iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and is not equivalent to the services of a licensed lawyer. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help, and does not offer legal services. Third party news articles mentioned on our website do not necessarily reflect the views of the company, or the current services that we offer.
ByJune Li i
Don't you just hate it when you step away from your car for what seems like two minutes, only to return to a neatly tucked parking violation below your windscreen? And this is the worst part of it all – you never see this coming. Chances are you don't understand why you got the parking ticket in the first place until you finally read the ticket, and it dawns on you that you have parked in an unauthorized space.
You could get a parking ticket for many different reasons. And if we are being honest, each time you get one, it is usually for violating parking you didn't even know existed. So, what happens if you ? Read to understand more and get to know how DoNotPay can help.
How Will an Unpaid Parking Ticket Affect Me?
It is essential to understand that a parking ticket is a serious citation. Ignoring it will not magically make the problem go away. If anything, it only makes matters worse. While the repercussions for failing to pay a parking ticket differ by state, there is one thing for sure- you will end up dealing with a bigger problem than the initial small fine you were supposed to pay.
The following are the main issues you may encounter when you fail to pay for your parking ticket:
You Will Accrue More Penalties | Parking tickets have payment deadlines. This could be anywhere from two weeks to one month, depending on your state. If you miss paying your fine by the deadline, your owed amount could significantly go up. In California, for example, you will have to pay an extra $300 on top of the initial fine you were required to pay. |
Your Car Could Get Towed | You cannot hide from the authorities. Remember that the government has your vehicle registration. If they run your registration plate and discover that you have unpaid parking tickets, they can boot your car. |
You Could Lose Your Car | In the worst-case scenario, you could end up losing your car because of unpaid parking tickets. The state could auction your vehicle to recover the money owed in fines. |
You Might Have to Appear in Court | Parking tickets in cities like Tennessee and Memphis have court dates on them. If you miss the deadline to pay your fine, you will have to appear in court. You might be wondering if you can serve a jail term for unpaid parking tickets. This could happen if you fail to show up in court. |
Common Causes That People Do That Got Them a Parking Ticket
These are the most common things that people did that got them their parking tickets:
- Forgetting to feed the meter.
- Exceed the time limit of your parking meter.
- Parking in a no-parking area.
- Parking in the wrong direction.
- Parking outside the lines.
- Parking in a lot without paying for it.
Can I Lose My License For Unpaid Parking Tickets?
Yes. Most people take parking tickets for granted. You might not even know your license is suspended until you are pulled over by the police, who inform you that you are driving with a suspended license for .
Can I get a License Renewal With Unpaid Parking Tickets?
No, you will have to pay all the money owed before you can renew your license.
Pay Your Parking Tickets on Time
Now that you know all the things that could go wrong if you fail to pay a parking ticket, the best course of action to take would be to pay the fine as soon as you get it, to avoid a minor violation from turning into something very complicated that will be hard to straighten out.
Contest Parking Tickets in Less Than 120 Seconds
DoNotPay has been successful in handling more than 200,000 tickets, and yours could be next. As The Guardian reports, DoNotPay's bots have had a 64-win rate in 21 months. DoNotPay managed to get 160,000 wins in 250,000 attempts. This is not taking into account the millions of dollars saved on tickets and fees.
Here's how to get started with DoNotPay:
- Log in to DoNotPay and find the Parking Tickets product.
- Upload a photo of your parking ticket.
- Provide us with some details on why you believe the parking ticket is a mistake.
- Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf!
- That’s it! You’ll receive an appeal letter that contains state vehicle codes to boost your case.
It's really that simple! Look out for your traffic ticket issuer's response to discover whether you won.
DoNotPay Helps Users Fight and Beat Tickets in Any City
DoNotPay can also help you fight and beat:
- NYC parking tickets
- Seattle Parking tickets
- Chicago parking tickets
- San Jose Parking Tickets
- LA parking tickets
- New Orleans parking tickets
- Rutgers parking tickets
- California parking tickets
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
Helping you with parking tickets is one of the many things that DoNotPay can help you with. DoNotPay has many other products and services to offer, which include, but are not limited to:
- Helping you get registration renewal
- Helping you with insurance claims
- Helping you find missing money
- Helping you with city repairs
Sign up with DoNotPay today to enjoy these amazing products and so many more.