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County Court - Frequently Asked Questions
Parking Magistrates FAQ
What do I do if my car was booted?
What do I do if my car was towed?
What do I do if I was not in town on the date and time stated on the ticket?
I have received notice that there are parking tickets listed to my vehicle -- and my car was stolen at the time. How do I clear this up?
How do I report a defective parking meter or sign?
What do I do if I think the license plate cited on the ticket does not belong to me?
How do I obtain a Residential Parking Permit?
Can I set a tow hearing in your office to see if I can get my impound fees reduced or refunded?
What is the proper way to park at a meter?
How do I resolve a payment dispute on a parking ticket?
What can you tell me about a Smart Card, and where can I get one?
Are meters free on the weekends?
Are meters free on holidays?
How long can I park at a meter?
If there’s a time limit on the street, can my vehicle still get a ticket even if I move it a few spaces or leave and return?
Is it OK to place my front license plate on the dashboard inside the vehicle?
Do I have to pay a meter if I have a handicap placard or plate?
What information do I need to provide when disputing a handicap parking violation?
What are my chances of getting a reduction on a parking ticket if I appear at the Parking Magistrate’s Office?
Do I have to appear in person to dispute a parking ticket?
I received a late notice from the Parking Violations Bureau for a parking ticket I've never seen before. What should I do?
Can I request an extension on paying a parking ticket before it doubles after 20 days?
What happens if I don't pay the ticket?
When is street sweeping scheduled?
Once I have my residential parking permit displayed do I need to move my vehicle?

 What do I do if my car was booted?

If you have a traditional yellow city boot you may follow the instructions on the boot paperwork. Payments can be made at the Parking Cashier's Office located on the first floor of the Wellington E. Webb Building at 201 W. Colfax Ave., 1st Floor, by cash or Visa/MasterCard. CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS are not acceptable forms of payment. Credit card payments may be made over the phone by calling the Parking Violations Bureau at 1-866-280-9988 or online at www.denverpvb.com

If the boot is not released within 72 hours (which does not include the day the vehicle was booted, nor weekends or holidays), the vehicle will be towed to the Car Pound. Towed vehicles may be picked up from the car pound lot on the Saturdays and Sundays between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm.

 
What do I do if my car was towed?
If the vehicle was booted and towed, contact Parking Violations Bureau (PVB) at 1-866-280-9988 for inquiries about your vehicle.

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What do I do if I was not in town on the date and time stated on the ticket?
Contact the Parking Violations Bureau at 1-866-280-9988 . They will locate the ticket and review information with you. If you still believe it was not your vehicle, they will instruct you accordingly.

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I have received notice that there are parking tickets listed to my vehicle -- and my car was stolen at the time. How do I clear this up?
You must send proof that a police report was made on the day it was stolen. If the car was recovered, you will need proof of the recovery date. Send this information to the Parking Violations Bureau.

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How do I report a defective parking meter or sign?
Contact the Parking Violations Bureau at 1-866-280-9988 and the voice mail response will instruct you in regard to starting the investigation process.

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What do I do if I think the license plate cited on the ticket does not belong to me?
Go to the State Motor Vehicle Department located at 1881 Pierce St., Lakewood CO., and have them perform a license plate search or title search. This may have been a plate you previously had on another vehicle and never canceled, or for a vehicle you cosigned. Contact the Parking Violations Bureau at 1-866-280-9988 , inform them of your problem and they will instruct you accordingly.

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How do I obtain a Residential Parking Permit?
Residential Parking Permits (RPPs) may be obtained at no charge through Parking Management’s Cashier’s office, located on the first floor of the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Bldg. (WEWOB). For additional information, call 720-913-5365.

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Can I set a tow hearing in your office to see if I can get my impound fees reduced or refunded?
No. The purpose of a tow hearing is to determine whether or not the City towed a vehicle legally. If it’s determined at the hearing the City illegally towed a vehicle, the owner (or the person to whom the vehicle was released at the impound lot) would be reimbursed for the fees already paid at the impound lot. The process for a refund is generally 4-6 weeks and is handled through the City Auditor’s Office.

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What is the proper way to park at a meter?
The vehicle must be aligned between the meter poles, no further than 18 inches from the curb. If the front or rear end of the vehicle is parked beyond the meter pole, you are technically taking up two parking spaces, and may be ticketed.

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How do I resolve a payment dispute on a parking ticket?
Contact the Parking Violations Bureau (PVB) at 1-866-280-9988 . If payment was sent by check, a copy of the front and back of the cancelled check would need to be submitted to the PVB. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 46500, Denver, CO 80201-6500.

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What can you tell me about a Smart Card, and where can I get one?
ParkSmart Denver Cards are an easy way to pay for parking at Denver’s new Smart Meters! The Smart Card is a pre-loaded, credit card sized plastic card that is available in the amounts of $5, $15, $25, $50 and $100. There is no additional charge or deposit when purchasing a ParkSmart Denver card – simply pay the face value of the card! ParkSmart Denver cards are not re-loadable and should be recycled when they are empty. Visit ParkSmartDenver.com

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Are meters free on the weekends?
It depends on the meter. Signs posted on the meters, as well as signs on the street, should indicate days and hours of meter enforcement. Unless the signs indicate otherwise, meters must be paid. Currently downtown parking meters are free on Sundays.

