Fight a Houston parking citation for a vehicle you no longer own
You were not the registered owner of the vehicle on the date(s) of the violation(s) — for example, you had already sold or otherwise transferred it — so Houston's presumption that the registered owner is the person who parked illegally does not apply to you.
the statement
Copy, customize, submit.
To: City of Houston Parking Management — Declaration of Non-Ownership Re: Citation No. [CITATION NUMBER] Plate: [PLATE] ([STATE]) Date/Time: [DATE], [TIME] Location cited: [LOCATION] I am submitting this notarized Declaration of Non-Ownership and deny liability for this citation because I was not the registered owner of the vehicle bearing plate [PLATE] on [DATE], the date of the violation cited above. I transferred ownership of this vehicle on [TRANSFER DATE], as shown by the attached bill of sale / purchase or transfer agreement. [IF KNOWN: The vehicle's new owner is [NEW OWNER NAME], driver's license number [DL NUMBER], address [NEW OWNER ADDRESS].] I have also completed a Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification to update TxDOT's records. Under Houston Code of Ordinances §26-2, "owner" means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property interest in or title to a vehicle. Because I did not hold that interest on the date of the violation, the City's presumption that the registered owner of record is the person who parked this vehicle illegally does not apply to me, and I ask that this citation be dismissed on that basis. Attached: [the notarized Declaration of Non-Ownership form; a copy of the bill of sale or purchase/transfer agreement showing the date of transfer; the new owner's name, driver's license number, and address, if known; a completed Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification; the citation number(s) being disputed]. 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 were not the registered owner of the vehicle bearing the ticketed plate on the date of the violation shown on your citation.
- 2Get the City of Houston Municipal Courts' Declaration of Non-Ownership form (available as a PDF from ParkHouston) and complete it.
- 3Have the completed declaration notarized — it must be a notarized declaration, not just a signed statement.
- 4Attach transfer documentation (a bill of sale or purchase/transfer agreement showing the date of transfer), the new owner's name, driver's license number, and address if known, and a completed Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification to update TxDOT's records.
- 5Mail the notarized declaration and all attachments, along with the citation number(s) being disputed, to Parking Management, P.O. Box 4997, Houston, TX 77002-1526. This is a separate address and process from the standard citation hearing and from ParkHouston's general correspondence address.
bring receipts
Attach this evidence.
- ✓The notarized Declaration of Non-Ownership form
- ✓A copy of the bill of sale or purchase/transfer agreement showing the date of transfer
- ✓The new owner's name, driver's license number, and address, if known
- ✓A completed Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification (to update TxDOT's records)
- ✓The citation number(s) being disputed
what Houston rules say
The rule this rests on.
Houston Code of Ordinances Sec. 26-2 — Definitions ('Owner' means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property interest in or title to a vehicle)
Houston, Tex., Code of Ordinances ch. 26, art. I, div. 1, § 26-2
Houston handles this as a dedicated, separate process rather than an argument made at the standard citation hearing. The City's own Declaration of Non-Ownership form states: 'Under the City of Houston Code of Ordinances, you, as the registered owner of the vehicle as of the date of the violation(s), are presumed to be the person who parked it illegally. If you did not own the vehicle on that date, complete the declaration below.' The completed, notarized declaration (with transfer documentation attached) must be mailed to Parking Management, P.O. Box 4997, Houston, TX 77002-1526 — a different address from ParkHouston's general correspondence address.
if this doesn’t work
Your next move.
If the Adjudication Hearing Officer finds you liable, you may file a Notice of Appeal in person, no later than the 30th day after the Hearing Officer's order, with the Parking Management Cashier at Municipal Courts (1400 Lubbock St., Houston, TX 77002). You must pay the fine plus a $15 administrative fee per citation as a bond to appeal. The Municipal Court then decides the appeal on the existing hearing record only — no new evidence or oral argument, and you do not have to appear — and the bond and fees are refunded if you win.
questions people ask
FAQ.
Do I contest this at the regular citation hearing?
No. Houston handles a no-longer-your-vehicle dispute through a separate, dedicated Declaration of Non-Ownership process, not the standard citation hearing.
Does the declaration need to be notarized?
Yes. The City's Declaration of Non-Ownership form must be completed, notarized, and mailed with transfer documentation attached — a signed but unnotarized statement is not the same document.
Where do I send it?
Parking Management, P.O. Box 4997, Houston, TX 77002-1526 — a different address from ParkHouston's general correspondence address (2500 Fannin Street).
What if I don't know who bought the vehicle?
Provide what you have — the new owner's name, driver's license number, and address if known — along with your bill of sale or transfer agreement, a completed Texas Motor Vehicle Transfer Notification, and the citation number(s) being disputed.
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