You know, finding a Mississauga parking ticket on your car after an evening out is a huge bummer. What's worse, since May, parking tickets in Mississauga have gone up to $100 in some cases. So that nice meal out you were waiting so long for just got more expensive.
Controlling traffic congestion is part of a city's mandate. And the Mississauga Parking Enforcement is doing the job that's asked of them. So there's no point getting angry with them, but what should you do with a Mississauga pay parking ticket?
Well, keep reading to find out how to pay a parking ticket or even how to dispute a ticket. Plus, you'll find out what to do about a lost parking ticket from Mississauga.
Pay Parking Ticket | How to Deal with It?
If you have received a parking ticket in Mississauga, you're just one of the 6,000 daily recipients of parking tickets. The Mississauga Parking Enforcement Unit never sleeps. Their goal is to maintain streets where circulation is unhindered and safe and parking regulations are important components of this objective.
You should be aware that most parking infractions are based on city parking bylaws, and are unsigned. It's a good idea to be fully aware of Mississauga's city parking bylaws if you're visiting for the first time or you are a new driver. You can get a ticket at any time of day or night and in any type of weather.
Common Violations of Getting A Parking Ticket
Below are a few ways you may have been found guilty of a parking infraction:
Parking position: You may not park your vehicle more than 30 cm away from a sidewalk. Parking with your left wheels to the curb is also not permitted.
Parking location: You can get ticketed for parking in the following locations:
Obstructing a driveway or a lane-way
Stopping on a bridge
Stopping on a center strip of a boulevard
Parking within 3 meters of a fire hydrant
Parking within 9 meters of an intersection
Parking on a boulevard
Parking on a sidewalk or footpath
Stopping within an intersection
Parking within 9 meters of a crosswalk
Parking in a fire route
Parking in a bicycle route
Parking in a bus stop area
Parking in a no standing or no stopping zone
Other parking violations: Did you know that in Toronto, you may not park for more than three hours on any street where parking is permitted? To exceed the three hours, you need a permit. This limitation includes overnight parking. If you are in your own front yard, you also need a permit to park there or you can get a ticket.
Some people try to use a street parking permit at the wrong location. This can also earn a parking ticket if someone complains about it.
Other common reasons that are true everywhere for getting a ticket:
Parking at an expired parking meter
Not displaying your Pay & Display ticket in your front windshield or an expired Pay & Display ticket
The parking violation that carries the biggest parking fine of $450 is unauthorized parking in an accessible parking area (formerly 'handicapped parking').
Pay Your Mississauga Parking Ticket
In Ontario, unpaid tickets can prevent your license plate sticker from getting renewed. So it's in your best interest to pay a parking ticket on time. Late fees will also apply if you don't pay the ticket by the due date.
First, check your Mississauga parking ticket for a letter designation on the number. Parking tags that begin with the letter P stand for Penalty Notice. A tag with M indicates a Parking infraction notice which gets issued at Pearson Airport.
There are three options for paying a Mississauga parking ticket.
ONLINE
First, from your computer, you can go online to the Mississauga website and follow the prompts. The system is fast and easy, and a receipt will get emailed to you right away.
IN PERSON
A second option is to go in person to pay a parking ticket. There is one central address for in-person payments at 950 Burnhamthorpe Road West. When you enter the Ontario Court of Justice, you will see windows with Pay a Parking Ticket signs.
BY MAIL
The third way to pay a parking ticket in Mississauga is by mail. Make your cheque or money order payable to The Corporation of the City of Mississauga. Then, mail the Mississauga parking ticket to:
City of Mississauga Parking Enforcement P.O. Box 3085, Station A Mississauga, ON L5A 4E3
It's important to remember when mailing a Mississauga parking ticket, it must reach the Mississauga Parking Enforcement office before the due date. You have 15 days from the date on the parking ticket to pay the fine. And post-dated cheques are unacceptable.
How to Dispute A Ticket?
If you feel that the Mississauga parking ticket got issued by mistake, you can dispute the fine. In the case of a P ticket, the first option is to fill out a dispute form online. You may also request for a hearing to be conducted online.
