Found a PCN with Code 23 on it? Here is exactly what it means, what the officer checked before issuing it, whether your car can be towed for it, and when an appeal is actually worth making.
What probably happened
Your vehicle type didn't match the bay — e.g. a car in a motorcycle bay, coach bay, or an Enterprise Car Club bay.
What the officer checks before issuing a Code 23
- Always check the signs and road markings for vehicle type symbols before pulling in.
- Common examples: a car in a motorcycle-only bay, or a private vehicle in a coach bay.
- Enterprise Car Club bays work the same way — only branded Enterprise Car Club vehicles may park there, no exceptions, even briefly.
- Car club bays are treated as HIGH PRIORITY for impounding. Other wrong-vehicle-type bays can still be impounded, but are not high priority.
- Instant PCN — no 5-minute observation period.
- 🚫 Blue badges do not exempt you from vehicle type restrictions, including car club bays.
Can you appeal a Code 23?
Most Code 23 tickets are correctly issued. These are the grounds that can win:
- The signs or markings did not make clear which vehicle type the bay was for.
- The PCN details are wrong — the registration, street, date, time or code does not match what actually happened.
- The officer’s evidence photos (viewable online from the day after issue) do not clearly show the contravention.
Not sure if yours is worth fighting?
Send me your Code 23 ticket and photos. I will read it personally and tell you straight: pay it while it is £50, or challenge it — and on exactly which grounds. The verdict is free.
Get a free verdict on my ticket →Paying or challenging a Code 23
You have 14 days to pay the reduced £50. Before deciding, look at the evidence photos on the council’s online PCN viewer (ED plus 8 digits, from the day after issue). If you are challenging, do it inside those 14 days and do not pay — paying closes the case. My Edinburgh parking ticket guide walks through paying, the challenge stages and the independent tribunal.
Common questions about Code 23
How much is a Code 23 parking ticket in Edinburgh?
£100, reduced to £50 if you pay within 14 days of the ticket being issued. Left unpaid, a Charge Certificate raises it to £150.
Can my car be towed for a Code 23?
Yes. Code 23 is one of the contraventions where the council removes vehicles straight off the street. Getting it back from the car pound costs £240 all-in, which includes the PCN, plus £25 a day storage after the first day.
Can I appeal a Code 23 PCN?
Yes, if you have grounds and evidence. The strongest for this code: The signs or markings did not make clear which vehicle type the bay was for.
Every other Edinburgh PCN code
Each code has its own page. Not sure which you have? It is printed near the top of the ticket — or see what does my parking code mean?