• To pay or contest your parking citation online.
• To pay in person, visit the cashier at the City of Carlsbad, 1635 Faraday Ave., Carlsbad, CA 92008.
• To pay by mail, send check or money order using the envelope provided with your ticket to:

City of Carlsbad
P.O. Box 2081
Tustin, CA 92781-2081

City and state parking ordinances are created to ensure the safety of visitors and residents alike, and as such will be strictly enforced within the City of Carlsbad.

To contest a parking citation, a request must be made to the Finance Department for a parking citation review within 21 days of issuance of the parking citation, or within 14 days of the mailing of the notice of delinquency. The three methods for starting this process are:

• By Phone - 442-339-2402 to request form be mailed.
• In Writing - complete the Parking Citation Request for Review.
• In Person - gather all supporting documentation and bring to the City of Carlsbad, Finance Department.

The completed Parking Citation Request for Review form, along with the original parking citation, must be returned to the city's Finance Department.

The Traffic Officer in the Police Department will review the citation, the issuing officer's statement of facts, and the statement to determine if the citation is valid.

• If the citation is determined to be invalid, a letter will be sent to applicant and the citation will be dismissed.
• If the citation is determined to be valid, applicant will be notified by mail. Applicant will then have two options:
  • to pay the citation immediately
  • or request an administrative hearing no later than 21 days following the mailing of the results of the review.
    • Failure to comply in a timely manner with this requirement will result in waiver of applicant's right to further review of the citation.
    • If an administrative hearing is requested, funds must be paid in the amount equal to the value of the citation including any penalties.
    • To request a hearing, complete the Request for Neutral Examination of Parking Citation form and submit it to the Finance Department.
    • If the administrative hearing determines the citation is valid, and applicant still wishes to contest the citation, they may go to the website shown below to request a court hearing:
      • www.sdcourt.ca.gov
      • Request a court hearing (De Nova) in civil court and deposit a $25 fee.
      • This request to the court must be made within 30 days of the mailing of the hearing examiner's decision.
      • The court hearing will consist of a review of the facts presented at the administrative hearing.
      • No new evidence can be submitted at the court hearing.

On occasion, a citation is issued to an individual who forgets to properly display a handicapped placard. The City of Carlsbad Police Department will dismiss the citation fee if the registered placard owner appears with the following:

• Handicapped placard
• Valid placard registration
• Valid California driver’s license or California identification
• Original citation
• $28 Handicap Placard Violation Waiver Processing fee

Bring or mail documents to:

City of Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Ave
Carlsbad, CA 92008
442-339-2430

or

California Vehicle Code (CVC) Section 40220 allows for installment payments of parking citations for qualifying low-income individuals who apply within 120 days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation, or within 10 days after an administrative hearing determination, whichever is later. Once a citation is enrolled in this program, it is no longer eligible for appeal pursuant to an Administrative Review or Hearing.

Parking citation late fees and penalty assessments (“Late Fees”) are removed at time of enrollment in the payment plan in accordance with CVC Section 40220. Late Fees are reinstated if the payment plan is not completed. Also, DMV registration holds and Franchise Tax Board tax intercepts will not be implemented, and/or will be removed during the payment plan, subject to its satisfactory completion. If the payment plan is not satisfactorily completed, then such remedies may be invoked.

Who may qualify for a payment plan
Only the Registered Owner or Lessee of the vehicle for which the citation was issued may enroll in a Payment Plan. To qualify, you must meet the requirements of CVC Section 40220 by either being “Low Income” or receiving qualifying “Public Benefits,” as explained in further detail below.

“Public Benefits” are defined in Government Code (GC) Section 68632(a) and include, but are not limited to, public benefits under one or more of the following programs: CalWORKs (or Tribal TANF), Supplemental Security Income and State Supplementary Payment, Supplemental Nutrition or California Food Assistance Program, County Relief, General Relief or General Assistance, Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants, In-Home Supportive Services, and Medi-Cal.

