What a California parking ticket is

This page is about a California notice of parking violation, the paper that sections 40200 to 40230 of the California Vehicle Code refer to. Those sections are article 3 of chapter 1 of division 17 of the Vehicle Code, which this page calls article 3. Section 40200(a), quoted below, states that a violation of a regulation governing the standing or parking of a vehicle that is not a misdemeanor “is subject to a civil penalty.” This page quotes parts of article 3, one California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) manual page, and, as one labelled court example, one page of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. It does not apply them to any ticket. Confirm the issuing agency, the amount, the dates, and the directions printed on your ticket.

The Vehicle Code text on this page is quoted from the article 3 page of the California Legislative Information website (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov), as read on 3 Nov 2026. The system used to prepare this page could not download that website directly on 3 Nov 2026. Sections 40215 and 40220 are quoted as amended by Assembly Bill 1299 (AB 1299, Statutes of 2025, chapter 346), effective January 1, 2026; the text changed by AB 1299 is quoted from the leginfo page only. Every other quoted passage of article 3 is also the same in an Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) copy of that page captured on 1 Jun 2025, retrieved on 3 Nov 2026. The DMV page and the San Diego Superior Court page were retrieved on 3 Nov 2026. The check of 2026 legislative material made for this page was not exhaustive. If a later law amends these sections, the text quoted here may not be current.

Information on this page was checked against sources available as of November 3, 2026.

What Vehicle Code § 40200 and § 40200.1 say about a civil penalty and who is liable

Section 40200(a): “Any violation of any regulation that is not a misdemeanor governing the standing or parking of a vehicle under this code, under any federal statute or regulation, or under any ordinance enacted by local authorities is subject to a civil penalty. The enforcement of those civil penalties shall be governed by the civil administrative procedures set forth in this article.”

Section 40200(b): “Except as provided in Section 40209, the registered owner and driver, rentee, or lessee of a vehicle cited for any violation of any regulation governing the parking of a vehicle under this code, under any federal statute or regulation, or under any ordinance enacted by a local authority shall be jointly liable for parking penalties imposed under this article, unless the owner can show that the vehicle was used without consent of that person, express or implied. An owner who pays any parking penalty, civil judgment, costs, or administrative fees pursuant to this article shall have the right to recover the same from the driver, rentee, or lessee.”

Section 40200(c): “The driver of a vehicle who is not the owner thereof but who uses or operates the vehicle with the express or implied permission of the owner shall be considered the agent of the owner to receive notices of parking violations served in accordance with this article and may contest the notice of violation.”

Section 40200.1: “A person shall not be subject to both a notice of parking violation and a notice to appear for the same violation.”

That is the statute’s statement. Subdivision (b) of section 40200 begins with an exception for section 40209, one of the sections on the affidavit of nonliability (sections 40208 to 40210), which are described below. A notice to appear, named in section 40200.1, is a different paper from a notice of parking violation; this page covers only the notice of parking violation process in article 3.

What Vehicle Code § 40202 and § 40203 say a notice of parking violation contains

Section 40202(a): “If a vehicle is unattended during the time of the violation, the peace officer or person authorized to enforce parking laws and regulations shall securely attach to the vehicle a notice of parking violation setting forth the violation, including reference to the section of this code or of the Public Resources Code, the local ordinance, or the federal statute or regulation so violated; the date; the approximate time thereof; the location where the violation occurred; a statement printed on the notice indicating that the date of payment is required to be made not later than 21 calendar days from the date of citation issuance; and the procedure for the registered owner, lessee, or rentee to deposit the parking penalty or, pursuant to Section 40215, contest the citation. The notice of parking violation shall also set forth the vehicle license number and registration expiration date if they are visible, the last four digits of the vehicle identification number, if that number is readable through the windshield, the color of the vehicle, and, if possible, the make of the vehicle. The notice of parking violation, or copy thereof, shall be considered a record kept in the ordinary course of business of the issuing agency and the processing agency and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.”

Section 40202(b): “The notice of parking violation shall be served by attaching it to the vehicle either under the windshield wiper or in another conspicuous place upon the vehicle so as to be easily observed by the person in charge of the vehicle upon the return of that person.”

Section 40203: “The notice of parking violation shall be accompanied by a written notice of the amount of the parking penalty due for that violation, the address of the person authorized to receive a deposit of the parking penalty, a statement in bold print that payments of the parking penalty for the parking violation may be sent through the mail, and instructions on obtaining information on the procedures to contest the notice of parking violation.”

