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Charge Certificates for penalty charge notices

We may issue a Charge Certificate 28 days after:

  • a 'Notice to Owner' has been served and we receives no payment or representation.
  • representations have been made and rejected and no payment has been received and no appeal has been made.
  • an appeal to the adjudicator has been refused and no payment has been made.

We may issue a Charge Certificate after 14 days where an appeal to the adjudicator has been withdrawn.

The Charge Certificate tells the vehicle owner that the penalty charge has increased by 50% and that action will be taken to recover the amount due through the County Court if it is not paid within 14 days.

If you were not aware of the contravention prior to receiving the Charge Certificate, or if you received no reply to a representation or independent appeal, you must file a statutory declaration/witness statement at the Traffic Enforcement Centre (TEC).

You can only file this once you have received an Order for Recovery.

Order for Recovery

If the penalty charge has not been paid 14 days after the Charge Certificate has been issued, we may apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court to recover the charge. Once this has been registered, the council will send you an Order for Recovery of the unpaid penalty charge and will enclose a Witness Statement form.

Court costs, (currently £10) are added to the outstanding amount at this stage.

Witness statement

Once the Order for Recovery has been received you will have 21 days to either pay the outstanding amount in full or send a Witness Statement to the Traffic Enforcement Centre detailing why the penalty charge should not be paid, and that the registration of the unpaid penalty charge should be revoked.

Warrants of control (enforcement agents)

If you do not pay the penalty charge after the Order for Recovery has been issued, or you have failed to complete the Witness Statement within 21 days, we will apply to the Traffic Enforcement Centre for authority to prepare a Warrant of Execution. This authorises the council to recover unpaid penalties using enforcement agents.