Contest a Parking Ticket

If you are issued a parking ticket and you do not believe you were in violation of any parking laws or rules, you can contest your citation. The first step is to request an Administrative Review. If you are not satisfied with the results, the second step is to request an Administrative Hearing. If you are still not satisfied, the third step is to appeal to Alameda County Superior Court.

Step one: Administrative Review

The first step in contesting your parking ticket is to request an Administrative Review. You must request an Administrative Review in writing within 21 days of the citation being issued or within 14 days of when the citation notice is mailed.

You can request an Administrative Review by submitting:

• Your citation or a copy of your citation
• A letter or completed Request for Administrative Review Form
• Supporting evidence, such as:
  • Disabled Placard and/or ID card
  • Residential Parking Permit holder information
  • Photographs
  • Statements from witnesses
  • Receipts, timecards, medical records or any other documentation that might support dismissal of your citation.

Your options to submit are:

• By mail to City of Berkeley, Citation Processing Center, P.O. Box 29, Berkeley, CA 94701.
• In person at the Customer Service Center
• Online through the RMC Pay Portal

If the Administrative Review finds that your citation is not valid, the citation is dismissed and you do not need to take any further action. If the review finds that your citation is valid, you may either pay the citation fine or request an Administration Hearing.

Step two: Administrative Hearing

If you are dissatisfied with the results of the Administrative Review, you can request an Administrative Hearing. You can request your hearing to be in person, by telephone, or by mail. You must request a hearing within 21 days of receiving the results of the Administrative Review.

You will need to submit a deposit of the full amount of the parking penalty before having a hearing unless you fill out a Request to Waive Hearing Deposit.

In-person hearing

To request an in-person hearing:

• Detach the payment coupon from the Administrative Review Liable letter and check the box:  Hearing in person requested
• Submit a check or money order for the full amount of the citation as required for the hearing deposit OR an approved waiver of deposit
• Mail items to:
  City of Berkeley
  Citation Processing Center
  P.O. Box 29
  Berkeley, California 94701

The City of Berkeley will process your request and mail you a notice with the date and time of your in-person hearing. You do not get to choose the date of your hearing, as it is assigned on a first come basis. The hearings are usually scheduled three weeks after the request is received and will be within 90 days of the requests for hearing.

All in-person hearings will be scheduled on Mondays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and/or Wednesdays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm (in 15 minute intervals), excluding holidays. You may cancel your hearing or reschedule it one time by calling (844) 855-2333.

Hearing by mail

To request a hearing by mail:

• Write up your reasons for the parking ticket not being valid
• Gather supporting evidence such as photographs or witness statements
• Submit a check or money order for the full amount of the citation as required for the hearing deposit OR an approved waiver of deposit
• Mail items to:
  City of Berkeley
  Citation Processing Center
  P.O. Box 29
  Berkeley, California 94701

The Hearing Officer will make a decision and notify you by mail. If the Hearing Officer decides to dismiss your citation, your deposit will be refunded. If the Hearing Officer decides not to dismiss your citation, your deposit will be applied to pay your citation fine. If you do not agree with the decision you may request an appeal to Superior Court.

Hearing by telephone

To request a hearing by telephone:

• Follow the steps to request a hearing by mail (shown above) and state that you are opting for a telephonic hearing.
• Provide your telephone number

Step three: Appeal to Superior Court

After you have had an Administrative Review and an Administrative Hearing, you may appeal the decision to the Superior Court. You may not appeal to the Superior Court unless you have already been through Administrative Review and an Administrative Hearing process.

You must request an appeal within 30-calendar days of the Hearing Examiner's decision. There is a $25.00 filing fee per citation required by the Court, which will be refunded to you if the judge rules in your favor.

You must file for the appeal in person at the Alameda County Superior Court:

Alameda County Superior Court
1225 Fallon St.
Oakland, CA 94612-4219

Correct your registration or equipment violation within 30 days for a reduced fine

If you are issued citations for registration (CVC 4000A) or equipment (CVC 5204, 5200, and 5201) violations, you may be able to reduce your fine to $10. You will need to correct the violation within 30 days of the citation, and obtain sign off from a police officer, Berkeley Parking Officer, or DMV official.

Mail proof of correction and $10 payment to:

City of Berkeley Citation Processing Center
P.O. Box 29
Berkeley, California  94701