Notice to Keeper explained
A Notice to Keeper is the letter a private parking company sends to the registered keeper of a vehicle when it wants to pursue a parking charge and no ticket was handed over or fixed to the windscreen.
General information · Last reviewed
What this document usually is
Private parking operators can request keeper details from the DVLA where they have reasonable cause. The Notice to Keeper is the formal letter that follows: it sets out the alleged breach of the landowner's parking terms, the charge claimed, and how to pay or appeal. It is a civil claim for a charge, not a court order and not a criminal fine.
Why you might have received it
- Camera enforcement recorded your vehicle entering and leaving a private car park
- A ticket was placed on the vehicle but not paid
- The vehicle is registered to you even though someone else was driving
- You have sold the vehicle but the DVLA record was not updated
What to check on it
- The name of the parking operator and whether it belongs to an accredited trade body
- The vehicle registration, the site, and the dates and times recorded
- What the alleged breach actually was — overstaying, no valid ticket, wrong bay
- The amount claimed, and any reduced amount for early payment
- The appeal route given, including the independent appeals service named
- Photographs of the signage, if included
This is not a council fine
A Notice to Keeper comes from a private company. It is a claim that you breached the parking terms displayed on signs at the site. It has no connection to your driving licence and no points attach to it. A council penalty for the same behaviour would arrive as a Penalty Charge Notice instead.
Common grounds people raise
Appeals tend to focus on facts you can evidence: the signage was not visible or did not display the terms clearly, you had paid, the machine or app failed, you were a genuine permit holder, you had already sold the vehicle, or you were prevented from leaving on time.
If you ignore it
Operators can pursue the charge as a civil debt, which typically means further letters, sometimes debt recovery correspondence, and potentially a county court claim. Responding — even to appeal — is usually better than silence.
Things worth a second look
- Wording designed to look like a court document or an official penalty
- No named operator, no site address or no appeal route
- No mention of an independent appeals service
- A demand to pay a personal bank account
- Charges that climb sharply with each letter and no explanation of what the additions are
What you might need to do next
- Read the signage terms for that car park if you can revisit the site, and photograph them
- Appeal to the operator in writing within their stated window if you think the charge is wrong
- If the operator rejects it, consider the independent appeals service named on the notice
- Tell the DVLA if you no longer own the vehicle, and tell the operator with evidence of the sale date
- Get free advice from Citizens Advice if a claim form arrives
Official sources
Common questions
Q. Do I have to name the driver?
A. A Notice to Keeper usually invites you either to pay, to appeal, or to identify the driver. What follows depends on the route you take, so read the wording carefully and get advice if you are unsure.
Q. Is a Notice to Keeper enforceable?
A. It is a civil claim rather than a fine, and an operator can take it to the county court. Whether the charge succeeds depends on the facts and the signage.
Q. How did they get my address?
A. Operators can request registered keeper details from the DVLA where they have reasonable cause and meet the required standards.
Q. The car park was free — can they still charge?
A. Possibly. The claim is normally about breaching the terms on the signs, such as overstaying a maximum stay, rather than about payment.
Related guides
Important disclaimer
General information about private parking Notices to Keeper. It is not legal advice. If you receive a county court claim form, get advice quickly from Citizens Advice or a solicitor.
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