That is the statute’s statement. The 21 calendar days in section 40202(a) is not the only time stated in article 3. Section 40215(a), quoted below, sets a period for requesting an initial review of “21 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation or 14 calendar days from the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation”, excluding the days taken by a request for a copy of the original notice under section 40206.5, which this page cites but does not quote. Section 40207(a), quoted below, states what a notice of delinquent parking violation contains, including the same 21-day and 14-day times and the affidavit of nonliability. Sections 40208 to 40210, on the affidavit of nonliability, are described below; section 40208 is quoted. This page does not say which time applies to a particular ticket.

What Vehicle Code § 40203.5 says about the amount of a parking penalty

Section 40203.5(a): “The schedule of parking penalties for parking violations and late payment penalties shall be established by the governing body of the jurisdiction where the notice of violation is issued. To the extent possible, issuing agencies within the same county shall standardize parking penalties.”

Section 40203.5(b): “Parking penalties under this article shall be collected as civil penalties.”

Section 40203.5(c)(1): “Notwithstanding subdivision (a) the penalty for a violation of Section 22507.8 or an ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to Section 22511.57 shall be not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).”

Paragraph (2) of subdivision (c): “The issuing agency may suspend the imposition of the penalty in paragraph (1), if the violator, at the time of the offense, possesses but failed to display a valid special identification license plate issued pursuant to Section 5007 or a distinguishing placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.55 or 22511.59.”

Paragraph (3) of subdivision (c): “A penalty imposed pursuant to this subdivision may be paid in installments if the issuing agency determines that the violator is unable to pay the entire amount in one payment.”

That is the statute’s statement. Subdivision (a) leaves the schedule of parking penalties to the governing body of the jurisdiction where the notice of violation is issued. The sources quoted on this page do not state a statewide amount for a parking ticket, and this page does not state one. The range in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) is for a violation of section 22507.8 or of an ordinance or resolution adopted under section 22511.57, which this page names but does not quote. Paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), quoted above, lets the issuing agency suspend that penalty if the violator possessed but failed to display a valid special identification license plate or distinguishing placard, and paragraph (3), quoted above, provides for installments if the issuing agency determines that the violator is unable to pay the entire amount in one payment. This page does not say which amount applies to a particular ticket.

What Vehicle Code §§ 40204 to 40208 say about payment and a notice of delinquent parking violation

Section 40204(a): “If the parking penalty is received by the person authorized to receive the deposit of the parking penalty and there is no contest as to that parking violation, the proceedings under this article shall terminate.”

Section 40204(b): “The issuing agency may, consistent with the written guidelines established by the agency, allow payment of the parking penalty in installments if the violator provides evidence satisfactory to the issuing agency of an inability to pay the parking penalty in full.” That is the statute’s statement.

Section 40206(a): “If the payment of the parking penalty is not received by the person authorized to receive a deposit of the parking penalty by the date fixed on the notice of parking violation under Section 40202, the processing agency shall deliver to the registered owner a notice of delinquent parking violation.”

Section 40206(b): “Delivery of a notice of delinquent parking violation under this section may be made by personal service or by first-class mail addressed to the registered owner, as shown on records of the Department of Motor Vehicles.”

Section 40207(a): “The notice of delinquent parking violation shall contain the information specified in subdivision (a) of Section 40202 or subdivision (a) of Section 40248, as applicable, and Section 40203, and, additionally shall contain a notice to the registered owner that, unless the registered owner pays the parking penalty or contests the citation within 21 calendar days from the date of issuance of the citation or 14 calendar days after the mailing of the notice of delinquent parking violation or completes and files an affidavit of nonliability that complies with Section 40208 or 40209, the renewal of the vehicle registration shall be contingent upon compliance with the notice of delinquent parking violation. If the registered owner, by appearance or by mail, makes payment to the processing agency within 21 calendar days from the date of issuance of the citation or 14 calendar days after the mailing of the notice of delinquent parking violation, the parking penalty shall consist solely of the amount of the original penalty. Additional fees, assessments, or other charges shall not be added.”

Section 40208: “The notice of delinquent parking violation shall contain, or be accompanied with, an affidavit of nonliability and information of what constitutes nonliability, information as to the effect of executing the affidavit, and instructions for returning the affidavit to the issuing agency.”

