Fight a Minneapolis parking ticket when you already paid
You paid for your space at an electronic parking meter/pay station covering the cited date, time, and space number, but were ticketed anyway.
the statement
Copy, customize, submit.
To: Hennepin County Violations Bureau & Hearing Office Re: Citation No. [CITATION NUMBER] Plate: [PLATE] ([STATE]) Date/Time: [DATE], [TIME] Location cited: [LOCATION] I am submitting this written statement in connection with my Hearing Officer conference on this citation and respectfully request that it be dismissed for the reasons below. On [DATE], I paid for parking at [LOCATION] at the electronic pay station serving that space. My receipt shows payment at [PAYMENT TIME] for space number [SPACE NUMBER], covering the date, time, and space cited on this citation. I made proper payment for this parking space as required under Chapter 478, Article II (Parking Meters) of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances, and I ask that this citation be dismissed on that basis. I have also submitted a copy of this receipt and the citation to the Violations Bureau for review under its separate valid-payment review process. Attached: [my payment receipt showing the correct space number, date, and time, and a copy of the citation]. 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.
- 1Locate your citation number (a preprinted number, typically 12 digits, at the top-left corner, right side, and below the barcode of the ticket) and confirm the violation, date, time, and location printed on it. Check whether the ticket itself says "District Court" or "Violations Bureau" — if neither appears, it is likely a separate "administrative" citation handled by City of Minneapolis Administrative Hearings instead of the process below.
- 2Wait for the citation to be filed with the court (law enforcement typically files within about 7 business days) and look it up on the Minnesota Court Web Payment System (webpay.courts.state.mn.us) to confirm the amount due; a "No Records Found" result usually just means it hasn't been entered yet.
- 3Decide whether to pay or contest within 30 days of the date the citation is entered into the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS) — this clock runs from MNCIS entry, not from the date the ticket was issued.
- 4To contest, call the MN Court Payment Center (Metro (651) 281-3219, outside the metro 1 (800) 657-3611) to schedule a Hearing Officer appointment (a video conference on Zoom, available by appointment or as a same-day walk-in at the Hennepin Co. Government Center). There is no general online dispute-submission form; two situations have dedicated shortcuts instead of a hearing: (a) a defective/malfunctioning electronic pay station — report the meter and ticket numbers directly to the Traffic Violations Bureau at (612) 348-6000, and if confirmed defective the citation is canceled outright; and (b) a valid payment receipt for the same space/date/time — email, fax, or mail a copy of the receipt and citation to the Violations Bureau for review (about 2 business days).
- 5At the Hearing Officer meeting, bring your driver's license and any evidence supporting your case. This is an informal settlement conference, not a formal evidentiary trial ("It is not possible to have a trial with evidence at this meeting because a trial can only take place in court with a judge") — the Hearing Officer can offer a reduced fine, a payment plan, community work service, or a continuance for dismissal; roughly 85-90% of people who meet with a Hearing Officer settle without going to court.
- 6If you're not satisfied with the Hearing Officer's resolution, you may ask that the case be set for an in-court hearing before a District Court judge — unless you've already waived that right under Minn. Stat. § 169.91, subd. 3 by not responding/appearing within 30 days (most parking violations are petty misdemeanors, and a missed 30-day window is treated as a guilty plea).
- 7If you miss a scheduled Hearing Officer appointment, call the Court Payment Center before the appointment time to request a continuance; otherwise you must appear as a walk-in at the downtown Minneapolis location, and the citation remains "open" (continuing to accrue late-fee and license-suspension risk) until a hearing is held.
bring receipts
Attach this evidence.
- ✓Your payment receipt (text, email, or printed) showing the correct space number, date, and time
- ✓A copy or photo of the citation itself
- ✓Note: if you accidentally paid for the wrong space number, this is not treated as a valid-payment dispute — you'll need to pay the fine or request a Hearing Officer instead
what Minneapolis rules say
The rule this rests on.
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances Ch. 478, Art. II — Parking Meters (Title 18, Traffic Code)
Submit a copy of your receipt and the citation to the Hennepin Violations Bureau by email (4thcitations@courts.state.mn.us), fax ((612) 348-6268), or mail (Violations Bureau, 300 S. 6th St., Hennepin Co. Govt. Ctr., Minneapolis, MN 55487-0014); allow about two business days for review. If the receipt matches the citation's space number, date, and time, the charge may be dismissed without a Hearing Officer meeting. This is a distinct, faster track from the broken-meter report and does not require calling the Traffic Violations Bureau first.
if this doesn’t work
Your next move.
If you're not satisfied with the outcome of your Hearing Officer conference, you may ask that the case be set for an in-court hearing before a Hennepin County District Court judge — unless you've already waived that right under Minn. Stat. § 169.91, subd. 3 by not responding or appearing within 30 days of the citation's entry into the Minnesota Court Information System (MNCIS). Most parking violations are petty misdemeanors, so a missed 30-day window is treated as a guilty plea and a waiver of the right to a court hearing.
questions people ask
FAQ.
Do I need to attend a Hearing Officer conference if I already paid?
Not necessarily. Submit your receipt and the citation to the Violations Bureau by email, fax, or mail first — if the receipt matches the citation's space number, date, and time, the charge may be dismissed within about two business days without a hearing.
What if I paid for the wrong space number by mistake?
That's not treated as a valid-payment dispute under this track. You'll need to either pay the fine or request a Hearing Officer appointment to explain the circumstances.
How fast is the receipt-review process?
The Violations Bureau's guidance says to allow about two business days for review once you've submitted your receipt and the citation by email, fax, or mail.
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