Do I Need to Pay my Parking Ticket in Ontario?

At one point or another, you’ve probably come out of a store or an appointment to see a parking ticket on your windshield. It’s never a good feeling, but it’s especially stressful if you can’t afford to pay.

If you have no room in your budget to pay for a parking ticket in Ontario, what should you do?

Do you ignore it and hope it goes away?

What are the consequences associated with not paying?

How Parking Payment is Requested in Ontario

If you’re not familiar with how the parking ticket process works, here’s an example of how it’s done in Toronto:

• You receive a ticket. You might get it on your windshield, in the mail, or delivered in person. Your ticket will include a due date for when it needs to be paid.
• You get an overdue notice. If you don’t pay your ticket by the due date (usually within 15 days), you’ll receive an overdue notice. In Toronto, an address search fee of $13.35 is applied to the initial ticket price.
• You’ll receive a late fee. If you still haven’t paid after 30 days, a late fee of $27.84 is added to your ticket, and you won’t receive another notification.
• The ticket goes into default. After 40 days of no payment, you will receive a Notice of Default. This shows the total amount you owe, including the address search fee and a late fee. You’ll also receive a new payment due date.
• You get charged an extra fee. After 60 days, the Plate Denial Enforcement Fee is added to your ticket for an additional cost of $27.84. Now you can only pay for your ticket at a Service Ontario Location.

How to Pay a Parking Ticket in Ontario

If you can find room in your budget to pay for your parking ticket, there are three main payment methods:

• Not that there is often a small administrative fee when you pay online.
• Check with your city’s parking department to see where to address payment for your ticket. If you’re going to pay by mail, you can use a cheque, but you can not pay with cash.
• In Person. You can typically bring your parking ticket to the local courthouse, civic centre, or city hall to pay in person.

Can You Dispute a Parking Ticket in Ontario?

When you receive a parking violation, you typically have a set number of days to request a review. For instance in Toronto, you have 15 days to dispute your ticket.

It’s also possible to request an extension if you miss this deadline. Once you pay your parking ticket, you can no longer dispute it.

What makes a parking ticket invalid in Ontario?

To successfully dispute a ticket in Ontario, you need to have a good reason and evidence to support your case.

While it’s ultimately up to the court to decide what makes a parking ticket invalid, you might choose to dispute your ticket if you find an error, such as the wrong date and time listed on the violation.

You can also fight your ticket if you feel the parking signs or road markings weren’t clear, or if the parking machine was broken and there was no other way to pay. Whatever the reason, take photos and make sure you have proof to support your dispute.

Consequences if You Don’t Pay a Parking Ticket in Ontario

If you park in a private parking lot without paying for a ticket, the company can call a tow truck and tow your vehicle in some cities. For instance, if you park without a ticket in the Western University lot, you risk getting towed for a minimum cost of $160 (plus HST).

However, rules can vary. The City of Windsor will not tow vehicles from private property, they will only issue tickets to collect private parking fines.

Not paying a city-issued parking ticket can result in additional interest and penalties. The Ministry of Transportation can also prevent you from renewing your license plate until you have paid for your tickets. Both private parking companies and cities can also refer unpaid tickets to a collection agency.

Will an Unpaid Parking Ticket Affect Your Credit Score?

An unpaid parking ticket won’t immediately affect your credit score. However, if you have multiple unpaid tickets and your debt is sent to collections, it’s possible it could end up on your credit report and negatively impact your credit rating.

Will an Unpaid Parking Ticket Affect Your Car Insurance Rates?

Parking tickets generally won’t affect your car insurance rates. Tickets for moving infractions such as speeding tickets, car accidents, or driving under the influence (DUI) can impact your insurance premiums.

Should You Pay Parking Tickets in Ontario: Speak to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee

If you can afford to pay your parking ticket and want to avoid late fees and collection calls, pay your ticket on time. However, if you’re in a tough financial spot and debating whether it’s worth paying your parking tickets, consider speaking to a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT) at Adamson & Associates.

An LIT can assess your financial situation and recommend a solution to help you manage your budget and deal with your debt. For a free consultation, call 519-310-JOHN or contact us online.