Parking Citations
If you receive a parking ticket, you have 21 calendar days from the issue date to pay the penalty or submit a written appeal to the Office of Citation Appeals Administration (CVC 40215(a)). An appeal that is postmarked on the 21st day is acceptable.
- After 21 days — The citation is delinquent, the penalty doubles and you lose your right to appeal.
- After 35 days — The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) places a hold on the vehicle registration and adds $20 to the doubled penalty.
Note: A vehicle that accumulates five or more unpaid citations is subject to immediate immobilization and can be towed at the owner’s expense.