Okay, you committed a parking violation and you’ve been issued a ticket. You might be angry, frustrated or both. That’s understandable, but doing nothing about the ticket is a bad idea. If you feel that your ticket was incorrectly issued, the best option is to dispute the ticket.
If not, your best option is to pay, which is easy with the online payment option. The worst decision is to ignore it and hope it goes away. If you are upset at the amount of your ticket, just remember: The longer you wait to pay the ticket, the bigger the fine.
When nothing is done 15 days after the ticket is issued, a Notice of Violation (NOV) is sent to the vehicles registered address reminding you to pay or dispute the ticket within 10 days.
If nothing is done (paying or disputing the ticket) within 10 days of receiving the NOV, a $30 penalty will be added. After that, then you have another 10 days to pay or contest the ticket before a second penalty of $35 is added.
So for example, let’s say you were ticketed for an expired meter and the violation fine was $36. If you decide to completely ignore this ticket you’ll end up with a $101 balance. As time goes on and you continue to ignore the ticket, the fine will eventually go to debt collectors and potentially affect your credit.
Just remember: The Philadelphia Parking Authority supports your right to contest a ticket you feel has been wrongfully issued. If you would like to contest a ticket, please click here for your options.
If you have any questions regarding a ticket, ask away on Twitter or Facebook.