We’ve all done it — left the car in a parking spot for too long, or misread a road sign only to wince at the flash of a speed camera. But what happens next? Do traffic tickets affect credit scores in the UK? Loqbox explores driving fines and credit scores so you have the info you need.

Can parking tickets affect your credit score?

When you get a parking ticket, it’s normal to feel worried. You might be confronted by confusing, or sometimes even scary,  language wrapped up in a neat plastic parcel on your windscreen.   

You might already know that missed payments can lead to a  County Court Judgement (CCJ). But try not to panic. Take a deep breath, and keep reading. 

Because CCJs will have a negative impact on your credit score,  and stay on your credit report for as long as six years, it makes sense that you might wonder: “Can parking tickets affect credit scores?” CCJs can be terrible for your credit, but the good news is that it isn’t as easy to get one from a parking fine as you might think.

It is possible for unpaid parking tickets to affect credit scores. So, it isn’t a good idea to ignore them. But It isn’t an automatic flag on your credit report. For a parking fine to trigger a CCJ on your credit report, the parking company would have to file a county court claim against you, which you would be able to contest. 

If you were to win your claim, you wouldn’t owe anybody anything. But even if you lose, you would only get a CCJ if you refused to pay within 28 days. If you pay, the matter is settled outside of court and will not be reported to Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs). So really, it is much more unlikely to hurt your credit score, and much more in your control.

However, if you ever receive a parking fine it’s a really good idea to pay it as quickly as you can. If you pay within 14 days you will typically pay 50% less than if you leave it unpaid for longer. If you believe that you have a good case you can appeal the fine. Remember, if you do and it fails, you will still have time to pay before you get a CCJ. 

Do speeding tickets affect credit scores?

So, that’s what you can expect from a parking fine. But does a speeding ticket affect your credit score? Of course, it’s important to stay within legal speed limits when driving. But with cars getting more powerful and comfortable to ride in, it’s possible to slip over the speed limit every once in a while and then the dreaded flash goes off in your mirror.

When that happens it’s natural to ask: “Do speed camera tickets affect your credit score?” If you’re found guilty of speeding and receive a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) you will likely have to pay a £100 fine and you will get three points on your driving licence (unless you are offered the chance to attend a speed awareness course).

If you plead not guilty you will have to go to court. If you are still found guilty, you could discover that your fine and the points you get given increase, including possibly having your license suspended or even being disqualified from driving altogether. 

However, when it comes to whether a speeding ticket can affect your credit report, it works similarly to a parking fine. If you refuse to pay and you lose any appeal against it that goes to court, you could find that the debt becomes visible on your credit report for potential lenders to see and use in credit application decisions.

What to do if my driving affects my credit score?

So, as we’ve talked about above, there are quite a few things that would have to happen before your credit score will be affected by a speeding or parking ticket. But if you have found that your credit score has been negatively impacted, don’t panic. You can still work to improve it and get your credit rating back on track.

If you don’t know what your credit score is, or if you want to check it with each of the top CRAs in the UK: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, you can do it for free, and without hurting your score, using one of these recommended sites:

• ClearScore (uses Equifax data)*
• Credit Club (uses Experian data)
• Intuit Credit Karma (uses TransUnion data)

*Transparency is important to us, we choose our partners very carefully, and only present financial products we think will work for you. If you sign up to ClearScore using the above link, then they will pay us a small commission for this.

If you are looking for a fast and proven way of improving your credit score, get started with Loqbox. With full membership, you could grow your credit score by up to 300 points in just three months. We report your regular payments to the CRAs which helps to increase your credit score.

Improvements to your credit score are not guaranteed.