> Source: https://instantdeedpoll.co.uk/pcn-statutory-declaration/ — last reviewed 22 August 2026. This Markdown mirror is generated at build time from the same content the page serves.

# PE2 and PE3 Statutory Declarations: The Free Official Route

Quick answer

PE2 and PE3 statutory declarations for penalty charge notices are free: the prescribed forms are published on gov.uk, and county court officers can witness them free by appointment. You should not pay anyone for these forms — this guide walks you through the official route and links directly to the free downloads.

Checked by [Sarah Ellison](/author/sarah-ellison/), paralegal — last reviewed 22 August 2026

## Why are PE2 and PE3 declarations free?

Because they are prescribed court forms, not open-form 1835 Act declarations. The Traffic Enforcement Centre process uses the exact PE2/PE3 wording, which the government publishes at no cost — and county court officers can witness the signed form free by appointment. We do not sell these forms, and honestly, nobody should.

## How do I file a PE2 statutory declaration?

Download form PE2 from gov.uk, complete it with the PCN number and the reason you did not receive the original notice (for example, it went to a previous address), then sign it before a witness — free at a county court by appointment, or £5 at a solicitor — and return it to the Traffic Enforcement Centre within the deadline on your Order for Recovery.

## What if the deadline has already passed?

File form PE3 alongside your PE2, explaining why the declaration is late. The court decides whether to allow it — act quickly, keep evidence of when you first learned of the PCN, and consider free advice from Citizens Advice if the court refuses.

## When IS a paid statutory declaration the right product?

When there is no prescribed free form and the wording must follow the 1835 Act exactly: [name changes](/statutory-declaration-name-change/), [single status for marrying abroad](/single-status-declaration/), [identity discrepancies](/statutory-declaration-identity/) and [lost documents](/lost-document-declaration/). See [when to use the free official forms](/free-statutory-declaration-forms/) for the full picture.

## Sources and further reading

- [GOV.UK — appeal against a penalty charge notice](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-parking-fine)
- [GOV.UK — form PE2 (statutory declaration, unpaid penalty charge)](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-traffic-forms-for-the-traffic-enforcement-centre)

Good to know

## Frequently asked questions

### Should I pay for a PE2 or PE3 statutory declaration?+

No. These are prescribed forms published free on gov.uk, and county court officers can witness them free by appointment. Any site charging for the form itself is charging for something the government gives away.

### What is a PE2 form for?+

Form PE2 is the statutory declaration you file when you did not know about a penalty charge notice until the Order for Recovery arrived — for example because the PCN went to an old address. It asks the Traffic Enforcement Centre to cancel the order and restart the process.

### What is a PE3 form for?+

Form PE3 accompanies a PE2 when the deadline has passed: it explains to the court why your statutory declaration is late, and the court decides whether to allow it.

### Who witnesses a PE2/PE3?+

A county court officer (free, by appointment), a solicitor, a Commissioner for Oaths, a notary public or a JP. The statutory fee is £5 if you use a solicitor — free at the county court.