Notice to Keeper deadlines under POFA 2012 — and why they matter
The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 lets operators pursue the vehicle's keeper — but only if strict Notice to Keeper deadlines are met. How to check yours.
Reviewed 30 August 2026 · General information, not legal advice
What keeper liability actually is
By default, a private parking charge is a claim against the driver, and the operator has to prove who was driving. Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 gives operators in England and Wales a route to hold the registered keeper liable instead — but only if every condition in the Schedule is met, including tight deadlines for the Notice to Keeper.
As the keeper, you are under no obligation to name the driver. If the operator hasn't complied with the Act, it may have no one it can lawfully pursue.
ANPR (postal) charges: 14 days
Where the charge comes from number-plate cameras and arrives by post, the Notice to Keeper must be delivered within 14 days of the parking event. The Act presumes delivery two working days after posting, so a notice dated late — or arriving well outside the window — is worth checking carefully against your dates.
Windscreen tickets: 28 to 56 days
Where a Notice to Driver was left on the windscreen, the follow-up Notice to Keeper must arrive no earlier than 28 days and no later than 56 days after the event. Both ends matter — too early is as non-compliant as too late.
What a defect means for your appeal
A missed deadline doesn't make the charge vanish, but it means keeper liability fails: the operator can only pursue the driver, whom it usually cannot identify. Appealing as the keeper and putting the operator to proof of POFA compliance is one of the strongest grounds at POPLA. Note that keeper liability under POFA does not apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
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No. The keeper has no legal duty to name the driver of a private parking event. Operators often imply otherwise; the Act does not require it.
Related guides
General information about the UK private parking regime, based on the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the BPA and IPC Codes of Practice as publicly documented. Not legal advice; rules change — your own notice and rejection letter are always the authoritative source. For advice on your circumstances, contact Citizens Advice or a solicitor.