Busted! Punishments for ignored citations vary by state and city, but one thing is for sure: If you don't pay your parking tickets, you'll end up with a lot worse than a small fine.
8 Things That Could Happen If You Don’t Pay Parking Tickets
Your fines will escalate the longer you wait to pay
Unless you are actively fighting a parking ticket (and following the proper steps), don’t procrastinate on paying your fine. Parking tickets give a deadline for paying, and it could be as quickly as two weeks to a month from the date of the offense.
And best intentions don’t cut it. If you’re late, you’re late. For instance, ignoring a parking ticket for more than 90 days in New York City could add an extra $60 in penalties to your first ticket cost. After 100 days, you’ll have to pay 9% interest for every year it goes unpaid. In California, a late payment could add a “civil assessment” of up to $300.
Your car could get booted or towed
If you’re notorious for getting parking tickets (and leaving them unpaid), don’t be surprised if your vehicle gets towed or “booted” with a wheel lock. Even if you’re not doing anything wrong right now, the police have your license plate on file and can find you anytime.
Whether and when you’ll get the boot depends on your location. For example, in Washington, D.C., a police officer or parking-enforcement worker will boot your vehicle if you have two or more outstanding parking tickets, even if your car is legally parked at the time. In Seattle, you’ll need four or more unpaid tickets before you get stuck. Either way, you’ll have to pay up if you want it off.
Your car could get seized and auctioned off
Ignore a parking ticket for long enough, and you could lose a lot more than a couple hundred bucks—the state could seize your vehicle. In New York, for example, the city holds auctions to sell vehicles that owners chose to give up instead of paying their fines for parking or other violations.
You might end up in court
In places like Memphis, Tennessee, your parking tickets might already have court dates written on them. If you pay within 15 days, there’s no need to show up for court. Let it go, though, and you’ll need to clear your schedule for that hearing—and prepare to pay the late fees tacked onto your original citation.
Collection agencies might get involved
Your city’s parking-enforcement bureau doesn’t want to deal with you forever, so it might hand your case over to a collection agency. Those debt collectors could inundate you with letters, phone calls—including on your office or cell number—or even show up at your home.
Your credit score could go down
Planning to buy a house? Beware of parking-ticket debt. Debt collections already impact your credit score, but did you know that your misdemeanor parking or traffic ticket could itself get reported too? As St. Petersburg, Florida, parking division manager Keith Glasgow told the Penny Hoarder: “People will call to say, ‘I’m trying to get a house, but I have a parking ticket. Can you please take it off?'” Don’t let that happen to you.
You could lose money during tax season
Even if you think you’ve outsmarted those late fees by calmly ignoring court summons and debt collectors’ calls, the government won’t forget. The city could ask that the money you owe be taken out of your state tax refund, so say goodbye to that extra cash you were hoping to get back.
Your registration might not get renewed
Your state’s department of motor vehicles isn’t in charge of collecting parking fines, but it could get involved if you’re in arrears with the city. The DMV could refuse to renew your vehicle registration or suspend it before its time is up. Driving without a registration could lead to points on your license or higher car-insurance rates. Bottom line: Pay those tickets!
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Sources:
- NYC 311: “Parking ticket or camera violation assistance”
- California Courts: “Guide to traffic tickets”
- DC.gov: “Failure to pay a ticket”
- Seattle Municipal Court: “My Car Got Booted”
- Shelby County, Tennessee: “How do I find my court date?”
- Marietta, Georgia: “Parking Ticket Violations”
- Penny Hoarder: “Parking Tickets Suck — But Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Pay Them”
- New York State DMV: “Parking Tickets”
