NY traffic tickets: how to pay online tickets or debts in installments
You can pay off ticket debts online and with some assistance. NY parking ticket payment plans.
If you have a lot of violations in NY state and you can’t pay it, you can take a parking ticket payment plan. This is an agreement with the Department of Finance under which you agree to pay the full amount in installments, over time, instead of paying it all at once.
Entering into a New York parking ticket payment plan can prevent enforcement actions, such as having your vehicle towed.
New York parking violations
New York parking violations
Although your payments will be more manageable with a payment plan, the total amount you owe will increase because interest will continue to accrue until the amount is completely paid off.
For example, if you owe $1,000 and choose a 24-month payment plan with 9% interest, you will end up paying a total of more than $1,100. You can avoid additional interest by paying the full balance due, or paying more than the monthly payment amount, at CityPay.
There is no penalty for prepaying your payment plan. If you want to save on interest costs, you can pay your outstanding balance at any time.
How to pay a ticket in NY
Before thinking about how to pay a ticket in NY, you should be clear that, in order to cancel the ticket, you must first plead guilty or contest the ticket to prove your innocence at a hearing.
Then, there are four ways to pay a ticket from the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB): online, in person, by mail or by phone.
Paying tickets online: this is the easiest way to pay a ticket in New York, but you will need to have certain information at hand, such as the ticket and your driver’s license. Once you have the documentation, go to the official website of the city of New York and enter the ten digits of the ticket number or the license plate number of your car. Enter the payment method and you are done.
Pay your car ticket by mail: If you want to pay your car ticket by mail, you must place the signed ticket on the back of an envelope along with a check or money order for the total amount of the fine and send it to the New York City Department of Finance (Church Street Station, PO Box 3640, New York, NY 10008-3640).
Pay NY car ticket by phone: call 718-488-5710 with the ticket, your license and credit card in order to pay. Calling hours are any day of the week except holidays, between 8:00 am and 4:15 pm.
Pay the fine in person: You can go in person to one of the tax collection agencies and pay your traffic ticket in person. To do this you can check the New York City Department of Finance’s “In-Person” page and find an agency near you.
Standard Parking Ticket Payment Plan
The standard payment plan is usually the best option for most people. Here’s how to sign up online by following the instructions below.
Requirements to pay to get a payment plan for parking tickets in NY
If your vehicle has been booted or towed, you can enroll in a standard parking ticket plan online with Republic Immobilization Services or call (646) 517-1000.
To enroll in a standard parking ticket payment plan with the Department of Finance:
- You must be the registered owner of the vehicle, the owner’s court-appointed agent, or a lessee of the vehicle who has been designated as responsible for citations by the lessor of the vehicle.
- You must agree to include in the payment plan all open parking ticket judgments not already covered by an active payment plan.
- You must pay 20% or more of the total amount due at the time you enter into the agreement.
- For judgments of less than $350, you must agree to a 60-day plan.
- For judgments of $350 or more, you must agree to a payment plan duration of no more than 24 months.
- You must agree to pay the balance due on all open sentencing violations. If you wish to contest any fines at a hearing, you must do so before the payment plan begins.
- You must pay all outstanding booting, towing and other related fees in full.
- If your vehicle has been booted or towed, you must provide proof that your vehicle is currently registered and insured in order for it to be released.
How to Enroll in the NY Ticket Payment Plan
Your license, registration and insurance must be current. You will be required to pay 20% of the judgment debt, plus all associated fees.
If your vehicle has not been booted or towed, and you have a judgment debt of $350 or more, you can enroll in a standard parking ticket payment plan with the Department of Finance.
The local government recommends signing up online at CityPay. You simply enter your license plate number and, when your debt comes up, there will be a link that will offer you a payment plan, unless your judgment debt is less than $350.
If you have signed up online with any of the above options, you will receive an email confirming the details of your payment plan. The email may take up to five days to arrive. Remember to check your junk or spam folder.
If you have multiple plates registered outside of New York, do not sign up online. Instead, apply for a standard payment plan by following the steps below:
- Complete the Parking Violation Judgment and Camera Standard Payment Agreement Enrollment Form.
- Once you have completed the form, upload it through our Customer Service Portal. You can also use the Customer Service Portal to
- request help enrolling in a standard payment plan or call (212) 440-5300 for assistance.
- Please note that any license plates with violations not included in the payment plan will be subject to enforcement.
- Documents required to pay violations in New York City
To enroll in any of the three parking ticket payment plan options, you may be required to submit copies of the following documents:
- Valid government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, New York State benefit card, etc.).
- Current vehicle registration and insurance card
- Current corporate or business bank signature card
- Additional income-related documentation may be required for the hardship payment plan.
Enrolling in a parking ticket payment plan and making your payments on time will prevent enforcement actions, such as having your vehicle towed or booted. If you are unable to pay your debt, look for ways to regularize the status of your car and, transitively, your New York driver’s license.