New York Parking Ticket Violations: Costs and How to Avoid

Parking tickets are pretty much a way of life in New York City. They keep drivers on their toes and generate lots of revenue for the city. Read on to learn more about what a parking ticket will cost you in New York, when to dispute, and how to avoid them altogether.

The Cost of NYC Parking Tickets

The cost of a parking ticket in New York City varies greatly, based on the violation code and how many times a driver has made the same offense. Fees also vary based on location in the city, especially in Manhattan, 96^th Street and below. For example, you’ll pay $115 for blocking an intersection, for parking within a crosswalk, or for standing or parking where not allowed by a sign or marking. The largest parking ticket fines apply to buses. You can find a list of violations and their respective fines on the NYC Finance website.

Reasons to Dispute a Parking Ticket

New York law requires everyone to respond to parking tickets and red light violations within 30 days of the issue date. If you let the 30 days pass, you could incur additional fines, interest, or a vehicle boot. If you disagree with the ticket, you can challenge it, and you also have the option to appeal the decision. These are a few of the most common reasons to dispute a parking ticket:

Missing or Unreadable Signs

If there were no signs where you parked or if they were too difficult to read, make sure to take photos of the scene to submit with your dispute.

Broken Meter

New Yorkers often dispute tickets for broken meters. However, New York requires drivers to purchase parking from another meter nearby if the closest meter is broken.

Defective Ticket

If the ticketing officer omitted key information or wrote inaccurate information on your parking ticket, you may want to dispute it as well. NYC Finance will review defective tickets and dismiss it if relevant defects are found.

Disabled Tickets

Sometimes people with disabled parking permits get ticketed while parking in an authorized spot. Follow the directions on the back of your disabled permit to dispute tickets like these.

How to Avoid NYC Parking Tickets

Obviously, the best way to avoid all of these hassles is to park in legally permissible places at all times. These are some effective ways to avoid getting parking tickets in New York:

Check your meter time limit and don’t arrive even a minute late to your car
Place your meter receipt face-up on your dashboard
When multiple parking signs exist in the same area, heed the advice of the most restrictive one
Keep your registration and insurance up to date
Park at least 15 feet away from fire hydrants
Understand the difference between no stopping, no standing, and no parking signs
Never park in any part of a crosswalk or designated bike lane