If more than 21 days have passed since the council registered the debt at Northampton County Court (which is almost always the case once bailiffs contact you), you must submit TE7 and TE9 together (or PE2 and PE3 together). Submitting TE9 alone without TE7 will result in an immediate automatic rejection by the court registry.
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Download the official HM Courts & Tribunals Service forms directly from GOV.UK:
When completing Form TE9 (Witness Statement) or Form PE3, you must tick only one of the four statutory grounds:
Ground 1: Did Not Receive Notice to Owner / Penalty Charge Notice Most common ground (over 85% of cases): You never received the original PCN or Notice to Owner (NtO).Typical reasons include: moving house before the notice was dispatched, delays in the DVLA updating your V5C registration certificate address, Royal Mail postal loss, or the council sending notices to a misspelled address. Ground 2: Made Representations But Received No Notice of Rejection You submitted formal representations to the council within the statutory 28-day window following the Notice to Owner, but you never received a Notice of Rejection from the council. Ground 3: Appealed to Adjudicator (London Tribunals / TPT) Without Response You appealed to the independent tribunal (London Tribunals or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal) within 28 days of receiving a rejection, but you received no decision or communication from the adjudicator. Ground 4: The Penalty Charge Has Already Been Paid in Full You paid the penalty charge in full before the Order for Recovery was registered (you must state the exact date, amount, payment method, and transaction reference). The primary reason applications fail is that applicants complete Form TE7 incorrectly.
Critical Rule: Form TE7 is not where you argue why the original parking ticket was unfair. TEC court officers do not judge the merits of the parking ticket on a TE7 application. TE7 must explain solely why you are filing your witness statement late.
What Valid Reasons Does the Court Accept? Change of Address / Moved Home: You changed address before or around the time the contravention occurred. Explain the date you moved, when you updated your driving licence and V5C logbook with the DVLA, and why mail did not reach you.DVLA V5C Update Lag: You bought the vehicle recently, or notified DVLA of an address change, but the council requested keeper details during the administrative processing window.Medical Emergency or Serious Illness: You or a close dependant suffered serious hospitalisation, severe illness, or incapacity during the 21-day Order for Recovery window.Extended Absence from the UK: You were deployed overseas, working abroad, or away from the country.Postal Non-Delivery: Confirmation from Royal Mail of severe delivery disruption or proof that mail was returned to sender.Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) Part 75 — Traffic Enforcement Under CPR Part 75, the Traffic Enforcement Centre is empowered to grant an extension of time to file a statutory declaration or witness statement where good reason is shown for the delay.
Copyable Text Templates for Form TE7 (Section 2) Copy and adapt these proven templates into the explanation box in Section 2 of Form TE7:
I am applying to file my Witness Statement (Form TE9) out of time because I did not receive the original Penalty Charge Notice, Notice to Owner, or Order for Recovery.
On Date of Move , I moved residence from Previous Address to my current address at New Address . At the time the council issued and dispatched statutory correspondence, mail was being sent to my previous address without my knowledge.
I updated my vehicle registration document (V5C) with the DVLA on Date of DVLA Update (evidence of tenancy agreement / council tax registration and updated V5C attached). I only became aware of this penalty on Date when I received a letter from enforcement agents Bailiff Company Name .
Immediately upon discovering the existence of this warrant, I contacted the Traffic Enforcement Centre to obtain the correct forms and have submitted this application without delay. I respectfully request an extension of time to submit my witness statement.
I am applying to file my Witness Statement (Form TE9) out of time because I was entirely unaware of this penalty charge until Date , when I received an enforcement notice from Bailiff Firm Name / Council .
I reside continuously at Your Address , which is the exact address registered on my vehicle's V5C logbook. Neither the original Penalty Charge Notice, Notice to Owner, Charge Certificate, nor Order for Recovery was ever delivered to my address by Royal Mail.
Had I received the Order for Recovery within the statutory 21-day period, I would have submitted Form TE9 immediately within time. I have acted with promptness upon learning of the registration of the debt, and I respectfully request that the court grant permission to file out of time.
