Parking Ticket Statistics by City (2026)
Last updated: March 2026
Quick Answer
Millions of parking tickets are issued annually in major US cities. NYC alone issues over 10 million citations per year. Dismissal rates vary significantly by city and violation type — NYC OATH dismisses roughly 38% of contested tickets, while most other cities do not publish comparable data. Here is what the numbers show.
When You Can Win
When you contest the ticket — dismissal rates are higher than most people expect
Most people pay parking tickets without contesting them. But of those who do contest, a substantial percentage win. NYC publishes OATH hearing outcomes: approximately 38% of contested citations are dismissed. The key insight is that the universe of people who contest is small, which means the bar for winning is not as high as people imagine.
When the violation type has high dismissal rates
Not all violations are equal. Meter violations — especially broken meter claims — and signage-based violations (street cleaning, no-parking) have higher dismissal rates than fire hydrant or double parking violations. This reflects the strength of the available defenses: a photo of a broken meter or missing sign is objective evidence that is hard to counter.
Step by Step
- 1
Look up your city's official hearing outcome data
NYC publishes OATH annual reports with case outcome statistics. SFMTA publishes annual parking citation reports. LA and Chicago are less transparent — data is available through public records requests. Links to official data sources are referenced throughout this guide.
- 2
Compare your violation type to dismissal patterns
Signage-based violations and meter violations have the strongest evidence-based defenses. Fire hydrant and double parking violations have narrower defense windows. Knowing where your violation falls helps you calibrate how much effort to invest.
- 3
Check the fine amount against your time investment
An appeal takes 30–60 minutes. At a 38% dismissal rate (NYC), writing a letter for a $65 ticket yields an expected value of about $24 ($65 × 0.38). For a $115 fire hydrant ticket, the same rate yields $44. Higher fines make appeals more worth the effort even at lower success rates.
Evidence You Need
Official city hearing outcome statistics
NYC OATH annual reports: nyc.gov/site/oath. SFMTA: sfmta.com.
Your city's published fine schedule
Fines change year to year. Verify current amounts at your parking authority's website.
Your citation number and violation code
The code determines which defense applies and which statistics are most relevant.
Parking Ticket Statistics by City
Average fines, fine ranges, and dismissal rates where officially published.
| City | Avg Fine | Fine Range | Contest Rate | Dismissal Rate | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | $65 | $65 – $115 | ~12% | 38% | 30 days |
| Los Angeles, CA | $73 | $63 – $100 | N/A | Not published | 21 days |
| Chicago, IL | $60 | $60 – $250 | N/A | Not published | 21 days |
| San Francisco, CA | $94 | $82 – $110 | N/A | Not published | 21 days |
| Philadelphia, PA | $51 | $51 – $76 | N/A | Not published | 15 days |
Dismissal rate = percentage of contested tickets dismissed, per official city data where published. Contest rate = estimated percentage of issued tickets that are formally contested.
Common Mistakes
Assuming low dismissal rates mean contesting is pointless
A 38% dismissal rate means nearly 4 in 10 people who contest win. The people who do not contest have a 0% dismissal rate. Contesting is always better than not contesting if you have any viable defense.
Thinking only lawyers contest tickets
The vast majority of successful appeals are filed by individuals without legal representation. Administrative parking hearings are designed to be accessible.
Paying a ticket that has an obvious error
Vehicle description errors are the most commonly missed defense. Thousands of people pay tickets every year that could have been dismissed on a plate number discrepancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parking tickets does NYC issue per year?
New York City issues approximately 10–13 million parking tickets per year depending on enforcement priorities. This generates roughly $600–700 million in revenue annually. Only a small fraction of recipients contest their tickets.
What percentage of parking tickets are dismissed in NYC?
According to NYC OATH published annual data, approximately 38% of contested parking tickets are dismissed. This does not include tickets that are paid without contest — the overall dismissal rate across all issued tickets is much lower, as most people pay.
Which city has the most expensive parking tickets?
San Francisco consistently has among the highest average fines — street sweeping violations run $94, meter violations run $82. Chicago's double parking and expired city sticker fines ($250 and $200 respectively) are the highest individual fines among our tracked cities. NYC fines are in the middle range but volume is highest.
What is the most common parking violation in major cities?
Street sweeping / alternate side parking violations are the most common violation in NYC (Code 40/38) and among the most common in LA, SF, and Chicago. They are also among the most successfully contested because they depend entirely on signage adequacy.
Do parking fines increase with repeat violations?
In most cities, standard parking fines do not increase based on driving history — they are flat fines set by the municipal code. However, NYC and Chicago do add late payment penalties that escalate quickly, and having many outstanding fines can trigger a boot or tow regardless of individual fine amounts.
What city has the highest appeal success rate?
NYC publishes the most transparent data and shows a ~38% dismissal rate at OATH. Anecdotal and public records data from other cities suggests comparable rates for well-supported appeals, but most cities do not publish outcome statistics. The quality of your evidence and letter matters more than the city.
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ParkingFight is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Information on this page is for informational purposes only. Municipal codes, fines, and appeal procedures may change. Always verify current rules with your local parking authority before filing.