Contravention Code 31 Overview
Official Description: Entering and stopping in a box junction when prohibited
Enforcement Category: On-Street
Penalty Band: Moving Traffic (Higher) (£80–£130 / discounted to £40–£65 within 14 days)
Traffic Management Act 2004 (TMA 2004) & TSRGD 2016
Local authorities are legally required to prove that the contravention occurred, that all road signs complied with TSRGD 2016, and that proper statutory observation procedures were followed by the Civil Enforcement Officer.
Key Statutory Defences for Code 31
If you received a Penalty Charge Notice for Code 31, you can challenge the ticket on the following proven statutory grounds:
- Exit Was Clear Upon Entry: Under TSRGD 2016 Schedule 9 Part 7, the offence is only committed if your exit was NOT clear at the precise moment you crossed the yellow box boundary lines.
- Turning Right Exemption: Vehicles entering and waiting in a yellow box junction to complete a right turn are explicitly exempt under Highway Code Rule 174.
- De Minimis / Stationary Time Under 5 Seconds: Adjudicators routinely cancel PCNs where stationary time was momentary (e.g. 1–3 seconds) or where vehicle overhang did not impede cross-traffic (brevis/de minimis non curat lex).
Suffix Meanings for Code 31
Council PCNs often append a single letter or number suffix after the code (e.g. 31j) to specify the exact circumstances:
- Suffix "j": Camera enforcement (CCTV)
The 4-Stage Council Appeal Process
- Stage 1: Informal Challenge (Days 1–14 / 28): Submit an informal written appeal online via the issuing council's parking portal. Crucial Rule: If you appeal within the first 14 days, the council will freeze your 50% discount while reviewing your evidence.
- Stage 2: Notice to Owner (NtO): If your informal challenge is rejected and the fine remains unpaid, the council serves an NtO to the DVLA registered keeper.
- Stage 3: Formal Representations (Within 28 Days): Submit formal representations on statutory grounds. The council has 56 days to respond.
- Stage 4: Independent Tribunal (100% Free): If the council serves a formal Notice of Rejection, escalate to London Tribunals (for Greater London) or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) (for the rest of England and Wales). The council cannot increase the fine during independent adjudication.
Formal Appeal Letter Template for Code 31
Use our tested statutory appeal template below to challenge this penalty notice:
Council PCN Code 31 Appeal Letter
Dear Parking Appeals Department,
Re: Penalty Charge Notice PCN Number Vehicle Registration: VRM Contravention Code: 31 (Entering and stopping in a box junction when prohibited) Location: Street / Car Park Name Date of Notice: Date of Contravention
I am writing as the registered keeper of the above vehicle to formally challenge Penalty Charge Notice PCN Number issued on Date under Contravention Code 31.
I challenge this penalty notice on the following statutory grounds:
- Procedural Impropriety / Exemption: Select: The vehicle was engaged in permitted loading/unloading / The vehicle was within the mandatory 10-minute statutory grace period under the Deregulation Act 2015 / Road markings and signage failed to comply with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 / Civil Enforcement Officer failed to conduct the required statutory observation period.
- Factual Evidence: Add 1-2 specific sentences explaining what occurred, e.g.: The vehicle was parked at 14:15 to deliver heavy equipment, with loading notes attached. At 14:21 the CEO issued the ticket without observing the active delivery in progress.
Under these statutory circumstances, no lawful contravention occurred. I request that you cancel this Penalty Charge Notice immediately and confirm cancellation in writing.
If you reject this representation, please provide a formal Notice of Rejection alongside full Civil Enforcement Officer contemporaneous notes and photographic evidence.
Yours faithfully,
Your NameRegistered Keeper Postal Address
Frequently Asked Questions
No. If you submit your informal challenge within the initial 14-day discount window, councils universally freeze the discount and re-offer the discounted rate if the challenge is not upheld.
While photos are not mandatory under the strict letter of TMA 2004, independent tribunals consistently rule that councils must provide clear photographic proof of the alleged vehicle and signage to substantiate the contravention.
If your formal representation is rejected, London PCNs escalate to London Tribunals (londontribunals.gov.uk), and PCNs outside London escalate to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk).