What is POPLA?

Parking Charges issued in England and Wales are underpinned by The Protection of Freedoms Act (POFA) 2012 and the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) Service. The Act introduced the concept of ‘keeper liability’ for vehicles parked on private land, however, there had to be an independent appeals service to sit alongside the same, which is provided for by funding from the parking industry.

That independent service is known as Parking on Private Land Appeals or POPLA. Assessors at POPLA determine appeals from those who have been issued with Parking Charges when parked on private land in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. To be able to lodge an appeal with POPLA, the motorist must first have sent an appeal (‘representations’) to the operator who issued the Parking Charge and have had their appeal rejected. POPLA is independent of all parties to appeals, including the operator and the British Parking Association, as are the Assessors who make the determinations.