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Parking Citations: Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What are the parking citation fines?
| PARKING VIOLATION FINES |
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Effective
March 1, 2004 |
As of
Sept. 1, 2006 |
| Expired Meter |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
$11.00 |
| Meter feeding (over time limit) |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
$11.00 |
| Hotel Zone/Overtime |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
$11.00 |
| Buffer Zone |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
$11.00 |
| Slugs in Parking Meter |
|
$10.00 |
$11.00 |
| Park on Bus or Taxi Stand |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Other Overtime |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Passenger Loading Zone |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Loading Zone: Gen. Over 30 Min. |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Loading Zone: Comm. Over 30 Min. |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| More than 1 Meter Space |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Over 18” from Curb |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Loading Zone: not Comm. Veh. |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Within 30’ of Stop Sign/Traffic Control Signal |
$15.00 |
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Park-Funeral Zone |
|
$25.00 |
$28.00 |
| Double Parking |
$17.00 |
$50.00 |
$55.00 |
| Wrong Side of Street |
$17.00 |
$50.00 |
$55.00 |
| No Parking Zone: |
$17.00 |
$50.00 |
$55.00 |
| (No Parking Sign,Yellow Curb, No
Stopping or Standing, Reserved) |
$17.00 |
$50.00 |
$55.00 |
| Fire Lane |
$20.00 |
$115.00 |
$127.00 |
| On Sidewalk |
$37.00 |
$47.00 |
$52.00 |
| Easement |
$37.00 |
$47.00 |
$52.00 |
| In Front of Driveway |
$37.00 |
$47.00 |
$52.00 |
| Within 20’ of a Crosswalk |
$37.00 |
$47.00 |
$52.00 |
| Within 15’ of a Fire Hydrant |
$37.00 |
$47.00 |
$52.00 |
| Parked on City Property (not designed for public
parking or vehicular traffic) |
$77.00 |
$77.00
|
$85.00
|
| Handicapped Zone: |
$102.00 |
$250.00 |
$275.00 |
| (No Permit, Access Aisle, Obstructing) |
$102.00 |
$250.00 |
$275.00 |
| Oversize Vehicle |
$202.00 |
$202.00 |
$222.00 |
ALL FINES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Delinquency Fees: All fines increase by $10.00 for every 30 days
the citation is delinquent, up to a maximum of $60.00 in delinquency
fees per violation. The delinquency fees are added on to the amount
of the original fines in the listings above.
Question: How do I get a hearing on my parking citation?
The person charged with a parking or stopping offense shall have
the right to an instanter hearing for the purpose of determining the
issue of liability for the charged offense. Section 12.85.030 of the
Municipal Code requires that such right to a hearing shall be exercised
by appearing in person before a hearing officer within fourteen days
from the date of the citation, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 12:45
p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Hearings may be requested as follows:
- In person:
 El
Paso Municipal Court
810
E. Overland
El
Paso, Texas 79901
- By phone:(915)
546-2934
It is possible that you might get a recording. Please leave a message
and the Deputy Court Clerk will return your call. Please include
the citation # and the date the citation was issued.
- By mail:El
Paso Municipal Court
810
E. Overland
El
Paso, Texas 79901
Please include the original citation, if possible. If not, include
the citation # and the date of issuance.
- By fax:(915)
546-2939
Please include a copy of the citation if possible. If not, include
the citation # and the date of issuance.
Question: What are the procedures at the hearing?
Hearing Procedures:
The purpose of the hearing is to determine liability or non-liability
for the offense charged. The hearing officer will make this determination
based upon a preponderance of the evidence presented at the hearing,
after giving due weight to all presumptions and prima facie evidence
established by law. The hearing will be recorded on audio tape and
is to be conducted in a calm, courteous manner, respectful of both
the vehicle owner and the hearing officer.
- Appear at the date and time of your scheduled hearing.
- Bring a copy of the citation issued to you.
- Bring all documents you would like the hearing officer to consider,
including, but not limited to:
- photographs;
- affidavits;
- auto title, transfer of title and registration documents;
- placards authorizing parking in spaces reserved for the disabled;
- receipts.
Findings:
After considering the evidence presented, the hearing officer can
find the vehicle owner:
- Dismissed/ Not Liable for the Offense:
If you are found not to be liable for the offense, the case against
you will be dismissed.
