Contest a Handicap Parking Ticket — Free Appeal Letter

Include a copy of your placard and the registration or identification card that came with it, showing the permit number, your name and the expiration date. If you have disability plates, include your vehicle registration.

If you were driving someone else who holds the placard, explain who they are and that they were with you, and include a copy of their permit card with their permission.

Many tickets are written because the placard fell, was turned around, or was placed on the dashboard instead of the mirror. Explain briefly what happened. Reviewers often dismiss these tickets when the permit was valid at the time.

If your placard had expired and you renewed it shortly after, include the renewal. Some cities will reduce or dismiss the fine, but an expired permit at the time of the ticket is a weaker case.

If you were not parked in an accessible space, for example the space markings were worn or the sign was missing, choose the sign option in the template and include photos. Check the striping and signs at the space carefully.

Never use someone else's placard when they are not with you. Misusing a placard can lead to heavy fines and confiscation in many states, and it is not a defense.

A denial at the first review isn't the end. Most cities offer at least one more level — usually a hearing in person, by phone or by mail — where a different person looks at your evidence.

Check the decision letter for the deadline to request the next level of review. Many cities require you to pay the ticket, or request a waiver, before a hearing.

Keep every notice and receipt. If you win at a later stage, any amount you paid is normally refunded.