Article · NYC311

The Office of the Parking Summons Advocate can help if you’ve tried to resolve certain parking ticket or camera violation issues with the Department of Finance (DOF) through the normal process, but you’ve been unsuccessful or haven’t received a timely response.

The Advocate can help if:

You don’t get a timely response from DOF to requests for hearings, appeals, or refunds
You keep getting notices about tickets you’ve already paid or had a hearing on
You had a valid defense but were found guilty anyway

Depending on the issue, the Advocate may be able to help you better prepare for a hearing or appeal or advocate on your behalf with other DOF units.

Regardless of the assistance, the Advocate can’t:

Extend any deadlines
Guarantee any specific outcome
Have sole authority to change an outcome
Reverse an administrative law judge’s decision
Dismiss a ticket
Waive penalties

If you wish to appeal a guilty decision, you should do so, even if you want to ask the Advocate for help.

The Parking Summons Advocate will only help with certain parking or camera violation issues.

Issues Addressed by the Advocate

Guilty Decisions

The Parking Summons Advocate can help if you disputed a ticket or filed an appeal but you were found guilty even though:

You never owned the vehicle or it was transferred before the date and time you were ticketed
The license plate was lost or stolen before the date and time you were ticketed and you immediately filed a police report and replaced the registration plates and stickers
The vehicle wasn’t in New York City on the date you were ticketed
The parking ticket inaccurately described your car’s license plate number, state of registration, plate type, make or model, or body type
The ticket is missing information, such as the date and time, address where the ticket was issued, or issuer’s signature
The registered owner of the vehicle died before or within 90 days of when the ticket was issued

Department of Finance Response

You can get help from the Advocate if you don’t get a timely response from the Department of Finance to requests for hearings, appeals, or refunds.

You can contact the Parking Summons Advocate for help if:

You submitted a dispute to your ticket and haven’t received a decision within 20 days
You submitted a Parking or Camera Violation Appeal Application and haven’t received a decision within 60 days
You submitted a Parking or Camera Violation Refund Form and haven’t received a decision within 60 days

Notice for Violation Already Paid or Dismissed

You can contact the Parking Summons Advocate for help if you keep receiving notices from the Department of Finance or a collection agency about a ticket that you already paid or already had a hearing on but for which you never received a decision.

Issues Not Addressed by the Advocate

The Advocate can’t help you if:

You need help with a traffic ticket (moving violation)
You are represented by an attorney or broker
You are asking for legal advice
You’re claiming that a NYC parking law, rule, or regulation violates the New York State or U.S. Constitution

You can contact the Parking Summons Advocate online or by mail. You can also meet with staff virtually or in person at a DOF Business Center.

After reviewing your help request, the Advocate will call, email, or mail you with more information within 14 days. Depending on the issue, the Advocate may be able to help you better prepare for a hearing or appeal or advocate on your behalf with other DOF units.

Learn more about the Parking Summons Advocate.

Online

Contact the Parking Summons Advocate.

By Fax

You can fax your help request to (646) 500-6541.

By Mail

You can request assistance by completing and mailing a help request form.

Mail to:

Parking Summons Advocate
66 John Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10038

You can get the help request form by mail.

Call 311 for assistance.

Virtual