Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed mannerThe official national descriptor for code 40, as published in the Department for Transport statutory guidance list.
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 40 that case rests on:
- That the bay is a designated disabled person’s parking place.
- That no valid badge was displayed in the prescribed manner.
Where code 40 tickets go wrong
Common, and regularly accepted where the badge is produced and was valid on the day. Send a photograph of both sides showing the expiry.
Where the bay has a time limit the clock matters. If the badge was valid and the clock simply moved, say what happened.
The badge belongs to the person, not the car. If the holder was travelling and present, explain that clearly.
A disabled bay needs the correct markings and a sign. Advisory bays outside houses are usually not enforceable in the same way.
One caution, said plainly: using someone else’s badge is a criminal offence, not a parking matter. This page is about genuine badge holders whose valid badge was not seen.
What to gather before you write
- Both sides of the Blue Badge, showing the holder and the expiry date.
- A photo of the bay markings and sign.
Code 40 questions, answered
My badge slipped off the dashboard. Will they cancel it?
Often, yes, where the badge was genuinely valid on the day and you can produce it. Send a photograph of both sides showing the holder and the expiry date, and explain plainly what happened. Councils see this regularly and it is not treated as an excuse, provided the badge is real and current.
What does contravention code 40 mean?
Parked in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner. In plain terms: A designated disabled bay with no valid Blue Badge on show, or one not displayed as the rules require. Off-street it is code 87.
How much is a code 40 penalty?
Code 40 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 40 and code 87?
They describe the same behaviour in different places. Code 40 is used on-street; code 87 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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