Waive an Austin parking ticket under the Get Home Safely program
You left your vehicle overnight at a City of Austin parking meter specifically to get a responsible ride home (taxi, bus, or ride-hailing) instead of driving, and received a parking ticket as a result.
the statement
Copy, customize, submit.
To: Austin Transportation and Public Works — Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Program Re: Citation No. [CITATION NUMBER] Plate: [PLATE] ([STATE]) Date/Time: [DATE], [TIME] Location cited: [LOCATION] I am requesting a waiver of this citation under the Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Program. On [DATE], I left my vehicle, plate [PLATE], overnight at the City of Austin parking meter at [LOCATION] specifically so that I could get a responsible ride home — [DESCRIBE — taxi / bus / ride-hailing service] — instead of driving. I received this parking ticket as a result of leaving the vehicle there overnight, and I am submitting this waiver request within one business day of receiving it, as required by the program. The underlying citation was issued as a civil parking offense under Austin City Code §12-5-52, but this waiver is a Transportation and Public Works administrative program, not a matter for a Hearing Officer. I ask that Austin Transportation and Public Works waive this citation directly under the Get Home Safely program. Attached: [a copy of the parking ticket; a receipt from my taxi, bus, or ride-hailing trip home showing the date and time]. Respectfully, [YOUR NAME] [ADDRESS] [PHONE] [EMAIL]
This template is for informational use only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Square-bracketed placeholders must be replaced with your specific facts. Rules and deadlines can change; if your situation is urgent, complicated, or high-stakes, email info@imfrustrated.org for a free conversation with a volunteer attorney before you send it.
how to submit it
A few things before you send.
- 1Confirm you left your vehicle overnight at a City of Austin parking meter specifically to get a responsible ride home instead of driving.
- 2Gather proof of your ride home — a taxi, bus, or ride-hailing receipt showing the date and time.
- 3Complete the online Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Form and attach a copy of the parking ticket and your ride-home receipt.
- 4Submit within the next business day after receiving the parking ticket — this window is strict and much shorter than the standard 20-business-day appearance-date deadline.
bring receipts
Attach this evidence.
- ✓A copy of the parking ticket
- ✓Proof of your responsible ride home — a taxi, bus, or ride-hailing receipt showing the date and time
- ✓Both submitted through the online 'Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Form' WITHIN THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY after receiving the parking ticket — this is a much shorter window than the standard 20-business-day appearance-date deadline
what Austin rules say
The rule this rests on.
Austin City Code Sec. 12-5-52 — Parking Violations Made Civil Offenses (general provision under which the underlying citation is issued; the waiver itself is a TPW administrative program, not a distinct code-based defense)
This is an Austin-specific administrative waiver program run directly by Austin Transportation and Public Works (TPW) — not an affirmative defense adjudicated by a Hearing Officer under Article 3 of Chapter 12-5, and not itself tied to a specific code section. TPW's own 'Parking Regulations and Tickets' page states: 'If you left your vehicle overnight at a City of Austin parking meter to seek a responsible ride home and received a parking ticket, you are eligible to have the parking ticket waived from Austin Transportation and Public Works. To participate in this program, fill out the online Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Form within the next business day after receiving the parking ticket.' Because the underlying citation is still a civil parking offense under Sec. 12-5-52, this record cites that general provision for context, but the waiver itself is a policy program, not a coded legal defense — so treat the one-business-day filing window as strict and non-negotiable.
if this doesn’t work
Your next move.
If the Hearing Officer finds you liable, you may appeal to an Austin Municipal Court judge: file a petition with the municipal court clerk within 30 business days of the Hearing Officer's order and pay the non-refundable $5.00 appeal filing fee. To stay collection/enforcement while the appeal is pending, you must also post an appeal bond equal to the total fines, costs, and fees (Austin City Code Sec. 12-5-64).
questions people ask
FAQ.
How fast do I need to file this waiver?
Within the next business day after receiving the parking ticket — a much shorter window than the standard 20-business-day appearance-date deadline, and it is strict and non-negotiable.
Is this the same as contesting at a hearing?
No. This is a Transportation and Public Works administrative waiver program, not an affirmative defense adjudicated by a Hearing Officer under Article 3 of Chapter 12-5.
Does a specific code section govern this waiver?
No. The underlying citation is still issued as a civil parking offense under Sec. 12-5-52, but the waiver itself is a TPW policy program, not a coded legal defense.
What proof do I need?
A copy of the parking ticket and proof of your responsible ride home — a taxi, bus, or ride-hailing receipt showing the date and time — both submitted through the online Get Home Safely Ticket Waiver Form.
Nervous about sending it yourself?
we’ll read it over with you.
Email the situation and a volunteer attorney will respond. No commitment, no invoice, no judgment — just an honest second pair of eyes from someone who actually understands the law.
info@imfrustrated.org