Stung by a Horizon Parking Fine? Here's How to Fight and Beat It

Just nipped to the shops and found a £100 ticket on your windscreen?

Horizon Parking doesn’t mess around — but here’s the thing: you don’t have to pay straight away. Many people beat Horizon fines every day. And with Resolvo, you can do it in minutes — completely free.

In this blog, we’ll break down everything you need to know to appeal your fine, including key facts, common mistakes to avoid, and how Resolvo can help you fight it.

Appeal your Horizon fine with Resolvo in just 2 minutes - it's completely free

Key Facts About Horizon Parking PCNs

28-day appeal window: You have 28 days from the date the PCN is issued to file an appeal.
Appealing freezes the fine: The amount won’t increase while your appeal is under review.
Paying waives your appeal rights : Once you pay, you can’t challenge the fine, so explore your options first.
Escalate to POPLA: If Horizon rejects your appeal, you can take it to POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals), an independent body.
Evidence is king: Photos, receipts, and other documents will help strengthen your appeal

📈 Horizon Parking: Behind the Fines

Horizon parking warden issuing a fine in a supermarket car park

horizon-parking-warden-issuing-fine

In the 12 months to March 2025, private parking firms issued a record 14.4 million parking tickets in the UK — thats nearly 40,000 every day. Horizon are one of the most active operators

Their fines are issued in:

Retail parks and shopping centres
Supermarket car parks e.g. Tesco, Sainsburys, Co-op
Residential development
Hotels e.g. Premier Inn
Business parks

❌ Should You Ignore a Horizon Fine?

No. Ignoring a PCN can escalate:

Horizon may pass your case to debt collectors (adds pressure, not power)
They can take you to small claims court
If you lose, you could get a County Court Judgment (CCJ) — which affects your credit

Their tickets fall under civil contract law, not criminal enforcement.

They must prove that you breached their terms and that those terms were clearly communicated.
To enforce a PCN, Horizon would need to take you to small claims court and win.
Many PCNs are can be cancelled before that stage—especially when drivers file clear, well-supported appeals.

How to Appeal Your Horizon Parking Ticket

Appealing can feel daunting, but it’s actually a simple four-step process. You can do it manually—or let Resolvo do the work for you.

Step 1: Check If the PCN Is Valid

Errors in the notice or unclear parking conditions may make the charge unenforceable. Look for:

Wrong vehicle registration, time, or location
No grace period given (10 mins required by BPA rules)
Poor or missing signage
Machine/app failure (screenshots help)
Valid payment or permit in place
Disability, emergency, breakdown

Step 2: Collect Evidence

The more proof you have, the better:

📸 Photos of signs, payment machines, road markings
💳 Screenshots of payments or bank statements
🩺 Documents for medical or mobility issues
🧾 Parking receipts, app confirmations
👥 Witness statements

Step 3: Submit Your Appeal

Visit Horizon Parking’s official appeal portal
Enter your PCN number and vehicle registration
Upload your evidence and explain your situation
Keep your explanation factual, calm and specific

Step 4: Escalate to POPLA (If Rejected)

If Horizon rejects your appeal, you can take it to POPLA

Look for your 10-digit POPLA code in the rejection letter
Submit your POPLA appeal within 28 days
Reuse your evidence and clearly restate your case

📚 What is POPLA?

POPLA stands for Parking on Private Land Appeals. It’s an independent, government-backed appeals body for private parking tickets in England and Wales. It reviews cases where drivers believe the parking operator (like Horizon) wrongly rejected their appeal.

POPLA is funded by the British Parking Association but operates independently
Adjudicators look at your evidence and Horizon’s to make a decision
Horizon must abide by POPLA’s ruling — if POPLA says cancel it, they must
You can submit all your evidence digitally — no court or hearings needed

🟢 POPLA are impartial, and appeals can succeed here when signage is unclear, payment systems fail, or rules aren’t followed correctly.

