Golden rule: never pay a parking fine through a link in an unexpected text or email. Go directly to the council’s or operator’s official website (type the address yourself) and check whether a real charge exists against your registration.
Clear signs of a scam
- A text or email claiming to be a “DVLA parking fine” or “GOV.UK penalty” — the DVLA doesn’t issue parking fines, and real notices don’t demand instant payment by link.
- Payment requested by gift card, bank transfer or an unusual method, or a link to a site that isn’t the council or a known operator.
- Urgent threats (“pay within 2 hours or face court”), poor spelling, or no vehicle registration / reference number.
- A “fine” for a car park you never used, or with details that don’t match your vehicle.
How to check a genuine ticket
Council PCN: comes from the local authority, names the location, contravention and your vehicle, and directs you to pay or challenge via the council’s own website or by post. You can verify it on the council’s official site (find it via GOV.UK, not a link in a message).
Private parking charge: a private operator can only get your address from the DVLA if it’s a member of the BPA or IPC. A genuine notice names the operator, the site, your registration and a reference, and offers an appeal to POPLA or the IAS. If the “operator” doesn’t exist or isn’t a member, treat it with suspicion.
Genuine but unfair? Plenty of real tickets shouldn’t stand — unclear signs, faulty machines, paperwork errors. Appealing is free, and it pauses enforcement.
Your questions
Does the DVLA or GOV.UK send parking fines by text or email?
No. The DVLA does not issue parking fines, and genuine council or private parking notices are not sent by text or email demanding instant payment via a link. A text or email claiming to be a "DVLA parking fine" or "GOV.UK penalty" is almost always a scam — never click the link.
How do I check a private parking charge is genuine?
A private operator can only obtain your address from the DVLA if it is a member of an accredited trade association (the BPA or the IPC). A genuine notice will name the operator, the site, your vehicle registration and a reference number, and will point you to that operator’s own website and an appeals route (POPLA or the IAS). Check the operator exists and is a member before paying.
What should I do if I think a parking ticket is a scam?
Don’t pay via any link or unusual method. Go directly to the council’s or operator’s official website (type it yourself) to check whether a real charge exists against your vehicle. Report scam texts and emails to your provider and to Action Fraud. If it’s genuine but unfair, appeal — it’s free.