Vancouver loves its cars. The city collected nearly $63 million in on-street parking revenue during 2019.
The city also collected an additional $20.8 million from parking violations. A Vancouver parking ticket may seem innocuous. But it can cost you a lot of money.
How can you cover the cost of a parking ticket? How much money do you have to pay, and how can you fight your ticket? What sorts of parking regulations does Vancouver have?
Answer these questions and you can avoid costly fines in the great city of Vancouver. Here is your quick guide.
Pay Parking Ticket and Costs: How to Deal with It?
If you have received a parking ticket in Vancouver, you're just one of the 6,000 daily recipients of parking tickets. The Vancouver 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 Vancouver'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.
The cost of your parking ticket depends on several factors. Familiarize yourself with all relevant traffic laws before you pay your ticket.
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.
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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').
Vancouver Parking Violations
The biggest factor that affects your ticket cost is what violation you committed. Idling your vehicle means you have left your engine running while the vehicle is not moving. The Vancouver by-law on idling mandates that anyone convicted of idling may pay up to $50.
The same by-law gives regulations on making excessive noise with your vehicle. You may have the radio fully cranked or you may blast your horn while you are parked. If you are convicted of excessive noise, you will need to pay at least $250.
How to Dispute A Ticket
You can dispute a ticket, but only through a carefully regulated system. You must call the city to discuss what concerns you have with your ticket. If you cannot resolve your problem, you can apply for adjudication.
You then meet with a screening officer about your application. They may cancel your ticket, or they may send you to a hearing.
An adjudicator listens to you and the officer who gave you a ticket. If they think you are right, they can cancel your ticket for you.
If they side with the officer, you must pay the full ticket with a $25 fee. An unpaid ticket will go to a collection agency. You must pay the fine plus 50% and a $25 fee.
Lost Parking Ticket
If you lost your parking ticket, you can retrieve information about it. You can go onto Vancouver's official website and click on the payment tab. You can then type in your license plate number to find information about your ticket.
You do not receive additional time to pay. Put your ticket in a place where you will not lose it and pay for it as soon as possible.
Vancouver Parking Enforcement
Vancouver has hundreds of parking enforcement officers. They patrol the city to examine how drivers are following parking and driving regulations.
An officer can use their discretion to issue a parking ticket. They will take photographs that corroborate their decision. You can find these photographs online and use them in your adjudication hearing.
Pay your Vancouver Parking Tickets - Your Options
You may get a parking ticket from an officer or through the mail. As soon as the ticket is issued, a clock starts to run.
If you pay for your ticket within 14 days, you get a 40% discount on the fine. If you pay your ticket within 35 days, you have to pay the full fine. Waiting after 35 days to pay means you have to pay the full fine with penalties.
There are different options for paying your parking ticket.
ONLINE
You can pay for your ticket through Vancouver's government website. You can provide your license plate number if you don't have the ticket in front of you. You can then pay for your ticket with a credit or debit card.
Note: If you try to pay online but the system is down for maintenance, and you need to meet a payment deadline, call 3-1-1 for help.
IN PERSON
You can pay parking tickets at City Hall any time.
City Hall
Ground floor, Revenue Services
453 West 12th Avenue
During opening hours – 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday excluding holidays – you can pay by cash, debit, credit, cheque, or money order. Credit card cheques are not accepted
When the building is closed, drop a cheque or money order through the mail slot at the 12th Avenue doors.
Make your cheque or money order payable to the City of Vancouver and write the number of the parking ticket or bylaw notice on it.
BY MAIL
The last option to pay a parking ticket is by mail. Make your cheque or money order payable to the City of Vancouver. Then, mail it to:
City of Vancouver
Revenue Services
PO Box 7747 Station Terminal
Vancouver BC V6B 8R1
FAQs
Vancouver parking ticket regulations can be confusing. If you ever have questions that others cannot answer, contact the city directly.
Yes. It does not matter if you are a Vancouver resident or not. If you receive a parking ticket in Vancouver, you must pay for it through the city.
A driver can defend themselves by proving that they did not commit the violation they are accused of committing. They can use the photographs that the officer provides to show they were following the rules. Ignorance of traffic laws is not a defense.
No. You should pay for your ticket through Vancouver's website. Paying an officer with cash may make them believe you are trying to bribe them.
Yes. One particular rule is that large vehicles can park on a street for up to three hours. A building owner can park their large vehicle in front of their business for as long as they want.
Yes. The City of Vancouver can tow your vehicle if you fail to pay your tickets on time. They can also tow your vehicle if you park it in an unsafe fashion, such as in the middle of the street.
You should pay for your own parking ticket. But someone else can pay for the ticket for you if both of you agree to it. The best way to have someone pay is to charge the ticket to your card and then receive money from someone else.
No. You can find budget car insurance regardless of your history with parking tickets.
Addressing Your Vancouver Parking Tickets
A Vancouver parking ticket can ruin your day. You may receive one in person or through the mail. If you are prompt, you may get a 40% discount.
The cost of your ticket can run into the four-figure range. You can dispute your ticket by contacting the city and asking for a hearing. But if you lose, you have to pay more money.
Get information online about the circumstances of your ticket. Familiarize yourself with all Vancouver driving regulations.
Make sure your vehicle has good insurance. Insurdinary offers great tools for finding car insurance rates. Get your quotes today.
