Parking Violation

Resolving a Parking Ticket

Contesting a Parking Ticket by appearing in Court

To dispute a parking ticket returnable to NCTPVA, the registered owner should appear in court on the return date listed on the ticket. Before coming to NCTPVA, the registered owner should confirm the ticket has been received by NCTPVA by visiting Lookup/Pay Parking & Traffic Tickets. If the ticket information is displayed, it means NCTPVA has received the ticket. After confirming NCTPVA has received the ticket, please visit NCTPVA’s Home Page (https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/tpva) to become familiar with NCTPVA visitor information.

During this appearance, a prosecutor will discuss the options a registered owner has to resolve the ticket. This usually, but not always, involves an offer of reduction in fines in exchange for a guilty plea. If the options offered by the prosecutor are not acceptable to the registered owner, a trial will be scheduled at a later date and the registered owner will be notified by mail of when to return for the trial.

Contesting Accessible Parking Permit Tickets

If you are seeking a reduction, or in some cases a dismissal, of fines for failure to properly display an Accessible Parking Permit, you need to contact the Agency that issued the parking permit and request that Agency issue the permit holder a letter indicating that the permit holder was in good standing at the time the violation was issued. ONLY the permit holder may request a Letter of Good Standing.

Send the following to:

NCTPVA
801 Axinn Avenue Garden City,
NY 11530

A letter from the Office of Physically Challenged (see below for more detail)
A copy of the permit holder’s license
A copy of the parking violation
A copy of the accessible parking permit
If the vehicle is registered to someone other than the permit holder, a notarized letter from the permit holder stating the vehicle was being used to transport the permit holder at the time and date of the violation

To obtain a letter from the Nassau County Office of Physically Challenged

The letter must contain the ticket number, the date the ticket was issued, the permit number, and the valid dates of the permit. NOTE: A letter of “Good Standing” will not be provided if the permit was expired, used by someone other than the issued permit holder, if a letter of Good Standing was issued within the past 12 months or any other misuse in violation of NYS law.

If your permit was issued by the Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged (OPC),

Download the form by clicking this OPC Request Permit

and mail it to:

OPC
60 Charles Lindbergh Blvd
Uniondale, NY, 11553

You must COMPLETE the form and include a COPY of the summons. Please include a SELF ADDRESSED (#10) business size envelope. (Please Do Not call the OPC)

Pleading "Not Guilty" by Mail to a Parking Ticket

If the registered owner is unable to confirm the ticket has been received by NCTPVA and the return date on the ticket is nearing, the registered owner should enter a “Not Guilty” plea by mail by following the instructions on the ticket. This will save the registered owner time in the case that the ticket was misfiled and needs to be entered into the system. (It should be noted that if the ticket was misfiled and the registered owner fails to either appear in court or mail in a “Not Guilty” plea prior to the return date, the ticket will be subject to late fee once the ticket is properly filed).

In response to a “Not Guilty” plea, NCTPVA will schedule a conference and mail a notice advising the registered owner to appear in court for that conference. If there is a conflict on the conference date, the registered owner may appear prior to the conference date.

During this appearance, a prosecutor will discuss the options a registered owner has to resolve the ticket. This usually, but not always, involves an offer of reduction in fines in exchange for a guilty plea. Those seeking reductions in fines for failure to properly display an Accessible Parking Permit need to contact the Agency that issued them the permit and have that Agency issue the permit holder a letter indicating that the permit holder was in good standing at the time the violation was issued. The letter must contain the ticket number, the date it was issued, the permit number, and the valid dates of the permit. If the options offered by the prosecutor are not acceptable to the registered owner, a trial will be scheduled at a later date and the registered owner will be notified by mail of when to return for the trial.

Appearing in Court for a Parking Trial

A trial is scheduled when a settlement can’t be reached with a motorist who appeared in Court for a conference. If the trial date received in the mail poses a conflict, the registered owner must immediately request a trial postponement by sending, via certified mail, a notarized letter along with a copy of the trial notice to the Clerk of the Court, 801 Axinn Avenue Garden City, NY 11550 explaining the conflict and providing clear written documentation (copies of airline tickets, etc.) supporting the claim. A copy of the request should be kept along with the certified mail receipt. The request will be reviewed by a judicial hearing officer and is not automatically granted. If a postponement is granted, a "final" trial date will be assigned and mailed to the registered owner. This final date will not be rescheduled. If the registered owner does not receive a rescheduled trial date or the request is denied, the registered owner should bring a copy of the submitted correspondence along with proof that it was mailed, to court prior to the trial date to discuss options, if any, with the prosecutor.

The motorist must appear on the trial date at the scheduled time of the trial. Failure to appear for trial will result in a default conviction and add an additional $75 to the fines and fees on each ticket. The officer who issued the ticket(s) will be present and will testify, under oath, in court as to why the ticket was issued and the registered owner will have the opportunity to question the officer about the ticket. The registered owner will then have the option of telling their version, under oath. If the registered owner chooses to testify, he/she will also be required to answer questions the prosecutor may ask them.

At the conclusion of testimony, the Judicial Hearing Officer will issue a verdict: "Guilty" or "Not Guilty". A "Not Guilty" verdict will result in no fines or fees and a guilty verdict will incur fines and fees as determined by the Judicial Hearing Officer.

Potential Adverse Consequences

Failure to resolve parking tickets by ignoring them at any stage of the process described above can result in any or all of the following remedies: referral of the debt to a collection agency, a default judgment against the registered owner and the filing of a lien against the registered owner with the Nassau County Clerk, booting and/or towing of the vehicle, inability to re-register the vehicle. In all cases, the costs of these remedies will be added to the fines and fees due.

Pleading Guilty to a Parking Ticket and Paying the Fines Online

Parking Tickets can usually be resolved by pleading guilty and paying fines online. If a fine amount does not appear it means the ticket requires a personal appearance.