The Traffic Services Division of the Sheriff’s Department is responsible for Administrative Reviews of all County Parking Violation Notices. 

PARKING CITATIONS      

If you need additional information about responding to your parking citation, please determine first if it is a COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO parking citation.     County parking citation look like the one to the right. 

If your parking citation was issued by the City of San Diego, please contact San Diego Parking Management.   

WHAT DOES THIS VIOLATION MEAN? 

• Click here for a list of County parking violations
• Look up California Vehicle Code sections
• Look up County Regulatory Codes

I NEED A COPY OF MY COUNTY PARKING CITATION

If you know from which station your citation was issued, please contact the station at the following numbers.  If you are not certain, contact the Traffic Services Office at (858) 974-2099.
 

I WANT MY TICKET REVIEWED

Following is the procedure for contesting a notice of parking violation.  The form can be found in this section and must be submitted with a copy of the citation, and any other proof.

PROCEDURE FOR CONTESTING A NOTICE OF PARKING VIOLATION              

Rather than appearing in court on a contested parking citation, minor parking violations are no longer criminal infractions.  They have been reduced to civil offenses.  Accordingly, the criminal courts no longer will hear parking matters.  If you wish to challenge your parking citation, you may do so according to the civil administrative process outlined below.  If you have a question about the citation, please contact the office where the citation was issued (i.e., Sheriff’s Station, CHP, General Services, etc.).  You may also contact the Parking Enforcement Center at 800-654-7275 (WHEN ASKED "WHAT CITY?" PLEASE REPLY "COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO SHERIFF'S") or call the Sheriff’s Traffic Services Division at 858-974-2099.

It is important to request the review of the citation right away (within 21 days of issuance or of receiving a notice of delinquent citation).  Failure to do so will result in increases to your parking penalty as well as having your vehicle registration withheld by the Department of Motor Vehicles until the full amount of your citation, including late penalties, is paid.

STEP 1

The first step is an Administrative Review.  The purpose of this step is to screen out those citations where the motorist is clearly not liable for the citation.  Complete the Request for Administrative Review form included in this section and return it, with a copy of the citation and any other applicable proof, to: San Diego County Sheriff’s Department-Traffic Division, P.O. Box 939062, San Diego, Ca  92193-9062.  You will be notified in writing of the finding of the Review.  If the citation is dismissed, you may consider the matter resolved.  If the citation is upheld, you may either pay the fine or move on to the next step.

To download the Request for Administrative Review form click on the above link or click the button below:

STEP 2

The second step is the Administrative Hearing, which is conducted by a civil hearing officer.  You will be required to post the penalty amount of your citation prior to being scheduled for the hearing.  You will be given the choice of having the hearing in person before the hearing officer or by submitting a written declaration to the hearing officer.  In either event, you will be notified of the finding.  If you are found not liable, your penalty funds will be refunded to you.  If the citation is upheld, you may either pay the fine or move to the final step.

STEP 3

The third and final step in the process is an appeal to the Civil Division of the Superior Court.  The appeal must be filed within 30 days after the order of judgment from the Administrative Hearing.  You, as the appellant, are responsible for paying any necessary filing fees for the appeal hearing.  If you prevail, any filing fees, along with the penalty amount previously posted will be refunded to you.  If the citation is upheld, all fees and the parking penalty will be forfeited.

A parking citation may be dismissed if it is determined, after review, it was either factually incorrect or issued in error.  The following reasons DO NOT warrant dismissal of a parking citation:

• I was only gone for a minute

• I did not know that I could not park there

• I think the fine is too high

• I did not see the sign or curb marking

• I cannot afford to pay the fine

• I have never had a ticket before, or I have a perfect driving record

• I will never do it again

• My car was the only one cited

• I did not know it was against the law

• How do I obtain a Handicap Placard? (California DMV)

Please note any documentation submitted will not be returned to you nor will copies be provided for you.  Please retain a copy for your own records.

Frequently Asked Questions  - Parking Citations