Found a PCN with Code 40 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
You were in a disabled bay without a valid blue badge displayed — or the badge's expiry date wasn't clearly visible, so it was treated as invalid.
What the officer checks before issuing a Code 40
- Display the badge face-up on the dashboard, clearly visible through the windscreen.
- The expiry date must also be clearly visible — if it is obscured, folded under, or facing the wrong way, an enforcement officer has no way of confirming the badge is still valid and will treat it as invalid.
- Edinburgh does NOT use the parking clock/disc system — there is no need to set a clock to your arrival time.
- Blue badge holders have UNLIMITED time in both pay & display bays and disabled bays, as long as you are not causing an obstruction.
- You cannot park where loading restrictions (yellow kerb marks) are in place.
Can you appeal a Code 40?
Most Code 40 tickets are correctly issued. These are the grounds that can win:
- A valid Blue Badge was correctly displayed — front and face up, readable through the windscreen.
- The signs or road markings were missing, faded, obscured or contradictory — a restriction is only enforceable if its signs and markings meet the legal standard. Photograph everything before you leave the street.
- 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 40 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 40
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 40
How much is a Code 40 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 40?
Yes. Code 40 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 40 PCN?
Yes, if you have grounds and evidence. The strongest for this code: A valid Blue Badge was correctly displayed — front and face up, readable through the windscreen.
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?