Whether you’re a resident of Chicago or just visiting, it’s important to understand how the city’s ticketing system works. If you don’t, you could wind up with a huge bill for a small infraction. Fortunately, getting tickets dismissed in Chicago is not difficult, especially if you’re willing to fight them. The Problem Solver often receives letters from readers who feel their tickets were unjust or in a legal gray area. These citations can lead to vehicle booting and even license suspension, so contesting them properly is important.
If you want to avoid having your car towed, you must pay the ticket within 21 days of receiving it. You can log in to the City of Chicago’s website and search for your ticket by citation number or license plate. The website offers a variety of payment options, including credit and debit cards. To ensure your payments are credited properly, you should include the citation or violation notice stub.
Payment Methods
Online Payment
You can pay your parking ticket online through the official City of Chicago website. To do this, visit the City of Chicago’s website and navigate to the “Pay, Check Status or Search for Parking, Red Light & Automated Speed Enforcement Tickets” page. Follow the instructions provided to pay your ticket using a credit card.
Pay by Mail
You can mail your parking ticket payment to the address indicated on the ticket. Be sure to include a check or money order for the amount due, along with the ticket itself. Make the check or money order payable to “City of Chicago.”
In-Person Payment
You can make an in-person payment at a City of Chicago’s payment center. These locations may include City Clerk’s Office locations or other designated payment sites. Check the City of Chicago’s website for the most up-to-date list of payment center locations and their operating hours.
How to Avoid Getting a Parking Ticket in Chicago?
A parking ticket can be a costly inconvenience, especially for low-income drivers. Chicago’s strict vehicle compliance and automated traffic camera enforcement can result in significant fines and even debt if left unpaid. However, the city allows drivers to fight their tickets, and many people do just that.
Thousands of drivers in the city get tickets each year, and most are found to be violating one or more city codes. These tickets can be difficult to dispute, but it’s worth the effort because several defenses are valid under the municipal code.
There are several ways to avoid getting a parking ticket in Chicago, including staying up-to-date with sticker renewals and never parking in prohibited areas such as loading zones and bus lanes. Public transportation and ride-sharing services are other good options for getting around the city.
The city has a strict policy for enforcing its parking rules, but people can contest their tickets to reduce or eliminate them. Hundreds of thousands of people have successfully contested their tickets through DoNotPay, which can help you file your appeal in two minutes.