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Department of Finance
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PARKING VIOLATIONS
HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF AFTER RECEIVING A PARKING TICKET
Take a deep breath. THEN TAKE PHOTOS!
The most common defense against a ticket is that it's defective. A ticket is defective when a required element under the law is missing or mis-described. Defective tickets may be dismissed even if you do not have another defense to a charged violation.
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You must have photos of your vehicle at the alleged location and time to defend yourself respectably.
Best Options:
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PLACE OF OCCURRENCE MIS-DESCRIPTION
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On your ticket, pay special attention to the “place of occurrence.” Cops are required to describe the exact location where they allege you committed your parking crime.
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For example, you may find, "W/S of Allen St 100 ft N/ of Rivington St" on the front of your parking ticket. This means the West side of Allen Street, 100 feet North of Rivington Street.
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If any element of that description is incorrect - street name, orientation, distance from crosstreet, etc. - you win upon application.
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Note whether the officer specified you were parked in 'Front of' or 'Opposite' the address in question
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USE GOOGLE MAPS
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TIME OF OCCURRENCE MIS-DESCRIPTION
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The date or time are not specified
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Days/times in effect are incorrectly specified or not specified at all if there are specific times when the regulation is in effect.
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VEHICLE MIS-DESCRIPTION
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The plate number is wrong
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The vehicle color is not specified or wrong
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The plate type is wrong (usually PAS but if you have vanity plates it would be SRF)
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The manufacturer of the vehicle is not specified or wrong
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The body type (sedan, van, convertible, etc.) is wrong
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The mode year of your vehicle is wrong
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The county is not specified or incorrect
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The state of your registration is not specified or incorrect
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LEGIBILITY
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If any element of this description is illegible - to mean, reasonably unreadable - you win upon application.
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If there are any omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements on the front of your parking ticket, you win upon application.
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IN PERSON HEARING
You can look up any tickets you have by summons or license plate number as well as dispute individual tickets. They have imaged copies of all summonses so you can view them online even if you don't have the original. You can even attach photos or other documentation to your case.
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OTHER POSSIBLE DEFENSES:
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There was no sign anywhere on the block
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The officer described the wrong sign on the violation
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The officer wrote the wrong violation on the summons
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You had a permit to park there
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The spot where the vehicle was parked has conflicting regulations
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Dropping off or picking up a passenger
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Meter broken or fast
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Meter rules not in effect on the day/time the car was parked
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No meter where car was parked
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At muni-meter in the process of obtaining a receipt when the ticket was issued (it helps here it you have the receipt, so if you see the offer writing the ticket, run and get a receipt quick and you may beat it)
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Medical emergency (need some sort of documentation to make this work)
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Location does not exist (make sure the location they mark is a legal, listed address)
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NYC Department of Finance Links
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You can request a hearing online, by mail, or via the Pay or Dispute mobile app. If you cannot conduct your hearing online, by mail, or via the app, you can schedule an in-person hearing or visit a Department of Finance business center between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
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Department of Finance
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