Where to pay your Los Angeles parking ticket
You can pay a Los Angeles parking ticket online through the Department of Transportation (LADOT) website, by mail, in person at a payment location, or by phone. The fastest route is online at ladot.lacity.gov/pay-citation — you'll need your citation number and the license plate number from the ticket. Payment by phone goes through the same system and takes about five minutes.
If you prefer to pay in person, LADOT has payment locations throughout the city, though hours vary by location. You can find the nearest office on their website. Payment by mail requires you to send a check or money order to the address printed on the back of your ticket, along with the citation itself.
Credit cards, debit cards, and electronic checks are accepted online and by phone. In-person locations accept cash, check, and card. By mail, send check or money order only — do not send cash.
Key Takeaways
- Online payment through LADOT's website is the fastest method and requires only your citation number and license plate.
- The payment important date is typically 21 days from the ticket date, though you can request an extension if you need more time.
- Late payment adds penalties and can result in a hold on your vehicle registration renewal.
- If you believe the ticket was issued in error, you can contest it through LADOT's citation review process before paying.
- Unpaid tickets eventually transfer to collections and can affect your credit and driving record.
Payment important date and what happens if you miss them
Your payment is due within 21 days of the ticket date. This important date is printed on the back of your citation. If you pay within this window, you pay only the fine amount shown on the ticket.
If you miss the 21-day important date, LADOT adds a late penalty — typically 10% of the original fine or a flat amount, whichever is greater. After 60 days unpaid, the ticket may be referred to a collection agency, and you'll owe collection fees on top of the original fine and penalties. Unpaid parking tickets can also place a hold on your vehicle registration renewal, meaning you cannot renew your tags until the ticket is resolved.
If you need more time, you can request a payment plan or extension through LADOT before the important date passes. Contact them through their website or call to discuss your options.
Contesting a ticket instead of paying
If you believe the ticket was issued incorrectly — for example, the sign was missing, you had a valid permit, or the meter was broken — you can request a citation review instead of paying when ready. You have 21 days from the ticket date to submit your request through LADOT's website or by mail.
Include your citation number, a written explanation of why the ticket should not have been issued, and any supporting evidence such as photos of the location, a copy of a valid permit, or documentation that the meter was malfunctioning. LADOT will review your submission and either dismiss the ticket or uphold it. If upheld, you'll receive a notice with a new payment important date.
Requesting a review does not extend your original 21-day important date — you must submit your request within that window. If you wait longer, you lose the right to contest and must pay the ticket.
How unpaid tickets affect your registration and driving record
An unpaid Los Angeles parking ticket does not directly appear on your driving record the way a moving violation does, but it creates a registration hold. When you try to renew your vehicle registration with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the system will flag any outstanding parking tickets issued in California. The DMV will not process your renewal until the ticket is paid or dismissed.
This means you cannot legally drive with expired tags, even though the ticket itself is not a moving violation. If you're pulled over with expired registration due to an unpaid parking ticket, you can face an additional citation for the expired tags.
After 60 days unpaid, the ticket may be sent to a collection agency. Collection accounts can appear on your credit report and affect your credit score. Some collection agencies also report to the California Franchise Tax Board, which can intercept tax refunds to pay the debt.
Payment plans and financial hardship options
If you cannot pay the full amount by the important date, contact LADOT before the 21 days expire to request a payment plan. LADOT can sometimes arrange installment payments, though the number of payments and terms depend on the fine amount and your circumstances. You must request this in advance — waiting until after the important date passes makes it harder to negotiate.
There is no formal hardship waiver program for parking tickets in Los Angeles, but LADOT may dismiss or reduce a fine in specific circumstances, such as if the citation was issued in error or if you can demonstrate the sign was obscured or missing. This is handled through the citation review process, not a separate hardship request.
If you cannot reach LADOT by phone, submit your request through their website or visit a payment location in person to discuss your situation with staff.
Paying online step by step
Go to ladot.lacity.gov/pay-citation and select "Pay a Citation." You'll be asked to enter your citation number (found on the ticket) and your license plate number. The system will pull up your ticket details and the amount owed.
Review the fine amount and any penalties that have accrued. If the ticket is recent and within the 21-day window, you'll see only the original fine. If it's overdue, late penalties will be added. Select your payment method — credit card, debit card, or electronic check — and enter the information. You'll receive a confirmation number when ready, and LADOT will send you a receipt by email.
Keep your confirmation number in case you need to verify payment later. The system processes payments when ready, though it may take a few business days for the payment to appear in LADOT's records.
What to do if you've already lost the ticket
If you no longer have the physical ticket but remember when and where you parked, you can search for your citation on LADOT's website using your license plate number and the approximate date. Enter this information in their citation lookup tool, and the system will show any outstanding tickets associated with that plate.
Once you locate the citation, you can pay it online using the citation number the system provides. If you cannot find your ticket through the lookup tool, call LADOT directly — they can search their records by license plate and provide your citation number over the phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay a Los Angeles parking ticket with a credit card?
Yes. Credit cards and debit cards are accepted online at ladot.lacity.gov/pay-citation and by phone. In-person payment locations also accept cards. You cannot pay by credit card by mail — mail payments must be check or money order only.
What happens if I ignore a parking ticket completely?
After 60 days unpaid, the ticket goes to a collection agency. You'll owe collection fees on top of the original fine and late penalties. The debt can be reported to credit bureaus, and your vehicle registration renewal will be blocked. Eventually, the Franchise Tax Board may intercept your tax refund to pay the debt.
Can I contest a parking ticket after I've already paid it?
No. Once you pay, you've accepted the citation. If you believe the ticket was issued in error, you must contest it before paying — you have 21 days from the ticket date to request a citation review through LADOT's website.
How long does it take to pay a parking ticket online?
Online payment takes about five minutes. The system processes the payment when ready and sends you a confirmation number when ready. It may take a few business days for the payment to show in LADOT's records, but you're protected from late fees once you've submitted payment within the important date.
Do I need to bring anything to pay in person?
Bring your citation (the ticket itself) and a valid form of payment — cash, check, or card. If you've lost the ticket, bring your license plate number or vehicle registration so staff can look up your citation in the system.