A Beginner’s Guide to Contesting a Parking Ticket

A parking ticket on your car can mean fines, driver's license suspension, vehicle confiscation, and even a negative impact on your credit score. That's why it's a good idea to contest a parking ticket especially if it's unfair or unlawful. Parking laws ensure the safety of people and the flow of traffic. Yet, mistakes happen, whether due to technology faults, overzealous parking attendants, unclear signs, or just an honest error. This explains why 45 million people got driving citations in 2019, and the trend continues every year. If you receive a parking ticket, you may pay or contest it.

If you believe your parking ticket is unfair or unlawful, you may need to contest it to void or minimize fines. DoNotPay can help you , saving you the hard work. DoNotPay is a app that makes it easy to contest parking tickets across all cities in the US. With the app, you can contest:

Do I Have to Hire an Attorney to Contest Parking Tickets?

If you decide to fight a traffic ticket, you may be skeptical about going it alone because of the legalities. So, like many people, you may want to seek professional help. But an attorney might not be necessary when. With apps like DoNotPay, this shouldn't be a problem. Lawyers charge between $100 and $1000 for such cases. DoNotPay does the same job for way less. Still, if you need someone to represent you, then here are a few things to consider.

Identify several lawyers: Ask for referrals, browse through lawyer directories, and even leverage online services to identify potential lawyers. This allows you to compare them head to head to find the one that can deliver the best service.
Experience and specialization: Not all lawyers are good with parking ticket cases. That's why specialization and experience are critical to finding the right lawyer. Find a lawyer specializing in traffic law and who has experience contesting parking ticket cases.
Cost: Hiring a lawyer is not cheap. Figure out how much you're going to spend, and determine if it's worth the amount you're contesting.

Reasons to Contest a Parking Ticket

While contesting things like blocking a school gate or parking on zigzag lines have little chance of success, other reasons may vindicate you. Here are scenarios where you can appeal a parking ticket:

Your car broke down
You couldn't get back to your car
Factual errors on the ticket
Not finding a way to pay
Illegible tickets
You were parked correctly
You didn't own the car when the parking violation happened
The parking signs or road markings were unclear

Steps for Disputing a Parking Infraction

When you get a ticket, it should include details on how to dispute or pay. If not, it should have a website or phone number that you can call. Follow these steps to dispute a parking infraction.

Request an initial review

Give reasons why you shouldn't have received the citation, and include any supporting evidence. The screening officers will review your case and vary, cancel, or affirm the penalty.

By phone:	Call the number at the back of the ticket. Most parking enforcement authorities are available from 8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.
Online:	You can also request a review online. Log in to your city's parking service lookup tool and present your reasons.
In-person:	Depending on where you live, you can walk into the parking enforcement authority's office and have them review your case. This is often faster, easier, and more convenient.
Mail:	Download the initial review form, fill and send it to your city's address.

Request an Administrative Hearing

If not satisfied with the results, you can ask for a review. Do this within 21 days (may vary by state) from the mailing date of the initial review decision.

Appeal

You have the right to appeal the final decision within 30 days (may vary by state) from the date of hearing the request decision.

Should I Pay or Dispute My Ticket

When you get a parking ticket, you have the option to pay or dispute it, depending on the events that led to it. Disputing can be a great option if you feel the ticket was unfair or unlawful, as it will void or reduce the fine. However, the process is challenging and may take a long time. On the other hand, paying is simpler but may cost more than it's worth.

But it doesn't have to be a matter of either or. DoNotPay can take the dilemma out of your way and help you void or minimize fines with a few clicks of a button. The app will generate the best defence for your case and pay the ticket. DoNotPay simplifies the entire process and ensures you don't waste any time, money, or energy.

Contest Parking Tickets in Less Than Seconds

DoNotPay has successfully handled over 200,000 tickets, and yours can be next. According to Newsweek, the AI Consumer Champion overturned $4 million in parking tickets within 21 months.

Here's how to get started:

Log in to DoNotPay and find the Parking Tickets product.
Upload a photo of your parking ticket.
Provide us with some details on why you believe the parking ticket is a mistake.
Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf!
That’s it! You’ll receive an appeal letter that contains state vehicle codes to boost your case.