What happens if I get a fine or PCN?
In most cases, Octopus EV is the registered owner of the vehicle, so any fines or PCNs from local authorities, police, or private companies will be issued to us.
Where possible, we’ll transfer these to you - giving you as much control over the charge as possible. You can then either dispute (where possible) or pay the fine.
During the liability transfer process for speeding fines, the case is placed on hold, and no further action is required from you until the transfer is complete. Once processed, the issuing authority will reissue the fine notice directly to your address, which can take a few weeks.
It’s important to note that, in some cases, a transfer isn’t possible. In these situations, we’ll pay the fine and invoice you the cost of the fine the following month, with a VAT admin fee.
Octopus EV is unable to provide detailed information about speeding fines, such as recorded speed, speed limit, location, or photographic evidence. These details are held and issued directly by the relevant police force or issuing authority.
What happens when we transfer liability to you?
We’ll email you to let you know that we’ve received a fine for the vehicle. In most cases, this will be sent directly to the driver. However, in some cases, it may be sent to the company instead.
We’ll pass your details to the issuing authority to transfer liability to you. This process can usually take between two and four weeks.
Most fines must be paid within 14 days to avoid an increase. Once liability has been transferred, this 14-day window will reset.
From this point, the fine is in your hands - you can either dispute it (where relevant) or pay it directly.
What happens when we can’t transfer liability to you?
Some issuing authorities do not accept transfers of liability under certain circumstances. If we are unable to transfer liability to a driver and we are obliged to pay the fine as the registered keeper we will do so to prevent it from increasing. If this is the case we will notify you by email.
We’ll invoice you for the cost of the fine the following month with a VAT admin fee.
Appealing fines
How to appeal a fine
If you wish to appeal a fine that has been transferred to you, you must appeal directly to the issuing authority, as OEV was not the driver of the vehicle.
OEV cannot dispute or appeal fines on the driver's behalf. You must submit your own appeal directly. If you need support with appealing a fine, please get in touch, and we’ll do our best to help.
How does the appeal process work?
The process for appealing a fine will be different depending on the issuing authority. You’ll find everything you need to appeal the fine in the notification email we send when liability is transferred, including the PCN reference number and the issuing authority's contact details.
Can I appeal a fine that OEV has already paid?
In some cases, OEV is unable to transfer liability for a PCN and is therefore required to pay it as the registered keeper. But you can still submit an appeal by following the process outlined on the original PCN.
However, in these cases, you may not be able to use an online portal or website to appeal. Instead, you may need to submit your appeal in writing by email or post, including the Third Party Authorisation letter provided in the email notification you received.
If the appeal is successful, you will be credited with the full amount of the fine.