How to Pay a Parking Ticket in New York City

Paying Online

Go to the NYC government website. The official website of the government for the City of New York is http://www1.nyc.gov/311/. From this page, you can find information and make payments for many different services, including parking tickets. From the home page, click the "Make a Payment" box and select "Parking Ticket" from the drop-down menu. Scroll through the options provided and choose the appropriate link.

Provide your violation number. On the payment page, enter the 10-digit number found on your parking ticket. If you don't have the actual ticket handy, you can also look up the ticket by entering your license tag number and the state where your car is registered. If you have a specialty plate, such as a commercial or dealer plate, choose it from the drop-down menu under "Type." Click next after verifying the information you've entered is correct.

Enter your payment information. Online payments are accepted using a major credit or debit card, or an electronic check. You can also use a prepaid or gift card with either a Visa or MasterCard logo. If you pay with a credit or debit card, a 2.49 percent service fee will be added to your total. You'll see this fee listed separately on your banking or credit card statement with "NYC Department of Finance" as the merchant.

Print your confirmation. Once your payment is received, you'll see a confirmation page. Depending on the time and day of the week you make your payment, it may take 2 to 4 days for the payment to post to your bank account or credit card. Keep your ticket so you can follow up on the status of your payment – especially if you've waited until the last minute. You can look up your ticket by violation number at http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/NYCSERVMain.

Download the mobile app to pay using your smart phone. NYC has an official mobile app available on the iPhone App Store and on Google Play. The app, titled "NYC Parking Ticket Pay or Dispute," is free to download. The app provides a simple and secure way to either pay or dispute any parking tickets you receive. For mobile app payments, you can get a receipt through email or text. You can also use the app to view payment history and records of past tickets.

Paying by Mail

Request a copy of your ticket if you no longer have it. If you want to mail payment of your parking ticket, you must include the violation number on the front of your check or money order. This 10-digit number is listed on your parking ticket. If you no longer have the parking ticket, or if the number is illegible, go to http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/PVO_Search.jsp. You can search for your ticket using the plate number of your car. Include the state that issued your plate and the type of plate you have.

Get a check or money order for the full amount. The DOF only accepts payment by check or money order if you're mailing in your payment. Make your check payable to "NYC Department of Finance." On the memo line on the front of the check, include your violation number, license plate number, and the state where your vehicle is registered. If you send a personal check, the DOF may process the payment as an electronic check rather than a personal check. Your check will not be returned.

Mail your payment promptly. The DOF goes by the date of receipt, not the postmark on your payment. Your payment must be received within 30 days of the date your ticket was issued. Allow enough time for mail delivery to avoid penalties and interest. Mail parking ticket payments to NYC Department of Finance, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 3640, New York, NY 10008-3640.

Check the status of your payment. You can check online to verify that your payment was received in time and you don't owe any additional penalties or interest. You must have your violation number to look up the status of a paid ticket. Go to http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/NYCSERVMain and enter your violation number, then click "Search." If you're nearing the 30-day deadline and your mailed payment has not been received, you may want to make an in-person statement instead.

Paying in Person

Visit a DOF Business Center convenient to you. The DOF has Business Centers in each of the 5 boroughs. These Business Centers are open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. You'll likely spend less time waiting if you can go earlier in the morning. To get addresses or directions to the Business Center locations, visit http://www1.nyc.gov/site/finance/pay-now/person.page and click on the borough nearest you.

Make your payment. You have the most payment options by paying in person at a DOF Business Center. You can pay with cash, check, money order, credit or debit card. They also accept prepaid and gift cards, as long as they have a Visa or MasterCard logo. All major credit cards are accepted, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. You can also pay with a foreign credit card, provided it has a CVV number. There is a 2.49 percent service fee added to your total if you are using a credit or debit card.

Pay with cash at a 7-Eleven store. You can use the PayNearMe service at a participating 7-Eleven store to pay your parking ticket with cash. You will be charged a fee of $2.99 to use this service. Before you go to 7-Eleven, visit paynearme.com/en/pay-nyc-ticket/ and follow the instructions to get your payment code. At the 7-Eleven, tell the cashier you want to pay a parking ticket, and show them your code. Keep your receipt as proof of payment. Your ticket's status should be updated to "paid" on the DOF system within 15 minutes.