About Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs)
You can get a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) if you do not follow traffic or parking regulations. This means you may have to pay a fine.
Common reasons for getting a PCN
You might get a PCN if you:
- park without paying or without a permit
- stop on a red route
- park on double yellow lines
- drive in a bus-only lane or street
- do not pay the Clean Air Zone charge
You must follow road signs and markings. If you do not, your vehicle might be moved.
View a full list of contraventions that PCNs are issued for.
Bus lanes or bus-only roads
We use CCTV cameras to check who drives in bus lanes or bus-only roads.
If you drive in one and you are not allowed, we will send a PCN to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
Only buses, taxis (hackney carriages) and motorcycles can use these lanes and roads. Private hire vehicles are not allowed.
Find out more about bus lane PCNs.
Clean Air Zone
The Clean Air Zone started in June 2021.
There are signs with a cloud symbol to show where the zone is.
Signs start about 2 miles before the zone and are repeated often.
You will get a PCN if all of the following apply:
- your vehicle does not meet the emission rules
- your vehicle is caught on camera driving in the Clean Air Zone
- you do not have an exemption
- you do not pay by 11:59pm on the sixth day after driving in the zone
Learn more about Clean Air Zone PCNs.
Charges
You may have to pay a fine if you break parking, bus lane or Clean Air Zone rules.
The amount depends on what happened and how quickly you pay.
Parking fines
| Type of contravention | Full charge | Discounted charge |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-level (for example, an expired ticket) | £50 | £25 if paid within 14 days* |
| Higher-level (for example, parking on double yellow lines) | £70 | £35 if paid within 14 days* |
*For parking PCNs issued by CCTV camera, the reduced rates apply if you pay within 21 days.
Bus lane fines
| Description | Full charge | Discounted charge |
|---|---|---|
| Driving in a bus lane | £70 | £35 if paid within 14 days |
Clean Air Zone fines
You must pay the charge during the 13-day payment window:
- from 6 days before the day of travel
- on the day of travel
- until 11:59pm on the sixth day after travel
If you do not pay during this window, you may receive a PCN.
| Description | Full charge | Discounted charge |
|---|---|---|
| Not paying CAZ charge | £120 | £60 if paid within 14 days |
Mobile CCTV and parking restrictions
We use mobile CCTV to check parking in places where it’s hard for officers to patrol.
We may use it if vehicles are:
- in a bus lane
- parked at a bus stop
- parked on zig-zags outside schools
- parked on a red route
View the code of practice for operation of mobile CCTV cameras in Birmingham.
Private parking tickets
Some private companies give out tickets that look like PCNs.
These are not from the council. We cannot help with these.
Get advice on private parking tickets from Citizens Advice.
Page last updated: 18 September 2025