That is the statute’s statement. Section 40207(a) refers to an affidavit of nonliability under section 40208 or 40209, two of the sections on the affidavit of nonliability (sections 40208 to 40210). Section 40209, which this page cites but does not quote, is about an affidavit of nonliability returned with a written rental or lease agreement, and section 40210, which this page also cites but does not quote, is about an affidavit of nonliability stating that the vehicle was sold or transferred before the violation. Section 40206.5, which this page cites but does not quote, is about a request for a copy of the original notice of parking violation. The 21-day and 14-day times in section 40207(a) also appear in section 40215(a), quoted below, which runs for “21 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation or 14 calendar days from the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation” and excludes the days of a section 40206.5 copy request. On the renewal of the vehicle registration named in section 40207(a): Section 40220(a)(1)(A), quoted below, allows a processing agency to file an itemization with the DMV only if all of the conditions in clauses (i) to (iii) of that subparagraph are satisfied; subparagraph (B), quoted below, provides a one-time extension of 45 calendar days for a person who falls out of compliance with the payment plan, and subparagraph (C), quoted below, provides a one-time rescission of the filing for an indigent person who enrolls in a payment plan. Section 40221, quoted below, provides that a civil judgment relating to a parking violation filed with the department is not filed with the court unless the conditions it states are met. This page does not say whether any of this applies to a particular ticket.

What Vehicle Code § 40215 says about an initial review and an administrative hearing

Section 40215(a): “For a period of 21 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation or 14 calendar days from the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation, exclusive of any days from the day the processing agency receives a request for a copy or facsimile of the original notice of parking violation pursuant to Section 40206.5 and the day the processing agency complies with the request, a person may request an initial review of the notice by the issuing agency. The request may be made by telephone, in writing, or in person. There shall not be a charge for this review. If, following the initial review, the issuing agency is satisfied that the violation did not occur, that the registered owner was not responsible for the violation, or that extenuating circumstances make dismissal of the citation appropriate in the interest of justice, the issuing agency shall cancel the notice of parking violation or notice of delinquent parking violation. The issuing agency shall advise the processing agency, if any, of the cancellation. The issuing agency or the processing agency shall mail the results of the initial review to the person contesting the notice, and, if following that review, cancellation of the notice does not occur, include a reason for that denial, notification of the ability to request an administrative hearing, and notice of the procedure adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) for waiving prepayment of the parking penalty based upon an inability to pay.” That is the statute’s statement.

Section 40215(b): “If the person is dissatisfied with the results of the initial review, the person may request an administrative hearing of the violation no later than 21 calendar days following the mailing of the results of the issuing agency’s initial review. The request may be made by telephone, in writing, or in person. The person requesting an administrative hearing shall deposit the amount of the parking penalty with the processing agency. The issuing agency shall adopt a written procedure to allow a person who is indigent, as defined in Section 40220, to request an administrative hearing without payment of the parking penalty upon satisfactory proof of an inability to pay the amount due. An administrative hearing shall be held within 90 calendar days following the receipt of a request for an administrative hearing, excluding time tolled pursuant to this article. The person requesting the hearing may request one continuance, not to exceed 21 calendar days.”

Subdivision (c) begins: “The administrative hearing process shall include all of the following:” Paragraph (1): “The person requesting a hearing shall have the choice of a hearing by mail, in person, or, if offered by the issuing agency, by telephone or electronic means. An in-person hearing shall be conducted within the jurisdiction of the issuing agency. If an issuing agency contracts with an administrative provider, in-person hearings shall be held within the jurisdiction of the issuing agency or within the county of the issuing agency.”

Paragraph (5): “The officer or person who issues a notice of parking violation shall not be required to participate in an administrative hearing. The issuing agency shall not be required to produce any evidence other than the notice of parking violation or copy of the notice and information received from the Department of Motor Vehicles identifying the registered owner of the vehicle. The documentation in proper form shall be prima facie evidence of the violation.”

Paragraph (6): “The examiner’s decision following the administrative hearing may be personally delivered to the person by the examiner or sent by first-class mail, and, if the notice is not cancelled, include a written reason for that denial.”

Paragraph (7), as amended by AB 1299: “The examiner or the issuing agency may, at any time, and consistent with the written guidelines established by the issuing agency, allow payment of the parking penalty in installments, or the issuing agency may allow for deferred payment or allow for a reduction or waiver of the parking penalty if the person provides evidence satisfactory to the examiner or the issuing agency, as the case may be, of either an inability to pay the parking penalty in full, or any other extenuating circumstances relevant to payment of the parking penalty, including, but not limited to, documented homelessness status and financial hardship. If authorized by the governing board of the issuing agency, the examiner may permit the performance of community service in lieu of payment of a parking penalty.” That is the statute’s statement.

