

The Code applies in England, Scotland and Wales. According to the government, just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year, so it touches a lot of drivers.

Two parts come later. A new independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board is only set up once the Code is in force. Debt recovery fees aren't changing yet either. The government plans to consult next year on whether to cut the existing £70 cap or scrap the fees altogether.

The car clocking change applies to businesses selling cars to consumers, not private sellers. No date has been given for it.

What It Means For Your Car Insurance

The government's announcement doesn't say. Both changes are about parking charges and used-car sales, and nothing in it mentions insurance. If you're not sure whether something affects your cover, ask your insurer rather than guess.

That matters most if you're buying a used car. Ask your insurer what they need to know about it before you buy, and if you're new to insuring a car, see how car insurance cover works.

You can compare car insurance quotes when you're ready.

What To Do Now

• Keep your evidence. If a charge feels unfair, keep proof of what happened, such as a breakdown record or a photo of a broken ticket machine. Under the Code, cancellation depends on showing evidence.
• Watch for the start date. The grace periods and appeal rules apply once the Code is in force, and no date has been set yet.
• Check a used car before you buy. Fraudulently selling a clocked car is already illegal, but it's still worth checking the car's past. A full car history check before you hand over any money gives you more to go on.
• Ask your insurer. If you're unsure what to tell them about a car you're buying, ask before the policy starts.

FAQs