     
“Low Income” is defined as any applicant whose monthly income is 125% or less of the current poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. See chart below for current income thresholds.

Please note that if your vehicle is currently booted, towed or impounded, you are not eligible for enrollment in a payment program (subject to the citations being outside of the above referenced application deadlines). 

How to enroll in a payment plan
If you are either Low Income and/or the recipient of Public Benefits, you must fully complete and sign an application form to enroll in a payment plan. You are only entitled to enroll in a payment plan once for any specific parking citation(s). Subject to the timing requirements, you may enroll in additional payment plans for any citation(s) which were not previously included in a payment plan. You can obtain an application either online or in-person. In-person applications may be obtained from 1635 Faraday Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

You must also submit documentation along with your application verifying that you are Low Income or receive qualifying Public Benefits; examples of acceptable documents are explained below. Once your application is complete, you may mail your application:

City of Carlsbad Finance Department
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92008

Please note that if your status as either Low Income and/or as the recipient of Public Benefits is found to have been willfully fraudulent, the reduction of your fines and fees will be overturned and the full amount of any fines and fees will be restored.

What Documentation/Proof needs to be submitted along with the application

Public Benefits - Acceptable forms of proof include true copies of an electronic benefits transfer card or another card, and/or other documentation that confirms your receipt of qualifying Public Benefits under one or more of the following programs: CalWORKs (or Tribal TANF), Supplemental Security Income and State Supplementary Payment, Supplemental Nutrition or California Food Assistance Program, County Relief, General Relief or General Assistance, Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants, In-Home Supportive Services, and Medi-Cal.

Low Income - Acceptable forms of proof of Low Income include true copies of a recent pay stub or another form of proof of earnings, such as a bank statement or financial statement, and/or other documentation that demonstrates that your income is 125% or less than the current income thresholds identified in the Chart above.

Payment Plan Approval
If your application for a payment plan is approved and you qualify for the payment plan, you will automatically be enrolled in the payment plan and a follow-up communication will provide you detailed payment information and terms. If your application is incomplete or is otherwise rejected, you will be notified. If for any reason you wish to revoke your application or cancel your payment plan, you may notify us at any time. 

Information about payments and duration of the payment plan

The City of Carlsbad is not required to provide any invoices, payment reminders, or notification of late or insufficient payments. It is your sole responsibility to ensure payments are made timely and in the proper amounts. All payments must be received by the due date. Plan participants are encouraged to set up their own payment reminders. Helpful tips include: taking a photo of your payment plan agreement, setting regular reminders in your calendar, and telling a family member or friend who helps you with your finances.

Minimum monthly payments are due no later than the 1st or 15th of each month as identified in your plan approval letter.

There are no prepayment penalties and you may voluntarily make excess payments. However, any over payments will not relieve you of the obligation to make the mandated monthly payment(s) in full each month until such time that entire payment amount is paid in full and the payment plan is completed. If at any time you have questions about the remaining balance due, final payment amounts, or anything else related to your payment plan, please call our Finance Department at (442) 339-2402.

How to submit payments under a payment plan

Send check or money order payable to:

City of Carlsbad Finance Department
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92008

Reference the payment plan number and the parking citation number

In Person
You may pay in person with cash, check, money order, or credit card at:

Finance Department
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92008

Please have your payment plan number and parking citation number available

Pay online
Please have your payment plan number and parking citation number available.

Payment Plan Default
If you default on your payment plan you will have 45 days from Notice of Payment Default to make the missed payment and otherwise bring or keep your payment plan payment(s) current. Failure to do so will result in you being removed from the payment plan. After this one-time 45 day extension expires, you will not be provided any further extensions or notices, and any additional late or insufficient payments or other forms of default will result in immediate removal from the payment plan.

Removal from the payment plan could result in: (i) any fees and penalties that had been waived as part of the payment plan being added back to the amount due, and (ii) vehicle registration holds or other potential consequences as permitted by law.

If you have any questions about payment plans, please email us or call us at 442-339-2402 for the most up to date information.