You must give valid reasons why your parking ticket should either get cancelled or varied. The ticket dispute portal will also give you a chance to request more time to pay. There is a tracking device online that allows you to check the status of your claim afterward.
Parking tickets with P designation need you to visit the Ontario Court of Justice. For in-person disputes, you will meet with a Screening Officer. Be prepared to provide a statement and give evidence about your parking ticket.
If the Screening Officer gives you a reduced fine, you are expected to pay the fine there. Cheques are not accepted in this instance. But if you need more time to pay the fine, you can request an extension.
If you aren't satisfied with the result of the decision, there is an option to request a trial. A Hearing Officer will look at the evidence given from both sides and make a determination. But note that all decisions from Hearing Officers are final.
Disputing parking tickets marked M from Pearson Airport will go to trial. You can request trial dates online or in person as you would with other tickets. Your option is to plead not guilty and state your case in front of a Justice of the Peace.
If convicted, you have an option to appeal the decision and request a new trial or ask for an extension to pay. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of conviction.
Consequences of Getting Too Many Parking Tickets
It's a common misconception that getting too many parking tickets can impact your car insurance rates. That's simply not true. Insurers are more concerned with moving violations, not parking violations. Another thing that cannot happen is having your driving license suspended if you've received too many tickets. However, it's best to pay them off in the 15-day time frame you are given, because if put on the back burner, you won't be able to renew your driver's license without having done so. And with those hefty late fees, those charges can add up.
The biggest reason why you should pay your tickets on time, at least in the City of Mississauga, is that if Parking Enforcement issues you three or more tickets, which remain unpaid, you could be towed. And it's no surprise that towing charges and daily impound fees could rack up several hundred dollars.
How to Get Out of Parking Ticket?
In order to not join the unhappy club of people with too many parking tickets, you need to be aware of some ways to avoid getting one.
When you park, be sure to scan the area for any reason why you may not be allowed to park there.
Check for fire hydrants.
Watch for street corners.
If you park for more than three hours on the street and you don't have a permit for that area, you're doing that at your own risk.
If there is a 'no standing' or 'no stopping' sign, don't park. Even if you are in the vehicle, you can still get a parking ticket.
Watch out for signage and take care not to park in a fire route or a bicycle lane.
Do not ever park in an accessible zone. These are clearly marked with both signs and indicators on the pavement.
Be aware that all these regulations are in effect even on statutory holidays.
Lost Parking Tickets and Payment Delays
Getting a Parking ticket conviction is not like a moving violation. So a final decision against you will cost you the fine alone. But delayed payment costs more with penalties and interruption of other services. So taking care of payment removes the issue from your record.
Parking tickets are easy to misplace or forget, but they never go away. For example, a lost parking ticket from Mississauga will still add up late payment fees. So your best course is to call 905-615-4500 and ask for an extension.
If you let the time lapse on your Mississauga parking ticket, a notice of fine will get sent to you. However, you still have the option of visiting in-person to state your case in front of a Screening Officer.
There are occasions where you won't know about a Mississauga parking ticket. The paper notice could have blown away or been removed from your vehicle. As the deadline passes, you will receive a conviction notice.
Take your notice to the Office of the Ontario Court of Justice and request to have your case re-opened. Your car insurance is not affected by parking ticket convictions, but it's in your best interest to act on them.
File your request within 15 days of receipt. Then, call 905-615-4500 within five days of filing to get the status of the request.
Address Your Mississauga Parking Tickets
Nobody enjoys getting a Mississauga parking ticket. And the Mississauga Parking Enforcement isn't trying to make people angry. But they have a job to relieve parking issues in the city of Mississauga.
So if you get that dreaded yellow tag on your windshield, make an effort to pay the fine. In some cases, you can get the fine reduced, and it will save time. But, on the other hand, ignoring payment will cost you more money in the end and more aggravation.
Extra expenses are the last thing anyone needs, so avoid the late penalties. And, if you want advice on auto insurance, contact us for a quote today.
