Here’s how to contest your expensive Sacramento parking ticket
.JPG "A parking enforcement officer issues a warning for a car parked on 24th Street in midtown Sacramento on Monday, March 23, 2020. The city stopped issuing parking tickets for overdue meter payments during the pandemic, but continues to issue them to cars parked in the way of street sweeping, garbage and recycling pickup.")
Live in Sacramento long enough and you’re bound to be unpleasantly surprised by a parking ticket tucked on the outside of your car’s windshield.
Sometimes the reason for the $25 to $256 parking citation is clear, other times it could be a mistake and you have the right to challenge it.
Follow these steps to successfully contest a parking ticket issued in both the city of Sacramento and Sacramento County:
Contest a Sacramento city parking ticket
A court appearance, according to the city of Sacramento’s website, is not required to contest a parking citation issued within the city.
Instead, tickets can be contested online or in writing up to 21 calendar days from the ticket’s issue date.
CONTEST PARKING TICKETS ONLINE
To contest a parking ticket online, enter all of the numbers printed under “Issue No.” on the citation slip. If the first digit begins with a zero (0), only enter the numbers that follow after it.
Next, enter your license plate number or your car’s vehicle information number.
If you’re having trouble advancing to the next step, try these tips provided on the city’s online citation contest page:
- If you don’t have a license plate or your plate is customized with symbols, just enter “VIN” in the vehicle information number field.
- If your license plate includes the letter O and you receive an error message, try replacing it with the the number zero (0). Or just enter “VIN” in the vehicle information field.
CONTEST TICKETS IN WRITING
Those who don’t want to contest a parking citation online can mail or drop off a citation contest form or written letter to city of Sacramento Revenue Services Division at 915 I St., Room 1214, Sacramento. Written letters should include the following:
- Name, address, city, State, zip Code, phone number
- Citation number
- Date of the citation
- Location of citation
- Violation code
- Vehicle license number
The reason for contesting the citation including pictures or drawings.
Meter-related citations: Include the meter address and the “PKGS” number located on single-space meters or on the face of green “Pay & Display” meters
Disabled placecard citations: Include a copy of the placecard and a valid placecard registration
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once the parking citation contest is received, according to the city’s website, the “penalty clock” stops until it’s reviewed. Meaning, no payment is required during the contest process.
There will be an investigation which could include on-site verification of potentially faulty meters. A decision from the city could take up to six months and the results will be mailed to the address received.
If the city of Sacramento determines the parking ticket is invalid, you’ll be notified by mail and not required to pay the fee. If the city finds the ticket valid, you must pay the fee by the deadline printed on the mailed notice or request an administrative hearing.
Should you have questions about the process, you can call (916) 808-8500 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Contest a Sacramento County parking ticket
Those who wish to contest a parking ticket issued within Sacramento County can do so online, through mail or in person at Sacramento County Sheriff’s Parking Enforcement Detail located at 2010 Hurley Way.
CONTEST ONLINE
Contest a parking ticket online through the Citation Processing Center’s website within 21 calendar days from the ticket’s issue date.
CONTEST THROUGH MAIL
To contest a parking ticket through mail, send an appeal in writing to Sacramento County Sheriff’s Parking Enforcement PO BOX 10479, Newport Beach, California.
Be sure to mail a copy of the citation along with your name, address, the reason for the contest and any other supporting documents unique to the parking violation.
Your letter, according to the county’s parking enforcement detail’s voicemail, must be received within 21 days from the issued citation date.
CONTEST IN-PERSON
Those who wish to contest a parking citation in person can do so at 2101 Hurley Way, Sacramento 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The written appeal must be brought in within 21 calendar days from the ticket’s issued date.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
A mailed response, according to the county’s parking enforcement detail’s voicemail, should be delivered within four to eight weeks. Call 916-876-6642 for more information on payment deadlines.
The Sacramento County Sheriff Department didn’t immediately respond to The Bee’s request for information including if a parking ticket has to paid during the contestation process and how soon a payment must be made if the person is found at fault.
This story was originally published November 1, 2022 at 5:30 AM.