New Yorkers have a new way to contest parking tickets and other city fines. Go online.
In a press conference on Monday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced the new program to fight tickets.
“No one likes to get a ticket, but it shouldn’t have to be so difficult and time-consuming to contest one,” said Bloomberg.
The online hearings are part of a citywide initiative to streamline city government that will reduce spending on paper and mailings, eliminate paperwork processing and increase the productivity of administrative law judges.
“Once again, we are making the city more customer-service oriented,” said Quinn. “Today’s announcement is a great example of how the Council seeks advice from New Yorkers and transforms that advice into results designed to improve [their] lives.”
Besides parking tickets issued by the Department of Finance, many tickets administered by the Environmental Control Board, including health and sanitation code violations, can be contested. New Yorkers can enter a written defense and upload materials such as photos and documents. A judge will review the case and a decision will be made.
“Every New Yorker has a story about the parking ticket they didn’t deserve but never bothered to fight because it wasn’t worth making the trek down to traffic court,” said Council Member James Vacca, the chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee. “In a city where time is money, allowing motorists to challenge tickets online will save New Yorkers—and the city—a little bit of both.”
New Yorkers who want to contest tickets can do so at nyc.gov.
In addition to parking and red light camera tickets, New Yorkers can also contest the following tickets online:
Littering and Clean-up
- Uncovered Receptacles
- Spillage from Truck/Receptacle
- Unauthorized Removal of Refuse
- Failure to Remove Canine Waste
- Improper Containers/Receptacles for Refuse
- Loose Rubbish
- Improper Use of DSNY Litter Basket
- Placement for Collection
- Storage of Receptacles
- Littering/Sweeping-Out/ Throwing-Out Materials in Public Space
- Exposure of Material
- Mixed Material
- Failure to Clean Sidewalks etc.
- Improper Disposal
Recycling
- Failure to Recycle
- Failure to Separate Materials Correctly
- Failure to use Proper Recycling Containers
- Failure to Remove Hinges on Discarded Refrigerators
- Failure to Provide Storage Area for Recyclable Material
- Failure to Place Bulk Metal Next to Recycling Containers
- Failure to Clean Recyclables
- Failure to Educate Residents of Building of Recycling Requirements
Vehicles
- Emission Creation
- Idling More than 3 Minutes
- Spillage from Truck/Receptacle
- Abandoned Vehicles in Public Space
- Health Dept. Issued tickets for Mobile Food Vending including those issued to commissaries, carts, temporary food vendors
Miscellaneous
- Creating Dust
- Unleashed Dogs
- Failure to Control Dogs and Other Animals
- Interfering with Sanitation Department Work
- Standing Water
- Snow and Ice Removal
- Rodent and Pest Control
