CarParkLetterAppeal letters for private parking charges

IAS or POPLA: which appeals service handles your parking charge

Every private parking operator that gets keeper details from the DVLA belongs to a trade body. The trade body decides which independent appeals service you use after the operator rejects your appeal.

How to tell which one applies

  • British Parking Association (BPA) members use POPLA. Check the BPA Approved Operator list.
  • International Parking Community (IPC) members use the Independent Appeals Service (IAS). Check the IPC Accredited Operator Scheme members list.
  • The operator's rejection letter should tell you which service to use and how.

POPLA (BPA members)

  • You need the 10-digit verification code from the operator's rejection letter.
  • You have 28 days from the date of rejection to appeal, and the code is valid for 28 days from issue. See POPLA code expired.
  • POPLA sends your case to the operator, which has 21 days to respond.
  • POPLA says decisions are usually issued after about 6 to 8 weeks, and appealing does not extend the discounted payment window.

IAS (IPC members)

  • A standard appeal must be lodged within 28 days of the operator rejecting your appeal. It is free.
  • If you miss the 28 days, the operator may agree to a non-standard appeal, for which you pay a £15 contribution.
  • IAS decisions are binding on the operator, not on the motorist.

What both have in common

  • Under the Single Code, once you lodge an independent appeal, debt recovery must not start or must be paused until it is decided (clause 8.4.7).
  • If the decision goes against you, the operator must allow 28 days for payment (clause 8.4.9).

Operator guides

BPA members: ParkingEye, Euro Car Parks, UKPC, NCP, Q-Park. IPC members: Excel Parking, Smart Parking, Vehicle Control Services.

Common questions

Can I choose POPLA instead of the IAS?

No. The service depends on which trade body the operator belongs to.

Is the decision final?

An IAS decision binds the operator but not you. POPLA says that if your appeal is refused, the operator will expect payment, and you should pay within 28 days of the decision to stop the charge increasing.

Build your operator and appeal letters

The new government Code

A government Private Parking Code of Practice was laid in Parliament on 20 October 2026. It is not yet in force. When it is, it will replace the Single Code and include a mandatory 5-minute consideration period and a 10-minute grace period. Until then, the Single Code applies.

Important

Not legal advice. CarParkLetter is run by Pricing Logic Limited. We provide templates and general information only. We are not solicitors. Check your letter before you send it.

No guarantee of success. Outcomes depend on the facts, the evidence, the operator and the appeals body. If an appeal fails you may still have to pay, possibly without the early payment discount.

Sources

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IAS or POPLA: which appeals service handles your parking charge | CarParkLetter