Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loadingThe official national descriptor for code 25, as published in the Department for Transport statutory guidance list.
The letter after the number on your ticket
Codes are often written with a suffix — 25l rather than just 25. The letter narrows the allegation, and it tells you what the council actually says went wrong. These are the suffixes code 25 can carry:
| l | loading place |
| 2 | goods vehicle loading bays |
What the council has to be able to show
An appeal is not an apology, it is a challenge to the council’s case. For code 25 that case rests on:
- The bay is marked and signed as a loading place with stated hours.
- That no loading activity was observed.
Where code 25 tickets go wrong
Loading is not defined by the weight of what you carry. Delivering, collecting, carrying goods to and from premises all count. What matters is continuous activity — an officer should observe before issuing.
If the officer arrived and issued within a minute or two, the observation cannot show an absence of loading. Ask for the officer’s notes and the observation times.
Read the plate. Loading bays are commonly restricted only at certain times of day.
What to gather before you write
- Delivery notes, invoices, job sheets or a signature with a time on it.
- A photo of the loading plate showing the hours.
Code 25 questions, answered
How long can I stay in a loading bay if I am actually loading?
For as long as the loading genuinely takes. There is no fixed allowance, and the weight or volume of goods does not decide it, but the activity has to be continuous and observable. Trips to and from premises count. What does not count is parking and then going off to do something else first.
What does contravention code 25 mean?
Parked in a loading place or bay during restricted hours without loading. In plain terms: A marked loading bay, in its restricted hours, with no loading going on. Off-street the same contravention is code 70.
How much is a code 25 penalty?
Code 25 sits in the higher band, so it carries the more expensive of the two rates that council uses. Outside London that is commonly around £70; in London it is £160 in Band A or £140 in Band B. Half is normally taken off if you pay within 14 days, and your notice states the actual figures.
What is the difference between code 25 and code 70?
They describe the same behaviour in different places. Code 25 is used on-street; code 70 is the off-street version, issued in a council car park. The facts you would argue are the same, and only the location and the code on the notice change.
Your notice is definitive. This page explains the national code. Councils use extra codes and local suffixes, and the wording printed on your own notice always takes precedence. Check the deadline on the notice before you do anything else — the discount usually runs out after 14 days.
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