How to fight a parking ticket in Denver
You have about 20 days from the date on the ticket.
You must be able to schedule a Final Hearing within 20 calendar days of the citation's issue date to dispute it on the merits before a judicial officer — Denver County Court's own guidance states 'the citation must not be older than 20 calendar days' to schedule a Final Hearing. Miss that window and you lose the Final Hearing option, though from day 21 through day 120 you can still file a general motion with Denver County Court for judicial review; once a citation passes 120 days without payment or a filed dispute, a default judgment is automatically entered against you, and your only remaining option is a motion asking the court to set aside that default judgment for good cause. Because scheduling a Final Hearing currently requires an in-person visit during weekday business hours (no online or mail option exists), plan to go to 1437 Bannock St. well before the 20-day window closes. Source: City and County of Denver, 'Tickets, Towing & Disputes,' https://www.denvergov.org/Vehicles-Parking/Parking/Tickets-and-Towing; Denver County Court, 'Parking,' https://www.denvercountycourt.org/parking/.
Denver's published parking fine schedule (effective 2/1/2022) sets most common violations — including a meter violation under Sec. 54-514(a), improper use of a metered space under Sec. 54-513, and posted no-parking/loading-only violations under Sec. 54-482(a) — at $35.00 each. Some violations carry higher fines: a mobility-impairment (accessible) parking violation under Sec. 54-485 is $350.00, large-vehicle parking under Sec. 54-464 is $250.00, a tow-away zone violation under Sec. 54-482(c) is $75.00 ($50.00 for street-sweeping tow-away zones), and a license-plate violation under Sec. 54-62(a) is $100.00. If you dispute a citation and lose the Final Hearing, or don't show up, a judgment enters for the fine amount plus $26.00 in court costs, generally due immediately. If a citation goes unpaid and undisputed past 120 days, a default judgment is entered for the fine plus any associated late fees. Separately, if a vehicle has 3 or more unpaid tickets (or other outstanding citations), Denver issues a seizure warning notice and may place a boot on the vehicle; removing the boot requires paying all outstanding fines plus a $100.00 boot fee. A vehicle moved by the city (e.g., towed) also incurs a separate $100.00 tow fee. Source: City and County of Denver, 'Denver Parking Fine Schedule' (PDF, as of 2/1/2022), https://www.denvergov.org/files/assets/public/v/2/doti/documents/programsservices/parking/denver-parking-fine-schedule.pdf; City and County of Denver, 'Tickets, Towing & Disputes,' https://www.denvergov.org/Vehicles-Parking/Parking/Tickets-and-Towing.
how to dispute it in Denver
Where it goes.
Agency: Parking tickets are issued by City and County of Denver enforcement staff (Department of Transportation & Infrastructure / Denver Police) and paid through the Parking Violations Bureau (1-866-280-9988). Disputed citations are adjudicated at a Final Hearing before a Denver County Court judicial officer. Denver County Court's dedicated Parking Magistrate's Office, which previously handled these disputes, has closed; as of this record's verification date there is no separate magistrate office — Final Hearings are held directly through Denver County Court.
Online: No online dispute-submission portal is currently available. Denver's prior online parking-ticket dispute system has been discontinued and, as of this record's verification date (2026-07-20), has not been restored — disputes can only be initiated by appearing in person (see submitInPerson). For current status and any future online option, see https://www.denvergov.org/Vehicles-Parking/Parking/Tickets-and-Towing.
By mail: No mail-in dispute process is currently available for parking citations — you cannot request or conduct a Final Hearing by mail. (Ticket payment, as opposed to a dispute, can be mailed to: Denver Parking Violations Bureau, PO Box 46500, Denver, CO 80201-6500, per https://www.denvergov.org/Vehicles-Parking/Parking/Tickets-and-Towing/Pay-a-Parking-Ticket.)
In person: You must appear in person at Denver County Court, 1437 Bannock St., Room 140, Denver, CO 80202, Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., to schedule a Final Hearing. The Final Hearing itself is also held in person (or, per Denver County Court's general virtual-court program, potentially by video) before a Denver County Court judicial officer.
- 1Note your citation's issue date and case/summons number, and figure out which window you're in: 0–20 calendar days old (eligible for a Final Hearing), 21–120 days old (Final Hearing no longer available, but you can file a general motion with Denver County Court), or over 120 days old (a default judgment has already been entered against you).
- 2If your citation is 20 calendar days old or less, go in person to Denver County Court, 1437 Bannock St., Room 140, Denver, CO 80202 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) to schedule a Final Hearing. There is currently no online or mail option to request the hearing — you must appear in person to schedule it.
- 3Gather your evidence before the hearing date: photos, receipts, repair/maintenance records, registration or sale documents, or anything else supporting your specific defense, since Denver's Final Hearing does not accept new evidence submitted only by mail or online in place of your appearance.
- 4Attend the scheduled Final Hearing before a Denver County Court judicial officer. The City has the burden to prove the validity of the citation, and you may present your defense and evidence at that time.
- 5If the judicial officer finds the citation valid, or if you fail to appear, a judgment enters against you for the fine amount plus $26.00 in court costs, and that amount is generally due immediately following the hearing.
- 6If your citation is between 21 and 120 days old, you're no longer eligible for a Final Hearing, but you may file a general motion with Denver County Court asking for judicial review of the citation.
- 7If your citation is over 120 days old, a default judgment has already been entered against you for the fine plus any late fees; you may file a motion with Denver County Court asking the judge to set aside that default judgment, explaining your good reason for not paying or disputing within the 120-day window.
- 8Call the Parking Violations Bureau at 1-866-280-9988 (regular business hours) with questions about a specific citation before your hearing date.
pick your defense
What actually happened?
Fight a broken-meter parking ticket in Denver
You were cited for a meter violation under D.R.M.C. § 54-514(a) (failure to deposit the required payment), but the specific parking meter or pay station you used was inoperable, malfunctioning, or otherwise would not accept payment, so you could not comply despite trying.
Fight a missing or obscured sign parking ticket in Denver
You were cited under D.R.M.C. § 54-482 for violating a posted parking restriction (e.g., no-parking, loading-only, or another posted prohibition), but the sign governing that restriction was missing, obscured, or otherwise not legibly posted where you parked.
Fight a Denver parking ticket when you already paid
You were cited for a meter violation under D.R.M.C. § 54-514(a) (or improper use of a metered space under § 54-513), but you actually paid for parking at that meter or space for the cited time, and can show a receipt or app record proving it.
questions people ask
FAQ.
How long do I have to dispute a Denver parking ticket?
You must be able to schedule a Final Hearing within 20 calendar days of the citation's issue date. After that, a Final Hearing is no longer available, though from day 21 through day 120 you can still file a general motion with Denver County Court for judicial review. Past 120 days, a default judgment is automatically entered against you.
Can I dispute a Denver parking ticket online or by mail?
No. Denver's prior online dispute-submission portal has been discontinued and has not been restored, and there is no mail-in dispute process. You must appear in person at Denver County Court, 1437 Bannock St., Room 140, Denver, CO 80202, to schedule a Final Hearing.
Who has the burden of proof at a Denver parking Final Hearing?
The City. Denver County Court's own guidance states 'the city will be required to prove the validity of the citation,' and you may present your defense and evidence at the hearing.
What happens if I lose the Final Hearing or don't show up?
A judgment enters against you for the fine amount plus $26.00 in court costs, generally due immediately following the hearing.
This page is for informational use only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Square-bracketed placeholders in any linked defense 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.
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