San Diego parking ticket fines
An expired meter costs $42.5 in San Diego and parking at a fire hydrant costs $104.5. Parking tickets go to the city, not traffic court.
Expired meter$42.5
Fire hydrant$104.5
Most expensive$117.5red zone
What does each parking ticket cost in San Diego?
The steepest San Diego parking ticket is red zone at $117.5, 2.8 times the $42.5 for an expired meter. The cheapest is expired meter at $42.5.
| Ticket | Fine |
|---|---|
| Expired meter | $42.5[22] |
| Overtime at a meter | $72.5[22] |
| Violation of street sweeping signs | $72.5[22] |
| Fire hydrant | $104.5[22] |
| Double parking | $72.5[22] |
| Bus loading zone | $65.5[22] |
| Crosswalk | $64.5[22] |
| Residential permit areaListed as Residential Permit (A, B, D, E, F). | $64.5[22] |
| Expired registration | $64.5[22] |
| Blocking a driveway | $72.5[22] |
| Red zone | $117.5[22] |
| Loading zone | $81.5[22] |
| Parked on a sidewalk | $72.5[22] |
How do you pay or fight a San Diego parking ticket?
Who handles it
City of San Diego Parking Administration issues and collects parking citations.[23]
Pay a San Diego parking ticket online[23]
How to contest it
Appeal within 21 calendar days of the ticket date, online, by mail or in person. Do not send payment with the appeal.[23]
If you pay late
If payment or an appeal is not received within 21 calendar days, fines under $250 are doubled. After 56 days an extra $10 fee is added.[23]
How do San Diego parking fines compare with other big cities?
At $42.5, the San Diego expired meter fine is number 6 of 15 among the big cities listed here.
| City | Expired meter | Fire hydrant |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $42.5 | $104.5 |
| New York, NY | $35–$65 | $115 |
| Chicago, IL | $50–$70 | $150 |
| Houston, TX | $30 | $105 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $26–$36 | $76 |
| Dallas, TX | $90 | Not published |
| Jacksonville, FL | $15 | $25 |
| Fort Worth, TX | $40 | $105 |
| Columbus, OH | $70 | $90 |
| Charlotte, NC | $25 | Not published |
| Indianapolis, IN | $20 | $75 |
| San Francisco, CA | $107–$108 | $108 |
| Seattle, WA | $65 | $69 |
| Denver, CO | $35 | $35 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $15–$24 | Not published |
Got a speeding or other moving ticket in San Diego?
Moving violations go to the courts, not the parking agency, and they can bring points and higher insurance. See the local court's fines. California ticket rules. Do parking tickets affect your license?
What else do people ask?
How much is a parking ticket in San Diego?
It depends on the violation. An expired meter is $42.5. Parking at a fire hydrant is $104.5. The most expensive common ticket is red zone at $117.5.
What happens if I pay a San Diego parking ticket late?
If payment or an appeal is not received within 21 calendar days, fines under $250 are doubled. After 56 days an extra $10 fee is added.
How do I fight a San Diego parking ticket?
Appeal within 21 calendar days of the ticket date, online, by mail or in person. Do not send payment with the appeal.
Does a parking ticket add points to my license?
No. A parking ticket is not a moving violation, so it adds no points and does not show on the driving record insurers check. Unpaid tickets can still lead to holds or a boot.
Sources (2)
- Fiscal Year 2026 User Fee Schedule (Parking Citation Fines, pages 2-3), City of San Diego Department of Finance.
- Parking citation instructions, City of San Diego Parking Administration.