Fines, Tickets, Citations: A list of every parking ticket you can get in L.A.
5+ unpaid tickets? Enjoy your new accessory.
California Vehicle Code
The first table below is applicable all across California, and you’ll see they are pretty straightforward: don’t block things that shouldn’t be blocked, do NOT mess with anything handicapped-related, and pay your parking ticket on time.
“But what happens if I don’t pay my parking ticket on time?” Remember that burning sensation you felt after your senior trip to Cabo? Parking tickets are kind of like that – address the problem quickly so you can move on, without it turning into something worse. If you wait to pay a parking ticket, the fine will increase dramatically (sometimes up to 200%). Rack up 5 or more unpaid parking tickets, and you’ll become the proud new owner of the Boot of Despair (pictured above).
Section
Description
Fine
w/ late fee
4000(a)(1)
NO EVIDENCE OF CURRENT REGISTRATION
$50
$135
4152.5
FAILURE TO APPLY FOR REGISTRATION – FOREIGN VEHICLE
$25
$66
4454(a)
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN REGISTRATION CARD WITH VEHICLE
PARKING HAZARDOUS WASTE CARRIER IN RESIDENTIAL AREA
$383
$576
Los Angeles Municipal Code
The following citations are specific to Los Angeles, and forewarning: some of these will confuse and infuriate you (we think “storing vehicles in the street” as an offense is pretty subjective and unclear). Hopefully reading the list will keep you informed and prevent a parking citation. And if you ARE going to risk it.. now you’ll know how much cash you’re putting on the line.
Section
Description
Fine
w/ late fee
80.25(b)
PARKING NEAR EMERGENCY VEHICLE
$63
$126
80.49
WRONG SIDE/NOT PARALLEL – OVER 18″ FROM CURB
$63
$126
80.51(a)
PARKING ON LEFT SIDE OF ROADWAY
$58
$116
80.54(h)1.
OVERNIGHT PARKING WITHOUT PERMIT
$68
$136
80.55(a)2.
30 FEET OF INTERSECTION – BUSINESS DISTRICT
$58
$116
80.56(e)1.
PASSENGER ZONE (WHITE)
$58
$116
80.56(e)2.
LOADING ZONE (YELLOW)
$58
$116
80.56(e)3.
SHORT TIME LIMIT ZONE (GREEN)
$58
$116
80.56(e)4.
NO STOPPING ZONE (RED)
$93
$186
80.58(l)
PREFERENTIAL PARKING
$68
$136
80.61
ALLEY – STANDING IN
$68
$136
80.69(a)
STOPPING OR STANDING PROHIBITED
$93
$186
80.69(b)
PARKING PROHIBITED/STREET CLEANING
$73
$146
80.69(c)
PARKING TIME LIMITS
$58
$116
80.69(d)
PARKING OF VEHICLES MORE THAN SIX FEET HIGH
$58
$116
80.69.1(a)
PARKING TRAILER – VEHICLE CAPABLE OF TOWING
$78
$156
80.69.2
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AND TRAILERS PARKED IN RESIDENTIAL AREA
Peter is an L.A.-based designer, blogger and daily commuter. He explores what causes parking to suck in urban environments, how to bring about parking regulation changes, and the latest advancements in parking tech.
Bro, great website.
my issue is street sweeping. theres jsut not enough spots in my neighborhood to the point that street sweeping literally becomes the worst part of my week. Twice. Sometimes I have to walk as far as four -5 blocks after about 20 minutes of looking. do that two mornings in a row, week after week, sometimes to no avail and you would understand my frustrations. I live in San Pedro, and I have no idea why they have to sweep the street once a week, it literally makes no sense besides keeping the parking ticket guy and the street sweeper employed for a grossly inflated salary I am sure they on. even if they swept the street every other month 1 time, it would still be clean.
what they are doing is instead systemic orchestrated street cleansing at the taxpayer’s expense. im at a standstill of whether is should report it as a human rights violation or keep listening to Godflesh.
Haha I lost it at the end there. I feel ya! That slow-moving behemoth also controls MY life. I have found that, for my sanity, I much prefer moving my car twice in one day – before, and then after street sweeping – rather than twice a week.
According to this, LA gets more than 1/4 of its $148 million parking ticket revenue from street sweeping violations. That’s a big hunk of change that the city won’t want to slip through their fingers anytime soon. I’ll be interviewing a parking enforcement officer as well as a public works official soon to grill them on these questions, though!
Bro, great website.
my issue is street sweeping. theres jsut not enough spots in my neighborhood to the point that street sweeping literally becomes the worst part of my week. Twice. Sometimes I have to walk as far as four -5 blocks after about 20 minutes of looking. do that two mornings in a row, week after week, sometimes to no avail and you would understand my frustrations. I live in San Pedro, and I have no idea why they have to sweep the street once a week, it literally makes no sense besides keeping the parking ticket guy and the street sweeper employed for a grossly inflated salary I am sure they on. even if they swept the street every other month 1 time, it would still be clean.
what they are doing is instead systemic orchestrated street cleansing at the taxpayer’s expense. im at a standstill of whether is should report it as a human rights violation or keep listening to Godflesh.
what can we do!?
Haha I lost it at the end there. I feel ya! That slow-moving behemoth also controls MY life. I have found that, for my sanity, I much prefer moving my car twice in one day – before, and then after street sweeping – rather than twice a week.
According to this, LA gets more than 1/4 of its $148 million parking ticket revenue from street sweeping violations. That’s a big hunk of change that the city won’t want to slip through their fingers anytime soon. I’ll be interviewing a parking enforcement officer as well as a public works official soon to grill them on these questions, though!