What Happens After You Submit TE7 & TE9 to TEC? Here is the exact legal procedure that unfolds once your forms are emailed to tec@justice.gov.uk:
1. You submit TE7 + TE9 to tec@justice.gov.uk
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2. TEC logs application & notifies local council
[STATUTORY STAY: Bailiff warrant suspended immediately]
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3. Council has 14 days to decide whether to accept or contest
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COUNCIL ACCEPTS COUNCIL OBJECTS
(or fails to respond) (Files Statement of Truth)
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Court Officer revokes Order Court Officer reviews written
for Recovery & cancels warrant. submissions from both sides.
PCN is reset to Notice to Owner. │
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Application Granted or Refused
(If refused, reviewable via N244)
Immediate Suspension of Bailiffs: Within 24–48 hours of logging your submission, TEC issues an electronic notification to the enforcing local authority. By law, the council must immediately inform their enforcement agents (bailiffs). All visits, vehicle clamps, and payment demands must cease immediately.Council Review Period: The council has 14 working days to review your TE7 application.Outcome A — Council Accepts (or Does Not Object): The Court Officer executes a Revoking Order . This cancels the court registration, revokes the Warrant of Control, strikes out all bailiff fees (£75 compliance fee, £235 enforcement fee), and resets the PCN back to the Notice to Owner stage. The council will reissue the NtO, giving you 28 days to challenge or pay at the standard statutory rate.Outcome B — Council Objects: If the council files a formal objection (Statement of Truth), a Court Officer reviews both parties' submissions without an oral hearing. If accepted, the revoking order is granted. If refused, you receive a notification of refusal and have 14 days to request an independent review before a District Judge using Court Form N244 .The fastest and most reliable way to submit your forms is via email:
Email Address: tec@justice.gov.ukEmail Subject Line: OUT OF TIME APPLICATION - PCN [Your PCN Number] - REG [Your Vehicle Registration]Attachments: Completed PDF copies of Form TE7 and Form TE9, plus supporting evidence (tenancy agreement, council tax bill, DVLA confirmation email, or V5C scan).Court Contact Telephone: 0300 123 1059 or 01604 619 450 (Lines open Mon–Fri 8:30am – 4:00pm).Postal Address: Traffic Enforcement Centre, St Katharine's House, 21-27 St Katharine's Street, Northampton, NN1 2LH.Keep a copy of your sent email and any automated receipt from tec@justice.gov.uk. If an enforcement agent visits your property before their head office updates their handheld terminal, show them the timestamped submission email proving an Out of Time application is formally pending at the Traffic Enforcement Centre.
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Frequently Asked Questions (TE7 & TE9) Frequently Asked Questions Does filing Form TE7 and TE9 cost any money? ▾ No. Submitting Form TE7 and Form TE9 (or PE2 and PE3) directly to the Traffic Enforcement Centre is 100% free of charge. There are zero court filing fees.
What should I do if bailiffs turn up at my door before TEC processes my forms? ▾ Do not let them into your home. Speak to them through a closed door or window, provide your PCN number, and show them your timestamped submission email to tec@justice.gov.uk. Quote that an Out of Time application has been filed under CPR Part 75, which places a statutory stay on the Warrant of Control.
Does a witness statement or statutory declaration require a solicitor signature? ▾ Form TE9 does not require witnessing by a solicitor; it is a Statement of Truth signed by the applicant. However, Form PE3 (Statutory Declaration for moving traffic) must be witnessed by a Commissioner for Oaths, practicing solicitor, or officer of the local county court (usually done free of charge at any county court counter or for £5 at a local high street solicitor).
What happens if my TE7 out of time application is refused? ▾ If the Court Officer refuses your application following a council objection, you can apply within 14 days to have the decision reviewed by a District Judge using Form N244. A review on papers costs £108, while an in-person hearing costs £303 (fee remission is available via Form EX160 if you receive qualifying benefits or have low income).
Can I use TE7/TE9 for private parking tickets (e.g. ParkingEye or Euro Car Parks)? ▾ No. TE7 and TE9 forms apply exclusively to statutory council, TfL, and local authority penalties enforced through the Traffic Enforcement Centre. Private parking debts are dealt with in the standard County Court via Small Claims (Form N1) or set-aside applications via Form N244.