South Ayrshire Council Code 12 PCNs – Valid Permit Held but Not Displayed

Hi everyone,

I’d really appreciate some advice on whether I have any legal or technical grounds to challenge three PCNs issued by South Ayrshire Council.

I’ve received three Code 12 PCNs for:

“Parked in a residents’ parking place or zone without clearly displaying a valid permit issued for that place.”

I want to be upfront—I genuinely forgot to put my resident permit in the windscreen. I wasn’t trying to avoid the rules or park without authorisation. I hold a valid resident permit for the address and have provided proof of this to the council.

My informal appeal was rejected. Their response was that their resident permit scheme requires the physical permit to be displayed at all times, regardless of whether the resident actually holds a valid permit.

What makes me question this is the signage at the location. The sign simply says “Resident Permit Holders Only.” It doesn’t say that the permit must be displayed, and the sign itself is quite faded. There are also no marked parking bays or road markings. I’m not from the area, so I genuinely understood the sign to mean that only people who held a resident permit could park there—which I did.

I appreciate the Traffic Regulation Order may require the permit to be displayed, but I’m wondering whether the signage adequately conveys that restriction, or whether there’s any procedural or technical argument I’m missing.

Summary:

* Three South Ayrshire Council Code 12 PCNs.
* I held a valid resident permit at the time.
* I genuinely forgot to display it.
* Proof of the permit was provided with my informal appeal.
* Appeal rejected because the permit wasn’t physically displayed.
* Signage only says “Resident Permit Holders Only” and is faded.
* No bay markings.
* I’m not local to the area and believed I was complying because I was a valid permit holder.

My questions are:

1. Is there any realistic technical ground to challenge these PCNs?
2. Is the signage argument worth pursuing?
3. Should I request the Traffic Regulation Order before making formal representations?
4. Has anyone successfully appealed a similar case where they held a valid permit but simply forgot to display it?


Thanks in advance for any advice.

SO why did you get three PCNs, surely the first one would have alerted you ?

Anyway, we need much more information, so please read this and update your thread accordingly: -
https://www.ftla.uk/civil-penalty-charge-notices-(councils-tfl-and-so-on)/read-this-first-before-posting-your-case!-this-section-is-for-council-tfl-dartme/

ALso post a GSV link to the location.

How do you have a resident's permit but are not from that area?

Because I had recently moved there from a city where you could have a permit & not show it, and it was all new to me.

Silly getting 3 I know. But I didn’t have a holder for it and I had to move the permit back to the glove box every time I set off again or it would fall down the dashboard and disappear.

Got 3 of them in a row basically.

Reg - SO19 VGZ

SA01981495

SA02641426

Got 3 of them in a row basically.

Was this because you left the car parked-up for three days ?

Nope, removing tickets then being an idiot and heading out in the car, then forgetting to display permit again.

First 2 were 2 days in a row. The third came about a week later.

Incredibly silly I know, but…

Nope, removing tickets then being an idiot and heading out in the car, then forgetting to display permit again.

First 2 were 2 days in a row. The third came about a week later.

Incredibly silly I know, but…

Not much I can help you with, to be frank.
For several PCNs when a car is left for a few days, a continuous contravention can be argued, which was my original thought when I saw your post.

Wait a bit to see what the others say, but I think you're going to have to suck it up.

Fair enough, I’ve not helped myself I guess. But it feels unjust that even with proof of a permit they still enforce charges. Edinburgh city council where I previously lived didn’t operate this way.

I’ve received three Code 12 PCN

Dated 3 March, 13 March and ??

What's happened to date. You've not mentioned initial reps or Notices to Owner.

Pl give us the process history.

Are there terms that came with the permit. I take it they didn't provide a holder.

One approach that may have worked and still can is to pay the first and ask for discretion on the other two.

Their cancellation policy includes a usual one of discretion with first time non-display if the permit had slipped off the dash, but I guess they don't think you have 'clear mitigating circumstances'.



Post your challenge and their rejection.