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26

Contravention code 26: More than 50cm from the kerb

Parked away from the kerb, outside any marked bay. The detail almost nobody knows: this code only exists inside a special enforcement area, which is a designation the council has to have in place.

Parked in a special enforcement area more than 50 cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place The official national descriptor for code 26, as published in the Department for Transport statutory guidance list.
Penalty bandHigher — the more expensive rate
Where it is usedOn-street
10-minute grace periodDoes not apply to this code
DiscountNormally 50% off if paid within 14 days

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 26 that case rests on:

Where code 26 tickets go wrong

It is not a special enforcement area

Ask the council to confirm the designation for that street. If it does not have one, the code cannot be used there.

The measurement

Fifty centimetres is not much and it is measured to the edge of the carriageway, not to the kerb face. Ask how it was measured and what the officer recorded.

A parked obstruction forced you out

A skip, a broken-down vehicle or roadworks can make it impossible to park within 50cm. Photograph what was in the way.

Special enforcement areas cover all of London and a growing number of authorities elsewhere, but not everywhere. It is a fair first question to put to the council.

What to gather before you write

Write your code 26 appeal → Free letter generator — pick the grounds that fit, get properly-worded wording in two minutes. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Code 26 questions, answered

What is a special enforcement area?

It is a formal designation that gives a council powers to enforce certain contraventions, including the 50cm rule and dropped kerbs. All of London is covered, and many other authorities have taken the designation, but not all have. If the street is not in one, code 26 cannot be used there, and it is a fair thing to ask the council to confirm.

What does contravention code 26 mean?

Parked in a special enforcement area more than 50 cm from the edge of the carriageway and not within a designated parking place. In plain terms: Parked away from the kerb, outside any marked bay. The detail almost nobody knows: this code only exists inside a special enforcement area, which is a designation the council has to have in place.

How much is a code 26 penalty?

Code 26 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.

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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