Contesting a Parking Citation: Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. I've received a parking citation with which I do not agree. Can I contest it?
2. How do I contest a parking citation?
3. Will I be penalized while contesting a parking citation?

The Administrative Parking Adjudication Program

1. I would like to contest online. What are my options?
2. How do I schedule an online hearing?
3. What are the system requirements for participating in an online hearing?
4. What if I miss a scheduled online hearing?
5. Do I need an appointment for an in person hearing?
6. Where do I go for an in person hearing, and what are the office hours?
7. How will I be notified of the adjudicator's decision?
8. What happens if the parking citation I've contested is upheld?
9. I disagree with the adjudicator's decision. How do I appeal?
10. Why does the City assess an adjudication fee on upheld parking citations?

Hearings with the General District Court

1. How do I schedule a hearing with the General District Court?
2. On what days and at what times does the court hear parking citation cases?
3. What happens if the parking citation I've contested with the court is upheld?

General Questions

1. I've received a parking citation with which I do not agree. Can I contest it?

Yes, if you are the registered vehicle owner, you may contest a parking citation with which you do not agree. However, in order to use the City's administrative parking adjudication program, you must do so within 10 days of the date of issue on the citation.

2. How do I contest a parking citation?

You may contest a parking citation through the City's administrative parking adjudication program:

1. Online: You may appeal online by choosing an online review or an online hearing by teleconferencing or two-way video conferencing.
2. By mail: Please mail the parking adjudication request form (one for each citation contested), the citation, and all documents needed to support the appeal to City of Alexandria, P.O. Box 1423, Alexandria, VA, 22313-1423.
3. In person: The City offers in person adjudication hearings on a first come, first serve basis at City Hall, 301 King Street, Room 1700, between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you come in person, you must present your driver's license and all documents to support the appeal.

Vehicle owners are free to forego the administrative parking adjudication program and contest a citation by scheduling a hearing with the General District Court. See the General District Court section for more information.

3. Will I be penalized while contesting a parking citation?

No. The citation will be suspended pending the outcome of the adjudication. There will be no interest accrued, no late fees applied, and no collection actions taken during this process.

The Administrative Parking Adjudication Program

1. I would like to contest a parking citation online. What are my options?

If you wish to contest online, you can do so by:

1. Filling out an online form requesting an administrative review and uploading supporting documentation;
2. Requesting a two-way video web conference and uploading supporting documentation; or
3. Requesting a teleconference and uploading supporting documentation.

The second and third options will allow you to attend a hearing without coming in person to the parking adjudication office. If you request an online hearing, you will have the following options:

1. Two-way video conferencing between you and adjudication staff;
2. Online teleconferencing between you and adjudication staff using a regular telephone; or
3. Online teleconferencing between you and adjudication staff using Voice over IP (VOIP).

2. How do I schedule an online hearing?

1. Visit the parking adjudication page on the City's website. You will be offered the opportunity to view a photograph of the parking violation for which you have been cited (if photographic evidence is available) and given the option to pay the citation or contest the citation online.
2. If you choose to contest, you will be asked to choose from the options described in Question 1 above and be directed to the appropriate form for the request type.
3. You will be required to provide your contact information, the reason you are contesting the citation, and supporting documentation (if applicable). You will then be allowed to choose three potential dates and times for your hearing.
4. Parking Adjudication staff will schedule the “best fit” based on staff availability and send you an email notifying you of the hearing date and time and providing instructions for accessing the online hearing program.

3. What are the system requirements for participating in an online hearing?

Two-way video conferencing will require a webcam, microphone, and speakers. Teleconferencing using VOIP will require a microphone and speakers. Teleconferencing with a telephone requires only a regular telephone and a computer. The online hearing program is compatible with most operating systems and with some mobile devices. Supported operating systems include:

• Windows (2000, XP, 2003, Vista, and Windows 7);
• Mac OS X (10.5 and 10.6); and
• Open Source Operating Systems (Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Hat 5, and OpenSuSE).

