NYC parking ticket deadlines and late penalties
nyfinepay is an independent private service, not the City of New York. You can always pay the city directly, which may cost less.
Pay or request a hearing within 30 days of the issue date to avoid late penalties. If a ticket is left unpaid and not disputed it goes into judgment: about 100 days for parking tickets and about 75 days for camera tickets. Judgment can bring interest, collection, and a boot or tow.
The 30-day rule
The city’s rule is simple: you have 30 days from the date the ticket was issued to pay it or to request a hearing. If you do either in time, no late penalty is added. Contacting anyone other than the Department of Finance does not extend that deadline.
For a mailed payment the date that counts is the day the city receives it, not the day you mail it. That is why mailing early matters. For online payments the city says it can take a few days to show in its system, so keep the confirmation that shows the date you paid. See how long a payment takes to show.
Late penalties the city lists
As of our review date, the city lists these late penalties. They are in addition to the fine itself.
- Parking tickets: $10 at 30 days, $20 at 60 days and $30 at 90 days, each added to the earlier penalties.
- Camera tickets: $25 at 30 days. A final notice is mailed at around 65 days.
These figures can change, so confirm them on the city’s parking and camera tickets page.
Judgment
If a ticket is not paid and not disputed, the city can enter a default judgment for the full amount plus penalties and interest. The city says this happens after approximately 100 days for a parking ticket and approximately 75 days for a camera ticket. The city can then send the debt to a collection agency or seize assets. Read the city’s tickets in judgment page for the details.
Boots and tows
According to the city, your vehicle can be booted if you owe $350 or more in parking or camera tickets that are in judgment. A booted vehicle may be towed if the judgment debt is not paid within 48 hours, and in some cases a vehicle can be towed right away. The city explains how to get a boot removed on its booting page.
Payment plans
If you owe judgment debt and cannot pay it all at once, the city offers installment plans. Interest keeps accruing while you pay, so the total grows. See the city’s payment plan page for eligibility and down payments.
Can you still contest after judgment?
Sometimes. The city grants a hearing for a ticket in judgment only if you ask within one year of the judgment, and a judge must find that you have a valid defense and a good reason you did not respond earlier. See how to contest a ticket.
What this means for you
- Decide early: pay it, or contest it. Both have a 30-day window.
- Do not wait for the ticket to appear online if you already have the paper ticket. You can pay by violation number and fine amount.
- Keep proof of payment. If a notice arrives after you paid, see what to do if your payment does not show.
nyfinepay can help you pay open tickets, but it cannot change a deadline, remove a penalty or stop a boot. Those decisions are the city’s.
Related guides
Where this comes from
Facts in this guide come from the City of New York’s own pages. They can change, so check the city before you act on a deadline or an amount.