Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA)

Overview

POPLA is the independent appeals body for parking charges issued by BPA Approved Operator Scheme members in England and Wales. It is funded by the BPA but operationally independent. Decisions are binding on the operator but not on the motorist — if you lose at POPLA you can still defend any court claim by the operator (though many operators choose not to litigate after a POPLA loss).

What it handles

• Private parking charge appeals (BPA member operators only)
• Appeals after the operator has rejected the initial appeal

What it does not handle

• Council PCNs (go to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal or London Tribunals)
• Charges from IPC member operators (go to IAS)

Fees

• Appeals: Free

Deadlines

• Operator's rejection of initial appeal → 28 days to appeal to POPLA

Process

1. Step 1: Receive your verification number

   The motorist receives a 10-digit verification code from the parking operator with the rejection notice, which is needed before an appeal can be submitted to POPLA.

2. Step 2: Collect your evidence

   The motorist prepares evidence to support their case, guided by the list of acceptable evidence in POPLA's appeal guide, since all evidence must be submitted with the appeal and cannot be added later.

3. Step 3: Submit your appeal

   The appeal and evidence are submitted, most quickly and easily online, and POPLA confirms receipt of the documents before starting to process the case.

4. Step 4: Track the progress of your appeal

   After the motorist's documents are submitted, the parking operator submits its own evidence and the motorist gets a chance to comment on it before POPLA reviews everything to reach a final decision.

5. Step 5: A decision is made

   POPLA notifies the motorist and the parking operator of its decision, which cannot be reconsidered if the motorist disagrees; the outcome is either the charge is cancelled or the motorist is asked to pay.

Official sources

Related guides

• Challenging A Parking Ticket