- Liable for the Offense:
If you are found to be liable for the offense, the full fine amount
for the citation will be assessed. The hearing officer has no latitude
to reduce the fine amount.
Question: What do I do if I receive a citation for parking in
a handicapped zone, but I am a person for whom the State has issued
a disability parking placard or I was transporting a person for whom
the State has issued a disabled parking placard?
Documents Presented at the Hearing:
If a citation was issued for parking in a zone reserved for the disabled
or if a disabled person was being transported at the time the citation
was issued, the person to whom the disabled parking placard is issued
is required to appear to give testimony. If this person is unable
to appear, a sworn affidavit is acceptable in place of testimony,
along with the handicapped placard and placard application
form.
By Mail:
Persons who are authorized to park in a space reserved for the disabled,
but who forget to display their placard, resulting in a citation,
have the option of presenting their cases via mail.
The following must be submitted in order for review:
- The citation.
- A sworn affidavit explaining the facts.
- A copy of the placard, placard application form and driver’s license
or ID card.
*All submissions are subject to the review of the hearing officer.
Question: I received a parking citation while I was serving as
a juror in a court proceeding. What can I do?
Either in person or by mail please submit your citation and the confirmation
of juror service received from the Court. The hearing officer will
review the documents. If all is in order, the citation will be dismissed.
Question: Why did a collection agency contact me about some outstanding
parking tickets?
The City of El Paso has a contract with GC Services for the collection
delinquent Municipal Court fines and fees. Please call the Court during
regular business hours for questions regarding specific citations
or the citations listed against the vehicle plate shown as registered
to you.
Question: My vehicle has been booted or impounded. Why?
The law allows the booting or impoundment of vehicles having 3 (three)
or more delinquent parking citations.
Question: How can I gain release of my vehicle after it has been
booted or impounded?
Payment:
The registered owner of an immobilized or impounded vehicle, or other
authorized person may secure release of the vehicle by paying the
total amount of the fine, any late fees for each delinquent citation,
including any arrest warrants against the owner of the vehicle for
Class C misdemeanors, a $ 50.00 boot fee, transportation costs incurred
by the city, towing and storage fees. These charges may be paid at
any bond office location, checks will not be aceepted.
The towing and storage fees are:
Regular Size Vehicle within City Limits:
Tow - $36.91 (Police Department Impound, must have a yellow slip
meaning Police Department did an inventory of the car)
Daily Storage Fees - $12.21/ day
Affidavit - $6.00
Trucks:
Tow - Varies by size
Daily Storage Fees - $15.00
Boot Hearing:
The registered owner of an immobilized or impounded vehicle shall
have the right to a prompt post-immobilization hearing (“boot hearing”)
before the hearing officer. The boot hearing shall be held within
24 hours following the written request therefore, excluding Saturdays,
Sundays, and City of El Paso holidays, at the Municipal Court, 810
E. Overland, El Paso, Texas 79901. The issue to be determined at
the
boot hearing is whether the immobilization was authorized by law.
The determination of the hearing officer at the boot hearing is final.
If the hearing officer finds that the owner of the vehicle is not
liable for any of the citations, a release order for the vehicle
will
be issued.
Question: I received a notice for an outstanding parking citation,
but I no longer own the vehicle listed. What can I do?
The El Paso Municipal Court receives vehicle registration information
from the Texas Department of Transportation. At the time the vehicle
registration request was submitted from the Court to TxDOT, your name
appeared as the last registered owner of the vehicle. If you have
received notice regarding a parking citation(s) issued to a vehicle
that you no longer own and which you did not own at the time of the
issuance of the citation(s), please provide the following (where applicable):
- A copy of the invoice showing the vehicle was traded in, including
the license plate number.
- A copy of the invoice showing the vehicle was purchased after
the citation was issued, including the license plate number.
- A copy of the record from the Texas Department of Transportation
showing that ownership has been transferred and the date thereof;
or
- A copy of the Vehicle Transfer Notification Form after it has
been processed by the Texas Department of Transportation. The form
is available at the Texas Department of Transportation and the office
of the local County Tax Assessor-Collector. It also is available
on line through the TxDOT web site: www.dot.state.tx.us.
as form TR346 in the Vehicle Registration category.
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