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Yes they are free but only for the limit of the meter.   For example, if the meter allows for two hours of parking, you may park free for two hours, and then are expected to move your vehicle. The recognized parking meter holidays are as follows.

 

New Year's Day- January 1st

Martin Luther King Jr. Day-third Monday in January

Presidents' Day-third Monday in February

Cesar Chavez Day-last Monday in March

Memorial Day-last Monday in May

Independence Day-July 4th

Labor Day-First Monday in September

Veterans Day-November 11th

Thanksgiving Day-Fourth Thursday in November

Christmas Day-December 25th 

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How long can I park at a meter?
Time limit information is posted on the meter and/or posted on the block. After the time limit, the vehicle must then be moved at least 100 feet, which generally is considered the next 100 block.

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If there’s a time limit on the street, can my vehicle still get a ticket even if I move it a few spaces or leave and return?
Yes. If there is a time limit for parking on a particular street, a vehicle without a visibly displayed permit must then move the vehicle at least 100 feet. For example, if there is a two-hour limit, the vehicle can only be parked on the street for a total of two hours within a 24-hour period.

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Is it OK to place my front license plate on the dashboard inside the vehicle?
No. State law, as well as City Ordinance, requires a front plate to be properly attached to the outside (rear and front) of a vehicle.

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Do I have to pay a meter if I have a handicap placard or plate?
No, but the handicap placard must be current and visibly displayed from the outside of the vehicle, and the vehicle must be moved at least 100 feet after a maximum of four hours. This also applies to non-meter zones that have time limits posted on the street.

Please provide the Court with the handicap placard that was displayed and current when the citation was issued, along with the placard registration (not a vehicle registration). Legible copies of both are acceptable.  If the placard is not issued to you, please provide a letter from the registered owner discussing the usage.  If the holder of the placard is not the registered owner of the vehicle, a letter must be provided by the holder to explain the circumstances under which the placard was used.  Providing the Court with this documentation does not ensure the citation will be dismissed.

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What are my chances of getting a reduction on a parking ticket if I appear at the Parking Magistrate’s Office?

Each situation is different, and decisions are made on a case by case basis. However, the purpose of this office is to either dispute a parking ticket or discuss a particular set of circumstances behind the ticket, not to simply ask for a reduction.  Any fine reduced by a Parking Magistrate must be paid that day.  Payments can be made in person at the cashiers, or anytime online at www.denverpvb.com or by phone by calling 1-866-280-9988.  Any reduction not paid that day will automatically return to its original fine amount, at which time the citizen would not be able to return to the Magistrates office for a reinstatement of the reduced fine.

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Do I have to appear in person to dispute a parking ticket?

No. Someone may appear on your behalf, written correspondence may be sent to the PVB (P.O. Box 46500, Denver, CO 80201) or e-mail may be sent to www.denverpvb.com. However, if someone wants to set a ticket for a parking final hearing (in which the issuing officer would be subpoenaed to court) the owner or operator of the vehicle to which the ticket was issued would have to appear to set the hearing at 201 W. Colfax Ave., 1st Floor between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (The Parking Magistrate, however, only hears disputes from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). A picture ID (Drivers license or Identification) is required when setting a final hearing.

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I received a late notice from the Parking Violations Bureau for a parking ticket I've never seen before. What should I do?
You may call the Parking Violations Bureau at 1-866-280-9988 and request a copy of the ticket be sent to you. You may then discuss the ticket by any of the methods described in the 'disputing a ticket' reply. Consideration may be made regarding at least waiving the late fee.

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Can I request an extension on paying a parking ticket before it doubles after 20 days?
No. The Denver Revised Municipal Code does not authorize anyone to extend the 20-day rule (tickets for expired emissions do not double after 20 days). However, consideration may be made, depending upon the circumstances, to work with an individual on the penalty assessed.

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What happens if I don't pay the ticket?

After 20 days, the ticket penalty doubles (for example, a $25 ticket now becomes $50).  Your car may then be eligible to be booted and/or towed.

After 60 days, a collection fee is added, your name will be turned over to a collection agency, and a credit bureau will be notified.

After 120 days, a judgment by default will be entered against you, and the full amount of all applicable fines and fees must be paid. 

After one year tickets will be turned over to a law firm for collection purposes.  

When is street sweeping scheduled?
Street sweeping takes place in designated areas between the months of April thru November; Signs are posted on each block.  For example:  No parking first Thursday of the month 8AM-5PM Tow Away Zone.  No parking anytime between the hours of eight and five even if the street has already been swept.
 
Yes, even with a residential parking permit (RPP) if your street is swept the vehicle must be moved. Additionally, all vehicles parked on public streets must be moved every 72 hours.
 
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