Fight a Boston parking ticket with a disability placard exemption
You are the registered holder of a disabled-veteran plate, disabled plate, or disability placard, and were ticketed for exceeding a posted meter or parking time limit — those time limits do not apply to you — or you were ticketed while properly parked in a designated accessible (HP-DV) space or at a meter without paying.
the statement
Copy, customize, submit.
To: City of Boston Office of the Parking Clerk Re: Ticket No. [TICKET NUMBER] Plate: [PLATE] ([STATE]) Date/Time: [DATE], [TIME] Location cited: [LOCATION] I am disputing this ticket and, if necessary, requesting a hearing before the Office of the Parking Clerk. I respectfully request that it be dismissed. I am the registered holder of a [DISABLED VETERAN PLATE / DISABLED PLATE / DISABILITY PLACARD], number [PLACARD/PLATE NUMBER]. At the time of this ticket, on [DATE] at [TIME], my placard was properly displayed on the rearview mirror [OR: my disabled plate was on the vehicle], as shown in the attached photo. I was ticketed for [DESCRIBE VIOLATION — exceeding a posted meter or time limit / parking at a meter without paying / parking in a designated accessible space], but that restriction does not apply to me as a disabled veteran/disabled plate/disabled placard vehicle. Under City of Boston Traffic Rules and Regulations, Art. IV §4, "the time limits imposed by this section shall not apply to disabled veteran/disabled plate/disabled placard vehicles, as defined." I ask that this ticket be dismissed on that basis. Attached: [photo of the valid disability placard displayed on the rearview mirror (or disabled plate on the vehicle) at the time of the ticket, RMV documentation of the placard or plate registration, and a photo of the ticket and the posted time-limit sign or meter showing the violation charged]. 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.
- 1Read the ticket and note the ticket number, plate/registration number, violation code, date, time, and location.
- 2Within 21 days of the ticket's issuance, submit a dispute one of three ways: online via the Parking Ticket Appeal Form at boston.gov/tickets; by mail to City of Boston, P.O. Box 55800, Boston, MA 02205; or in person at the Office of the Parking Clerk, Room 224, Boston City Hall. Every method requires your name and mailing address, the nature of your dispute, your plate/registration number and state, the ticket number(s), and any supporting evidence (e.g. photos, receipts).
- 3Wait for a decision — the Parking Clerk's office typically responds to online and mailed disputes within 7 to 10 business days.
- 4If the dispute is denied, you must either pay the ticket within 10 days or call 617-635-4410 to request a formal administrative hearing before the expiration of the 21-day deadline from the ticket's issuance date (per the Traffic Rules and Regulations, this same 21-day statutory window under M.G.L. c.90 §20A½ governs the hearing request itself).
- 5A hearing request can be made in person at Room 224, by phone, by email, or by mail to City of Boston, P.O. Box 1626, Boston, MA 02105, and must include a brief description of the dispute, the plate/registration number, and the ticket number(s).
- 6The Parking Clerk's office mails written notice of the hearing's date, time, and place. The hearing itself is informal and the rules of evidence do not apply; the hearing officer keeps a record and issues a final written decision.
- 7While a timely hearing request is pending, the ticket is placed on "suspended" status and is not subject to further late penalties, booting, or registration/license non-renewal.
- 8If you disagree with the hearing officer's final decision, it is subject to judicial review under M.G.L. c.30A §14 (the Massachusetts Administrative Procedure Act).
bring receipts
Attach this evidence.
- ✓A photo showing the valid disability placard displayed on the rearview mirror (or disabled plate on the vehicle) at the time of the ticket
- ✓RMV documentation of the placard or plate registration
- ✓A photo of the ticket and the posted time-limit sign or meter showing the violation charged
what Boston rules say
The rule this rests on.
City of Boston Traffic Rules and Regulations, Article IV, Section 4 — Parking Meters, General Regulations (¶5: time-limit exemption for disabled veteran/disabled plate/disabled placard vehicles)
City of Boston Traffic Rules and Regulations, Art. IV § 4 (eff. Mar. 1, 2025)
Boston-specific extra. The Traffic Rules and Regulations (Art. IV §4, ¶5) state: "The time limits imposed by this section shall not apply to disabled veteran/disabled plate/disabled placard vehicles, as defined." Boston.gov's Parking Ticket FAQs separately confirm placard holders "may park in designated accessible spaces (HP-DV), at meters, and over time limits without fees, provided the placard is displayed on the rearview mirror."
if this doesn’t work
Your next move.
If your initial dispute is denied, you must either pay the ticket within 10 days or call 617-635-4410 (or write to City of Boston, P.O. Box 1626, Boston, MA 02105) to request a formal administrative hearing before the 21-day deadline from the ticket's issuance date expires. While a timely hearing request is pending, the ticket is placed on "suspended" status and is not subject to further late penalties, booting, or registration/license non-renewal. If you disagree with the hearing officer's final written decision, it is subject to judicial review under M.G.L. c.30A §14 (the Massachusetts Administrative Procedure Act).
questions people ask
FAQ.
Where can placard holders park in Boston without a ticket?
Boston.gov's Parking Ticket FAQs confirm placard holders may park in designated accessible spaces (HP-DV), at meters, and over posted time limits without fees, provided the placard is displayed on the rearview mirror.
Does the exemption cover meter fees, not just time limits?
Yes. Boston.gov's FAQs state placard holders may park at meters without paying fees, in addition to being exempt from posted time limits, as long as the placard is properly displayed.
Which section of the Traffic Rules and Regulations covers this exemption?
Art. IV §4, ¶5, which states the time limits in that section "shall not apply to disabled veteran/disabled plate/disabled placard vehicles, as defined."
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