Parking in NYC is not easy. Parking tickets may prove unavoidable if you live, work, or visit New York unless you don’t drive.
Factors like parking meters, indistinguishable parking signs, and unnoticed fire hydrants can interfere with the proper parking of your vehicle, even if you try to abide by the rules.
It’s almost impossible not to get a parking ticket in this city because most of the time, the circumstances are beyond your control.
So what is the cost of NYC parking tickets? How do you know if you’ve been ticketed in New York City? Can you dispute an NYC parking ticket? How? What are the options for paying a parking ticket in NYC? What happens if you don’t pay?
Read on to find out the answers to these and other commonly asked questions regarding parking tickets in New York.
How Much Are Parking Tickets In NYC
In New York, parking tickets have fines ranging from $35 to $515.
The fine amount varies in the five boroughs of NYC and depends on the type and frequency of the violation.
Note that buses and other large vehicles generally pay more than cars and motorcycles. Also, some areas in the city may be more expensive than others.
For example, you’ll pay $65 if you park longer than allowed on 96th Street and below in Manhattan. In other areas, the same violation will cost you $35.
Included in each parking violation fine amount is a $15 penalty surcharge.
Admittedly, these fees are pretty expensive. In fact, parking ticket prices in New York are among the highest in America.
But the point of such expensive fines is to deter parking violators and enforce the law, especially in a heavily congested city like New York. A small fine won’t necessarily deter people.
If the City of New York only charged $15 or $25 for illegal parking, many people would consider parking next to a fire hydrant. That would be a bargain compared to what it usually costs to park in a metered lot or garage.
So, to effectively prevent people from breaking the law, fines must be high enough to make people think twice before doing it.
For a comprehensive list of NYC parking violations and ticket costs, visit the NYC Department of Finance website.
No Standing Ticket NYC
Parking rules and regulations in New York are pretty strict, and tickets may be issued for violating these laws.
You can get a ticket for parking less than 15 feet from a fire hydrant, parking in a “No Parking” zone, or stopping your vehicle, even briefly, in a “No Stopping” zone.
The most common parking ticket is the “No Standing” ticket. It is issued when you violate a “No Standing” sign, one of the most confusing parking signs in New York.
According to New York regulations, you may stop temporarily in a “No Standing” zone to drop off or pick up a passenger but no other items (such as personal property). Violation of this regulation is punishable by a $115 ticket and possible towing.
There are different “No Standing” signs and rules in New York, so stay informed and alert to avoid unnecessary tickets.
How To Look Up NYC Parking Tickets
In New York, you won’t know when a ticket is issued until you see it on your windscreen or it is handed to you by a parking enforcement officer.
But even then, you may not understand the violation. Or you may lose the ticket before you respond to it.
Worry not; when this happens, you can effortlessly search for your NYC parking tickets online.
The city has an online service where motorists can retrieve NYC parking ticket information by NOL (Notice of Liability) or license plate number.
All you’ve to do is:
- Visit the NYC DOF online search portal.
- You will see the Search or pay for tab. Click Go.
- Enter the violation number and click Search.
- Your search results will appear with all the information about the ticket, and you can decide whether to pay or dispute the ticket.
If you don’t have the NOL number, select the “Search by license plate” option below the first section.
To do this, you must enter the license plate number of your vehicle, the state in which the plate was issued, and the type of plate (passenger, commercial, motorcycle, etc.).
If you don’t know the license plate or violation number, call 311; they’ll find the ticket for you.
Give your name and address and ask for any parking tickets issued in your name or address last month.
Hopefully, the officer dealing with your inquiry will give you the information.
However, they may say they can’t give out any information over the phone for privacy reasons. If that’s the case, you’ll have to ask them to send the information to your registered address where the vehicle in question is registered.
What Are The Required Elements In An NYC Parking Ticket?
There are 99 parking violations in NYC, e.g., parking on a closed street, parking on the sidewalk, parking on a meter with a penalty time display, etc.
Regardless of the violation, all parking tickets must contain generic information without which they aren’t valid.
This generic information must be on all parking tickets as prescribed in the Official Compilation of the Rules of the City of New York, Title 19, Chapter 34, and Section 39-02(a).
All required information must be legible and properly described.
Here is a quick rundown of what must be included in a valid NYC parking ticket:
- Date and time the ticket was issued
- Name of the enforcement agency and the name and signature of the officer issuing the ticket
- The license plate number of the vehicle involved in the alleged violation
- State in which the vehicle was registered
- Make and model of the vehicle
- Vehicle registration expiration date
- Plate type, i.e. if commercial, passenger, or vanity
- The parking code that the enforcement officer believes was violated. The officer must state the exact code and provide a brief description of the violation (e.g., code 67 for blocking a pedestrian ramp.
- A detailed description of the location where the violation occurred
- Meter number for specific meter violations
- Name of the vehicle operator at the time the ticket was issued
- Time first observed (for time-limited zones)
- Days/hours the parking rule is in effect
Tickets that lack any required elements or whose elements are misrepresented or illegible are considered invalid and dismissible upon application.
Note, however, that “N/S” or “N/A” on a required element isn’t grounds for dismissing a parking ticket. These descriptions are permissible for “make” and “license plate type” of vehicles registered out of state.
How To Pay Parking Ticket New York
Paying your parking ticket is vital to keeping a clean driving record.
The good thing is that the parking ticket you receive includes instructions on how to pay. In these instructions, you can pay for the ticket online or by mail. These are the two most common methods of paying parking tickets in New York.
However, other options exist, such as paying a parking ticket in person at a DOF office.
Pay NYC Parking Ticket Online
NYC offers an online service that makes paying for your parking tickets easy and convenient.
So if you’re considering paying your parking ticket online, visit the DOF Citypay website.
Next, enter your parking ticket information in the box when prompted. You’ll be given options for payment, including credit card options, and you can enter that information as well. Then you can submit your payment.
Pay NYC Parking Ticket By Mail
Another option is to pay for your parking ticket by mail to the Department of Finance.
Put the parking ticket with the fee in an envelope and address it to:
NYC Department of Finance
Church Street Station
P.O. Box 3640
New York, NY 10008-3640
Pay NYC Parking Ticket In Person
If you don’t want to spend the time or money to mail a payment, stop by one of DOF’s business centers in the five boroughs of NYC and pay your bill.
You can pay here with cash, check, money order, credit, or debit card.
Late parking tickets will not do well for your record in New York. So take the time to pay for your parking tickets before they are overdue.
If you cannot pay your parking ticket immediately or in full, you can apply for an NYC parking violation payment plan. This allows you to make several small payments over a period of time instead of paying the entire amount at once.
How To Dispute Parking Tickets
There are a few fairly simple steps you can take to fight parking tickets in New York. This is especially true if you feel you’ve been unjustly ticketed, possibly due to factors beyond your control.
The first thing you should do is look at the ticket and make sure it says what you did wrong.
If you don’t know what rule you broke, look on the ticket and then check the marked signs to see if the rules you broke were posted so you could easily see them. That way, you’ll be able to tell what you supposedly did wrong.
Next, you should check to see if you were really at fault.
For example, if you have a disabled badge and got a ticket for parking in designated areas, you shouldn’t have to pay the ticket. Also, if you were issued the ticket in error, you should check to see if you can contest it.
You can fight parking tickets by requesting an administrative review to see if the ticket was legal.
The next step in fighting tickets you may not deserve is requesting an appeal if the administrative review results in a denial of your claim. In this case, you can present your case before a judge to get a correct ruling.
You can also use methods such as noting and reporting any negligence on the part of the authorities, in the form of missing “No Parking” signs, etc., to fight NYC parking tickets.
Disputes over parking tickets in New York can be filed online through the nyc.gov portal, in person, by phone, or by mail.
Whatever route you choose, successfully challenging a wrongfully issued parking ticket depends on your ability to gather sufficient evidence.
The evidence you need depends primarily on why you want to contest the ticket. They can be categorized as follows:
- Incorrect lines and signs
- Defective parking ticket
- Meters/Ticket machines out of order and valid permits or tickets displayed
- Vehicle position
- Loading/unloading
Witness statements, video footage, photos, and copies of the incorrectly filled parking ticket can greatly assist you with your case.
All of the above steps are quite time-consuming and sometimes even demand expenses in the way of fees. However, the process is worth it, considering that you may not have to pay an unjustified parking ticket.
Parking Ticket App NYC
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of getting a parking ticket revoked, use one of the many parking ticket apps in New York.
The following apps can help you get rid of your parking ticket in NYC fast!
Lawyer For Parking Tickets
Other than parking ticket apps, you can also seek out a lawyer for parking tickets.
In responding to a parking ticket, an NYC parking ticket attorney can help you determine the best course of action to take to minimize potential financial and legal repercussions.
These lawyers offer affordable and effective ticket defense, helping motorists win dismissals and reductions in fines
What Happens To Unpaid Parking Tickets In New York?
While it might not seem like a big deal initially, an unpaid NYC parking ticket can have some serious consequences.
It doesn’t matter if you still live in NYC or another state. These consequences can hit you anytime you’re there.
Penalty fines and interest
In most cases, if your ticket hasn’t been processed within 20 days, you’ll receive a penalty notice reminding you to pay.
A $10 penalty will be applied if payment is not made within 30 days of issuance. If you ignore the ticket for 60 days, you get another $30 fine; if you ignore it for 90 days, you get another $60.
After 100 days, the violation becomes a judgment for which you’ll pay a 9% simple interest per year until the debt is fully paid.
In general, NYC parking tickets can be increased up to three times if you delay them for too long.
The vehicle may be booted or towed
Multiple unpaid violations will have more severe consequences.
If the overall debt exceeds $350, your vehicle may be booted. In that case, you’ll pay an additional $136 for the boot and $80 for enforcement.
Failure to return the boot within 24 hours will result in additional charges of $25 for each day it remains unreturned.
If you don’t pay for and return the boot within 48 hours, your vehicle will be towed. And if you attempt to remove the boot yourself, you’ll be charged with the destruction of government property.
Impact on your credit history
Unpaid parking tickets may negatively affect your credit report and lower your credit score. This would make finding employment or getting loans nearly impossible.
Other punishments
In some cases, DOF may refer your debt to a collection agency. I’m sure you don’t like the idea of debt collectors calling you at home or work all the time.
If necessary, DOF can also auction off your vehicle to collect your debt.
Ultimately, the consequences of not paying for a parking ticket in New York aren’t pleasant. So pay your tickets on time to avoid unnecessary fines and other consequences.
If the ticket is overdue, go to the courthouse and resolve it. It’s best to go with the intention of paying it along with any fines or fees that may have been imposed.
You can also ask about payment plans or alternative punishments if you can’t afford to pay the full amount.
A lawyer can help you if you’re unsure what to do and are afraid of getting arrested. It’ll cost you some money, but they will ensure the matter is taken care of quickly and efficiently.
Thank you for reading this guide, and I hope it helps you avoid future parking tickets. You should also be careful where you park your car in New York and how you park it. Hopefully, this will keep you out of trouble while you’re here.
