How to Fight a Parking Ticket in San Diego (Step-by-Step Guide)

San Diego issued 482,449 parking citations in just the first nine months of 2024. That's roughly 1,800 tickets per day. Street sweeping violations alone accounted for 76,955 of those citations in nine months, generating more than $4 million in fines. The city has a financial interest in you paying without asking questions.

You have a right to dispute. Here's exactly how to do it in San Diego.

San Diego Parking Fine Amounts

• Street sweeping: $62.50
• Daylighting violation (red curb/corner, AB 413): $65.00 base fine, $77.50 total with fees
• Red zone violations in Oakland are approximately $91 — San Diego's red zone fines are in a similar range

San Diego's fine structure is lower than San Francisco's but still significant, particularly when late fees are added.

Step 1: Request an Administrative Review (Within 21 Days)

Deadline: 21 calendar days from the citation issue date, or 21 days from the mailing of a delinquency notice — whichever is later.

No payment required at this stage. You can request a review without paying anything.

Portal: sandiego.gov/parking/citations/appeal

Phone: (866) 470-1308

Mailing Address: Parking Administration, P.O. Box 129038, San Diego, CA 92112-9038

How to File

Log in to the San Diego parking citation portal with your citation number and vehicle license plate. Select the appeal option and submit your written statement with attached evidence.

If you mail your protest, send it certified mail with tracking — this establishes that you filed within the 21-day window.

Writing Your Protest

Write like an engineer, not a frustrated driver. Every sentence should establish a fact that maps to a legal requirement.

Street sweeping example: "The citation alleges a CVC § 22507.6 street sweeping violation on [street] on [date] at [time]. At the time of the alleged violation, no street sweeping restriction signs were posted on the cited block. Attached as Exhibit A are photographs taken at [time] showing the absence of visible signage on both ends of the block between [cross street 1] and [cross street 2]. Under CVC § 22507.6, the restriction is only enforceable where adequate notice is posted. The absence of visible signage on this block renders the restriction unenforceable at this location."

San Diego-Specific Rules to Know

Street sweeping enforcement: Unlike San Francisco, San Diego strictly enforces the full time block regardless of whether the sweeper has already passed. If your time block was 8–10 AM and the sweeper came at 8:15 but your ticket was issued at 9:45, the fact that the sweeper already came is not a defense in San Diego. The time restriction applies for its full duration.

Daylighting (AB 413): San Diego began issuing daylighting warnings in early 2025 and transitioned to fines. The law (CVC § 22500(n)) prohibits parking within 20 feet of the vehicle approach side of any crosswalk — even if the curb is not painted red. If your ticket cites this law, the defense is measurement: photograph and document the distance from your vehicle's front bumper to the nearest crosswalk.

Tire chalking: The 9th Circuit ruled in Verdun v. City of San Diego (2022) that tire chalking is a constitutional administrative search in California. This case was specifically about San Diego. A defense based on the 6th Circuit's ruling in Taylor v. Saginaw will fail here.

DMV registration hold: Unpaid San Diego citations result in a lien on your vehicle registration. Under CVC § 4760, the DMV blocks your registration renewal until all fines and late fees are cleared. Delinquent accounts are forwarded to the City Treasurer.

Step 2: Administrative Hearing (If Review Is Denied, Within 21 Days)

If your administrative review is denied, you have 21 days from the mailing date of the review results to request a hearing.

Deposit required: You must pay the full fine amount as a deposit before the hearing proceeds. If you win, the deposit is refunded.

Low-income waiver: Under CVC § 40220, individuals who cannot afford the deposit can apply for an indigent payment waiver. Application window is 120 days from the citation issue date.

Format: In-person or written declaration. The hearing is conducted by an independent examiner, not by San Diego Parking Administration staff.

What to bring: Printed copies of all evidence, organized by exhibit label (Exhibit A, B, C). Bring more than you think you need. Oral hearings are brief — have your key arguments summarized on a single sheet you can refer to.

San Diego-Specific Hearing Points

The 9th Circuit's Verdun v. City of San Diego ruling makes tire chalking defenses a dead end in this city. Any argument you make about privacy rights related to chalk marks will be dismissed immediately.

The productive arguments at hearing are the same as at initial review: missing signage, inoperable meters, valid placard not displayed, measurement disputes on hydrant or crosswalk distance.

Step 3: Superior Court Appeal (Within 30 Days)

If you lose at the administrative hearing, CVC § 40230 gives you 30 days to file a civil appeal in San Diego Superior Court.

Filing fee: $25, recoverable if you win.

Format: De novo hearing before a judge. The judge reviews your case independently and is not bound by the hearing officer's decision.

What Happens If You Don't Pay: San Diego Parking Ticket Collections

This is the part most people don't understand until it's too late.

Late fees: San Diego applies late fees to unpaid citations. A $62.50 street sweeping ticket can double or more with penalties.

DMV registration hold: Under CVC § 4760, your vehicle registration cannot be renewed until all outstanding fines are paid. If you try to register at the DMV and discover a hold, you'll need to pay through the San Diego Parking Administration — not directly at the DMV.

City Treasurer: Delinquent accounts are forwarded to the San Diego City Treasurer, which can pursue collection independently of the Parking Administration.

Boot and tow: Under CVC § 22651(i), a vehicle with five or more unpaid citations becomes eligible for booting or towing in San Diego. If your car is booted, you'll pay the unpaid fines, administrative fees, and a tow and storage fee that accrues daily.

Collections and credit: Parking debts eventually move to third-party collections if unpaid. This affects your credit report.

Out-of-state vehicles: California participates in the Non-Resident Violator Compact. Unpaid parking tickets generally do not result in out-of-state license suspension, but the debt can be sent to collections. If your vehicle returns to California with five or more unpaid citations, it can be booted.

Frequently Asked Questions: San Diego Parking Tickets

Can I contest a San Diego parking ticket online? Yes. sandiego.gov/parking/citations/appeal allows online submission with photo uploads.

Do I have to appear in person at the hearing? No. San Diego accepts written declarations submitted in lieu of an in-person hearing appearance.

If the street sweeper already came, can I park? No. Unlike San Francisco, San Diego strictly enforces the full time block. The sweeper's passage does not end the restriction.

What if the ticket fell off my windshield and I never received it? The 21-day window still runs from the citation date. If you receive a delinquency notice, you have 21 days from the mailing of that notice to request a review.

Can I get a payment plan for a San Diego parking ticket? Yes. Under CVC § 40220, a payment plan capped at $25/month for amounts under $500 is available to individuals who qualify based on income. The application window is 120 days from citation issuance.

San Diego's parking enforcement is high-volume and its collection mechanisms are effective. The best time to dispute is before the 21-day initial review deadline. Our California Parking Ticket Dispute Guide covers San Diego's specific procedures, the AB 413 daylighting defense, and templates for the most common violation types.