Can Your Car be Booted or Towed For Parking Tickets in Judgment?

Your car can be booted or towed for parking tickets in judgment in excess of $350

Sadly, there are many reasons why your car can be booted or towed in NYC.  One reason is that you accumulated more than $350 in parking tickets in judgment.

If you do not pay or dispute your ticket within approximately 100 days, it will go into judgment. This means the City takes the legal step of entering a default judgment against you for the entire amount plus penalties and interest. The City can take steps to collect the debt, such as sending your debt to a collection agency or seizing assets. If you have more than $350 of tickets in judgment, your vehicle could be booted or towed.”

Marshalls and Sheriffs drive around NYC searching for chariots with parking tickets in judgment. They simply shine their magic light on your license plate and learn whether your car is eligible for a judgment tow.  Here are some useful tips to know if you are trying to dodge Captain Hook.

What do you think about this proposed new law?

There is a law that was introduced by Council Member Brad S. Lander to increase the $350 to $500. Here’s the text of the proposed law:

By Council Member Lander

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the removal of motor vehicles to satisfy parking violations.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.  Section 19-212 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:

                     §19-212 Limitation on removal of motor vehicles for purposes of satisfying parking violation judgments.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a motor vehicle shall not be removed from any street or other public areas solely for the purpose of satisfying an outstanding judgment or judgments for parking violations against the owner unless the total amount of such judgment or judgments, including interest, is greater than [three hundred fifty] five hundred dollars, or such judgments exceed five parking violations.  The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit the removal of a motor vehicle which is illegally parked, stopped or standing.

                     §2.  This local law shall take effect thirty days after it is enacted into law.

Hip, hip hooray for Council Member Lander…But, will this new law see the light of day?

Commentary

I totally despise towing a vehicle for parking tickets. NYC has a costly schedule of parking fines that are more than sufficient punishment for bad parking behavior.

However, towing a vehicle for parking tickets in judgment is a little different. Here you’ve allowed your parking tickets to fall into judgment and stay unpaid. NYC has the same rights to attempt to recover the judgment debt by lawful means as a private judgment creditor. And, believe me, NYC will try and try and try again and again!

If at all possible, pay or fight your parking tickets before they lapse into judgment in about 100 days from issuance.  Please don’t think you’re going to artfully dodge Captain Hook when you park your car in NYC.

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