Paying your citation

• Outstanding parking ticket information - This link will enable you to obtain information by license plate or citation number.
  
  
• Pay Parking Ticket Online - Verify your ticket balance at online ticket lookup. Parking fines increase $10 at 15 and 30 days until they are twice the original amount.
  
  
• In person
  • City Hall
    900 E. Broad St., Room 102
    Monday through Friday
    8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    
    
    
  • East District Initiative
    701 N. 25th St.
    Monday through Friday
    8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    
    
    
  • Southside Community Services Center
    4100 Hull St.
    Monday through Friday
    8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    
    
    
• By mail

  Make a check or money order payable to "The City of Richmond" and return it to us in the envelope included with the citation. To enable us to correctly post your payment, please include either a copy of the citation or your license plate number noted on your check or money order.
  
  If you mail your payment in your own envelope, please use the following address:
  
  City of Richmond - Parking Tickets
  P.O. Box 26508
  Richmond, VA 23261-6508

Common Parking Violations

$25 Fine

• Exceeding the time limit designated on signs
• Violation of parking meter provisions
• Parking improperly in a metered on-street parking space
• Parking improperly in a metered off-street parking area
• Parking oversized vehicles improperly in metered spaces
• Parking in a metered or non metered parking space
• Parking or stopping on the wrong side of the street
• Parking more than 18 inches from a curb

$40 Fine

• Parking in any location in violation of Richmond City Code Section 27-197, to include the following places:
  • On a sidewalk
  • In front of a public or private driveway
  • Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
  • Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection
  • On the roadway side of any vehicle parked at the edge or curb of a street
  • At any place where official signs prohibit parking, or during street cleaning
  • At any place where an order, rule, or regulation that prohibits or restricts parking
  • On a curb, or with any wheels off of the roadway and on the far side of the curb from the roadway
  • On a median
• Parking in any lane marked and designated as a "fire lane," within or adjacent to a parking area or parking lot that is open to the public and which is designed to accommodate 50 or more vehicles
• Parking so as to block an alley or to block a driveway into an alley
• Vehicle released at location

$50 Fine

• Parking in excess of the time limit designated on signs in a restricted parking district without a valid parking decal, temporary parking pass or visitor's parking pass for that restricted parking district

$60 Fine

• Parking in a tow-away zone
• Parking in a bus zone or taxicab stand
• Parking within an intersection
• Parking on a crosswalk

$105 Fine

• Towing of illegally parked vehicles

$200 Fine

• Parking in handicap zone
• Parking in front of a ramp constructed for use of handicapped persons

Appealing a parking citation

1. Administratively, under limited circumstances as noted below
2. Contest directly to Richmond Traffic Court.

The Administrative Review Process is currently limited to the review of citations issued for parking violations. Towing charges and any related storage fees are not presently included in the scope of this process and must be appealed to the Richmond Traffic Court.

The Administrative Review

The administrative review of a parking citation is limited to the following conditions.

• Malfunctioning parking meter
• Fallen or misplaced permit or placard
• Missing, illegible, ambiguous or incorrectly worded sign
• Stolen or transferred vehicle
• Stolen or lost license plate
• Sign or other parking prohibition installed subsequent to parking
• Disabled vehicle
• Medical emergency
• Owner deceased
• Restricted Parking Permit (ticket issued in error)

If any of the above conditions apply to your citation, you may complete an Administrative Review Form. After completing the form, you may mail, fax or deliver the request in person to the Parking Customer Service Specialist (PCSS). The address and fax number are located at the bottom of the Administrative Review Form.

The PCSS will schedule an appointment with you regarding your appeal or process it based on the information you have provided and take one of the actions noted below.

After reviewing the information you have provided and that of the parking enforcement personnel, the PCSS will issue a determination regarding your appeal in one of these ways.

• Forward your appeal and all relevant documentation to the Traffic Court with a recommendation from the city of Richmond that the citation be excused.
  
  OR
  
  
• Deny your request and provide written notification as to the findings and balance(s) due on your account.

If your request is denied you may either pay the citation and any accrued late charges up to the date of your appeal or contest the citation to the Traffic Court.

Contesting a Parking Citation

A court date must be established if you wish to dispute a parking ticket/citation. You may contest your citation with the Richmond General District Court -- Traffic Division by completing a Contest Citation Form that has been approved by the Court.

• If you live within 25 miles of the city's borders:
  To contest a first-notice citation* (see below), you must come to
      Parking Violation Unit
      900 E. Broad St., Room 102
      Richmond, VA 23219
     
  This is the procedure set by the John Marshall General District Traffic Court, who reports to the Virginia Supreme Court, not the City of Richmond.
  
  
• If you live further than 25 miles from the city's borders:
  To contest a first-notice citation* (see below), please contact us at (804) 646-5700 to obtain a form to contest. Our 311 call center will take your request and forward it to one of our Parking Customer Service Representatives who will respond to your call within 48 hours of the request.
  
  

* The City of Richmond reserves the right to prohibit the contesting of tickets once collection action has been initiated. According to City Code Section 27-219, the City of Richmond will prohibit anyone from contesting a citation(s) if that action is not taken within 10 days after the first notice of nonpayment is mailed. Citations may not be contested after they have been paid, nor may payment for contested citations be made to the City of Richmond once they have been contested. Once the citation has been contested and the information forwarded to the Traffic Court to establish a court date, all actions regarding the citation must be handled through the Clerk, General District Court, Traffic Division: (804)646-6431.

Important Notes

Should the traffic judge not rule in favor of the contesting party, the court will collect both the cost of the parking violation and associated court costs. The city does not receive any portion of the court costs, nor is it responsible for determining the amount charged. The amount of court costs for unsuccessfully contesting a parking violation may be obtained from the office of the Clerk of the General District Court, Traffic Division, at (804)646-6431.

Once the completed Contest Form has been received, a court date will be set, within 45 days of the date of notification to contest the citation. A copy of the Contest Form, with the court date noted on the Form, will be returned to you.

You may check on the status of citations contested with the Richmond Traffic Court online. If you have contested your ticket to the Traffic Court, click to find out the status of your case. Read the "How to use" instructions before proceeding on their site.