Subdivision (d): “The provisions of this section relating to the administrative appeal process do not apply to an issuing agency that is a law enforcement agency if the issuing agency does not also act as the processing agency.”

Section 40215 ends with this source note: “(Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 346, Sec. 1. (AB 1299) Effective January 1, 2026.)”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes paragraphs (1), (5), (6) and (7) of subdivision (c); paragraphs (2) to (4) are not quoted. The grounds for cancellation in subdivision (a) are the statute’s statement; this page does not say whether any of them applies to a particular ticket. The period in subdivision (a) runs for “21 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation or 14 calendar days from the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation”, excluding the days of a copy request under section 40206.5, cited above; section 40207(a), quoted above, and the affidavit of nonliability under sections 40208 to 40210, described above, are separate parts of article 3. The 21 calendar days in subdivision (b) for requesting an administrative hearing run from “the mailing of the results of the issuing agency’s initial review”. Subdivision (b)’s deposit sentence and its sentence on a written procedure for a person who is indigent are quoted together above. Section 40230(a), quoted below, sets 30 calendar days for an appeal to the superior court, running from “the mailing or personal delivery of the final decision described in subdivision (b) of Section 40215”.

What Vehicle Code § 40230 says about an appeal to the superior court

Section 40230(a): “Within 30 calendar days after the mailing or personal delivery of the final decision described in subdivision (b) of Section 40215, the contestant may seek review by filing an appeal to be heard by the superior court where the same shall be heard de novo, except that the contents of the processing agency’s file in the case shall be received in evidence. A copy of the notice of parking violation or, if the citation was issued electronically, a true and correct abstract containing the information set forth in the notice of parking violation shall be admitted into evidence as prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. A copy of the notice of appeal shall be served in person or by first-class mail upon the processing agency by the contestant. For purposes of computing the 30-calendar-day period, Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall be applicable. A proceeding under this subdivision is a limited civil case.”

Subdivision (b) of section 40230, which this page cites but does not quote, provides that the fee for filing the notice of appeal is as provided in section 70615 of the Government Code, that the court retains that fee regardless of the outcome of the appeal, and that if the court finds in favor of the contestant, the processing agency reimburses the amount of the fee to the contestant. This page does not state the amount of that fee.

Subdivision (d): “If no notice of appeal of the processing agency’s decision is filed within the period set forth in subdivision (a), the decision shall be deemed final.”

Subdivision (e): “If the parking penalty has not been deposited and the decision is against the contestant, the processing agency shall, after the decision becomes final, proceed to collect the penalty pursuant to Section 40220.”

That is the statute’s statement. The 30 calendar days in subdivision (a) run from “the mailing or personal delivery of the final decision described in subdivision (b) of Section 40215”. Subdivision (e) refers to collection under section 40220. Section 40220(a)(1)(A), quoted below, allows a processing agency to file an itemization with the DMV only if all of the conditions in clauses (i) to (iii) of that subparagraph are satisfied; subparagraph (B), quoted below, provides a one-time extension of 45 calendar days for a person who falls out of compliance with the payment plan, and subparagraph (C), quoted below, provides a one-time rescission of the filing for an indigent person who enrolls in a payment plan. Section 40221, quoted below, provides that a civil judgment relating to a parking violation filed with the department is not filed with the court unless the conditions it states are met. In article 3, the steps quoted on this page come in this order: an initial review by the issuing agency (section 40215(a)), an administrative hearing (section 40215(b)), and an appeal to the superior court (section 40230(a)).

A 2026 California law (AB 2788, Statutes of 2026, chapter 223) amends who may hear the Vehicle Code § 40230 appeal. We did not confirm its effective date from the sources used for this page.

What Vehicle Code § 40220 and § 40221 say about collecting an unpaid parking penalty

Section 40220(a)(1)(A): “File an itemization of unpaid parking penalties and related service fees with the department for collection with the registration of the vehicle pursuant to Section 4760. For unpaid parking penalties issued on and after July 1, 2018, and related service fees, the processing agency shall not file an itemization with the department unless all of the following conditions have been satisfied:”

Clause (i) of that subparagraph: “The processing agency provides a payment plan option for indigent persons that, at a minimum, does all of the following:” Its subclause (IV), as amended by AB 1299: “Allows a person to file a request to participate in a payment plan at any time.”

