Drivers in private car parks in England, Scotland and Wales would get five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after a parking session ends before facing a fine under a new official code.
Prime minister Andy Burnham said the rules were designed to curb unfair charges. The code is due to be laid in parliament on Tuesday, but it is unclear when it will take effect. Ministers said they wanted to bring it into force as soon as possible.
The government is keeping the industry's existing £100 maximum parking charge. Consumer group Which? had sought a £50 cap and said the new rules appeared to fall short of what drivers needed to challenge poor practices.
Private firms issued a record 16.9 million parking tickets in 2025-26, up 17% on the previous year, the RAC said. An earlier official code was withdrawn in 2022 after legal challenges by parking firms.
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