Supported web browsers include:

• Internet Explorer (6, 7, 8, and 9);
• Mozilla (1.6 and 1.7);
• Safari (4 and 5);
• Firefox (2, 3.x and 4); and
• Chrome (9 and 10).

Additional system requirements can be found on the WebEx website.

Attendees can also join scheduled meetings through the mobile browsers of 3G or WiFi-supported smartphones with integrated audio and data. Users may download the WebEx mobile application for iPhones or iPads on the WebEx website or from the Apple App Store. Users may download the WebEx mobile application for Blackberry on the WebEx website.

4. What if I miss a scheduled online hearing?

In the unfortunate event that you cannot attend at the prescribed date/time, you must appear in person at the Parking Adjudication Office at 301 King Street, Room 1700 no later than the next available business day following the date of your scheduled hearing. Walk-in service is available on a first come, first serve basis on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you fail to appear in person after having missed an online hearing date, your adjudication request will be denied and a $10 adjudication fee will be applied to the citation. 

5. Do I need an appointment for an in person hearing?

No, you do not need an appointment for an in person hearing. In person hearings are available on a walk-in, first come, first serve basis.

6. Where do I go for an in person hearing, and what are the office hours?

The City offers in person adjudication hearings on a first come, first serve basis at City Hall, 301 King Street, Room 1700, between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you come in person, you must present your driver's license and all documents to support the appeal.

7. How will I be notified of the adjudicator's decision?

If you contest a parking citation, you will receive notification of the adjudicator's decision by mail, usually within three to four weeks of the date your adjudication request was received. If you contest a parking citation online, you will also receive a response email.

8. What happens if the parking citation I've contested is upheld?

If the parking citation is upheld, you will be assessed a $10 adjudication fee in addition to the original fine. There is no fee if the parking citation is waived.

9. I disagree with the adjudicator's decision. How do I appeal?

If you disagree with the outcome of a parking adjudication request, you may appeal by scheduling a hearing with the General District Court. For information about how to schedule a hearing, please see the General District Court section below.

10. Why does the City assess an adjudication fee on upheld parking citations?

The City created the administrative parking adjudication process as a voluntary, more convenient alternative to a hearing in District Court. (Most Virginia jurisdictions permit the adjudication of parking citations solely through the District Court process.) The adjudication fees the City collects on upheld citations assist in defraying the costs of providing this program. Please note that since both the City's costs and the adjudication fee are far lower than the costs associated with a case before the General District Court, the administrative parking adjudication program is more cost-effective for both the vehicle owner and the City.

Hearings with the General District Court

1. How do I schedule a hearing with the General District Court?

To schedule a hearing, you must fill out the District Court Affidavit (one for each citation contested), have it notarized, and return it by mail, along with copies of the citation and your driver’s license, to City of Alexandria, P.O. Box 1423, Alexandria, VA, 22313-1423.  Parking Adjudication staff will process your request then mail you information concerning your court date.

Please note that, when filling out the affidavit, you should not sign and date the affidavit until a notary is present to witness your signature.

2. On what days and at what times does the court hear parking citation cases?

Hearings dates and times for parking citation hearings in the General District Court are subject to the availability of the issuing officer and court, but typically, hearings are scheduled several weeks in advance for a Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. If you schedule a hearing in the District Court, you will be required to appear in court at 9:30 a.m. and wait until your case is called.  Please note that this does not mean that your case will be heard at 9:30 a.m., only that you must be present in court at that time.

3. What happens if the parking citation I've contested with the court is upheld?

If you bypass the adjudication process to contest the citation directly with the court and the citation is upheld, you will be assessed the original fine plus any court costs. If you appeal the parking adjudicator's decision to the General District Court and the citation is upheld, you will be assessed the original fine, the $10 adjudication fee, and any court costs. Court costs are typically $63 but are at the discretion of the judge.