Subclauses (I) to (III) of clause (i), on monthly installments, late fees and penalty assessments, and the processing fee for a payment plan, and clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (A), which set the other conditions, are not quoted on this page.

Subparagraph (B): “The processing agency shall allow a person who falls out of compliance with the payment plan a one-time extension of 45 calendar days from the date the payment plan becomes delinquent to resume payments before the processing agency files an itemization of unpaid parking penalties and related service fees with the department pursuant to subparagraph (A).”

Subparagraph (C): “The processing agency shall rescind the filing of an itemization of unpaid parking penalties and related service fees with the department for an indigent person, for one time only, if the registered owner or lessee enrolls in a payment plan”. The rest of subparagraph (C), on a late fee, is not quoted, and this page does not state that amount.

Paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), which this page does not quote, is about filing proof of unpaid penalties and fees with the court, with the same effect as a civil judgment, in the case it describes. Paragraph (3): “If the registration of the vehicle has not been renewed for 60 days beyond the renewal date, and the citation has not been collected by the department pursuant to Section 4760, file proof of unpaid penalties and fees with the court with the same effect as a civil judgment as provided in paragraph (2).”

Section 40220 ends with this source note: “(Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 346, Sec. 2. (AB 1299) Effective January 1, 2026.)”

Section 40221: “The processing agency shall not file a civil judgment with the court relating to a parking violation which has been filed with the department unless the processing agency has determined that the registration of the vehicle has not been renewed for 60 days beyond the renewal date and the citation has not been collected by the department pursuant to Section 4760.”

Section 40222, which this page cites but does not quote, lists cases in which the processing agency terminates proceedings on a notice of delinquent parking violation.

That is the statute’s statement. Section 40220(a)(1)(A), quoted above, allows a processing agency to file an itemization with the DMV only if all of the conditions in clauses (i) to (iii) of that subparagraph are satisfied; subparagraph (B), quoted above, provides a one-time extension of 45 calendar days for a person who falls out of compliance with the payment plan, and subparagraph (C), quoted above, provides a one-time rescission of the filing for an indigent person who enrolls in a payment plan. Section 40221, quoted above, provides that a civil judgment relating to a parking violation filed with the department is not filed with the court unless the conditions it states are met. This page does not say whether an itemization has been filed for a particular ticket.

The California DMV’s Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual, section 10.110, headed “Parking/Toll Violations on Record (VC §§4760 and 4761)”, retrieved on 3 Nov 2026, states: “Registration renewal cannot be completed for a vehicle if the owner or lessee has unpaid parking/toll violations on record.” That is the DMV’s statement, not an instruction from us. Section 40220(a)(1)(A), quoted above, allows a processing agency to file an itemization with the DMV only if all of the conditions in clauses (i) to (iii) of that subparagraph are satisfied; subparagraph (B), quoted above, provides a one-time extension of 45 calendar days for a person who falls out of compliance with the payment plan, and subparagraph (C), quoted above, provides a one-time rescission of the filing for an indigent person who enrolls in a payment plan. Section 40221, quoted above, provides that a civil judgment relating to a parking violation filed with the department is not filed with the court unless the conditions it states are met. In article 3, the steps quoted on this page come in this order: an initial review by the issuing agency (section 40215(a)), an administrative hearing (section 40215(b)), and an appeal to the superior court (section 40230(a)).

What one court page says about the levels of review (one court example)

This section is one court example. It quotes the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, page “Appeals - Parking Tickets”, retrieved on 3 Nov 2026. It is not a statewide rule, and this page does not describe the process in any other court.

That page states: “There are three (3) levels of review/appeal for a parking ticket.” It also states: “Each step in the process must be taken in order and initiated within strict timeframes.” That is the court’s statement, not an instruction from us. In article 3, the steps quoted on this page come in this order: an initial review by the issuing agency (section 40215(a)), an administrative hearing (section 40215(b)), and an appeal to the superior court (section 40230(a)).

Paths the ticket describes (not which to choose)

Read which city, county, or other issuing agency issued your ticket, the section of the Vehicle Code or the local ordinance it cites, the date, any amount, and the directions printed on it.

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US overview: What a parking ticket notice is. Contrast: What an NYC parking ticket is.

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Sources retrieved 3 Nov 2026:

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Information on this page was last checked against official sources on November 7, 2026.