Disputing Your Parking Ticket

You returned to your car to find a parking ticket on your windshield or maybe you received a parking ticket in the mail. Sometimes we receive a ticket when we are unable to make it back to our vehicle in time, but other times we believe that the ticket has been issued in error. Possibly the ticket was issued for an alleged parking violation in a city that you’ve never visited or perhaps you got a ticket when you felt you were parked legally. If you receive a ticket, here are some tips on how to proceed:

• Read your ticket to find out about your payment options. There may be a reduced fine for paying early.
• Find out what your payment options are and if can you pay online.

If you want to dispute a parking ticket, here are some tips on how to proceed:

• Check to see if there is an appeal process available to you and if there is a deadline and/ or fee for disputing a ticket.
• When disputing a ticket provide as much information as possible as to why you feel you were issued a ticket in error and keep a record of your communication.
• Failure to pay the ticket can result in the debt being sent to a collection agency and the unpaid fine being recorded on your credit report. It may also result in your car being immobilized or towed if subsequent tickets are issued.
• If you are being contacted by a collection agency, you can complete our debt in dispute form and provide it to both the collection agency and the creditor (in this case the parking company). Once a debt has been disputed the collection agency must not continue to communicate with you.
• Keep a copy of the debt in dispute form and proof that you have sent it.
• If the debt appears on your credit report, you can provide to the reporting agency an explanation in writing of not more than 100 words about the debt.

If you have disputed the debt with both the parking company and the debt collection but continue to receive calls about the debt, contact Consumer Protection BC toll free at 1-888-564-9963, via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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