Common Reasons Why Horizon Parking Appeals Succeed

Here are some of the most frequent—and successful—grounds for challenging a PCN:

Unclear or missing signage about time limits or permit requirements
Technical issues with parking meters or mobile apps
No grace period offered when leaving the site
Valid mitigating circumstances (medical, emergency, breakdowns)

Real-Life Win: Man Beats Horizon Parking Fine Over Confusing Signs

In October 2024, a disabled driver named John Pawson successfully appealed a Horizon Parking fine issued at Foss Islands Retail Park in York. Despite holding a valid blue badge, he was fined £85 for exceeding the two-hour limit by just 20 minutes.

Mr. Pawson believed blue badge holders were allowed extended parking—as is common elsewhere—but found no clear signage stating otherwise.

When Horizon rejected his initial appeal, he took the case to POPLA. The independent adjudicator sided with him, stating that signs around the disabled bays failed to make the terms clear, and drivers couldn’t reasonably make an informed decision.

This case highlights why signage clarity is so important—and how appealing can pay off when the terms aren’t properly displayed.

Appeal Your Horizon Parking Fine with Resolvo

If your PCN feels unfair, you don’t have to just accept it. Many Horizon Parking charges are issued in situations where drivers have valid defences—and the appeal process is easier than you think.

Resolvo helps you build a strong, structured appeal in just a couple of minutes.

✅ Easy to Use — no forms or legal jargon
⚡ Fast & Free — appeal letter in under 2 minutes
🔄 Updated for 2026 — built around the latest rules

Appeal your Horizon fine with Resolvo in just 2 minutes - it's completely free

🔍 FAQs

1. Is a Horizon Parking ticket legally enforceable? Yes, but only through civil court action. They must prove you breached terms clearly displayed on signage. If they fail to show this, your appeal may succeed.

2. What if I wasn’t the driver? If you weren’t driving, you can tell Horizon who was. However, under the Protection of Freedoms Act (POFA), they can hold the registered keeper liable in certain conditions.

3. How long do I have to appeal? You have 28 days from the PCN issue date to make a formal appeal. Don’t wait — acting early can freeze the fine amount and improve your chances.

4. Can I still appeal after paying? No. Once you pay the fine, it’s considered settled. You waive the right to challenge it, even if you later find evidence that could’ve helped.

5. What is POPLA and how does it work? POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) is the independent appeals service. If your initial appeal to Horizon is rejected, you can escalate to POPLA within 28 days using the provided code. POPLA considers your case based on evidence.

6. Does Resolvo work for Horizon PCNs? Yes. Resolvo is built to handle private parking tickets from all major UK operators, including Horizon Parking. It tailors your appeal letter to their typical procedures.

7. Can Horizon send bailiffs if I ignore the fine? Not directly. First, they would need to win a case in small claims court and you'd still need to fail to pay the court judgment. Bailiffs only get involved at that point — and it’s avoidable.

8. Do Blue Badge holders get extra time? In many locations, yes — but only if clearly stated. If signage doesn’t make rules for Blue Badge holders clear, that could be strong grounds for appeal.

9. What if I didn’t see the signs? Signage must be clear, prominent and visible from where you parked. If it wasn’t, or if signs were missing or damaged, that’s a valid reason to appeal.

10. Can I be charged for overstaying by a few minutes? Yes — but under the BPA code of practice, operators should allow a 10-minute grace period before issuing a PCN. If you were just a few minutes over, that could be a strong appeal point.

11. Will this affect my credit score? Not unless Horizon takes you to court, wins, and you still don’t pay. That could lead to a County Court Judgment (CCJ), which can affect your credit rating.

12. How long does an appeal decision take? Initial responses from Horizon usually come within 14–28 days. POPLA decisions can take a little longer, but timelines are published on their website.

13. Can I ignore a letter from a debt collection agency? No. They can’t force you to pay, but ignoring their letters adds stress. If you’re disputing the charge, it’s better to respond and clarify your position.