No One Ever Told Me...

Parking Tickets, the Boot, and You

Vehicles with three or more unpaid parking or red light tickets are eligible to be “booted” after you receive a series of notices.

You cannot drive your car until you pay ALL outstanding parking tickets AND an extra fee (usually $150+) for the installation of the boot.

Once your vehicle has been booted, you must pay the outstanding citations on the vehicle within 72 hours before it is towed to an impound lot.

Retrieving a car that has been towed requires the following three things:

• Certification of proper registration
• Proof of insurance
• And a valid driver’s license.

You must also pay the amount due (including all outstanding tickets, fees, fines and penalties) before they can return your car to you. (this includes a towing fee of about 120 to 150 bucks!)

Every calendar day that your car sits in the impound lot, you will accrue a “storage fee”. If you leave your car there for 30 days, it’s becomes the property of the state and is sold at auction.

**Bonus Tip** Driving away while a parking official is in the middle of writing you a ticket will instantly add-on an extra 20 to 25 dollar fee, and it will be mailed to you instead. No matter how mad you are, it’s better to just take the ticket before leaving.

I hope this is helpful in getting you back on the road as quickly as possible!