Fight a Portland disabled parking ticket when your placard is valid
You were cited for parking in a disabled/wheelchair-user parking zone or space without a displayed placard, but you (or the person you were transporting) held a valid State of Oregon-issued Disabled Person Parking Permit at the time of the citation.
the statement
Copy, customize, submit.
To: Multnomah County Circuit Court, Parking Citation Office Re: Citation No. [CITATION NUMBER] Plate: [PLATE] ([STATE]) Date/Time: [DATE], [TIME] Location cited: [LOCATION] I plead not guilty to this citation and request that it be dismissed. On [DATE], I was cited at [LOCATION] for parking in a disabled-designated parking space without a displayed placard. [I / the person I was transporting] held a valid State of Oregon-issued Disabled Person Parking Permit, number [PERMIT NUMBER], in effect at the time this citation was issued. [DESCRIBE WHY IT WASN'T VISIBLE, IF APPLICABLE]. The space cited was the disabled-designated space itself, not an adjacent access aisle. Under Portland City Code § 16.20.640, a valid Disabled Person Placard authorizes parking in the disabled-designated space in metered districts, and I held that valid placard at the time cited. I ask that this violation be dismissed on that basis. Attached: [a copy of the disabled placard that was valid at the time the citation was issued, a copy of the citation, a paid parking receipt if applicable, and a signed letter of explanation]. 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, date, and the violation code printed on the yellow citation envelope/ticket.
- 2Optionally view the enforcement photos of your vehicle online at PBOT's Citation Photos lookup (citation number and citation date required) before deciding how to respond.
- 3Within 30 days of the citation date, choose one of three responses to avoid the citation going delinquent: (1) pay in full by phone, mail, or the Oregon Judicial Department's Courts E-Pay portal; (2) send a written explanation contesting the citation (a waiver of your right to a court hearing — the judge decides on the papers and either refunds or forfeits your payment); or (3) request a court hearing to plead not guilty.
- 4To plead not guilty and request a hearing, submit the Multnomah County Circuit Court's online Parking Hearing Request Form (linked from the court's 'How Do I Plead Not Guilty and Request a Hearing?' page), or mail/deliver a signed written trial request in the citation envelope. The court's own hearing-request, fine-reduction, registration, ownership-transfer, stolen-vehicle, permit, and disabled-parking-space pages each separately state a 60-day-from-citation-date submission window for their respective forms and documentation — but PBOT's own citation guidance treats 30 days as the operative deadline before delinquency consequences (added fees, a possible immobilization/impoundment warrant) attach, so respond within 30 days whenever possible.
- 5If pursuing a specific documented ground (paid at the time, valid permit/registration not displayed, vehicle sold/transferred/repossessed, vehicle stolen, or a valid disabled parking placard), use the matching Multnomah County Circuit Court form/page and attach the required proof; the court can grant a fine reduction or, on a not-guilty plea, set a trial.
- 6If your hearing is scheduled, appear by the court's video/WebEx hearing process or submit a Trial by Declaration (a sworn written statement) at least 3 business days before the hearing date.
- 7If you miss all deadlines, the court may enter a default judgment for the full fine under ORS 153.820; you generally have up to one year from case closure to file a Motion for Relief from Default Judgment showing good cause, though relief is discretionary.
bring receipts
Attach this evidence.
- ✓A copy of the disabled placard that was valid at the time the citation was issued
- ✓A copy of the citation
- ✓Paid parking receipt, if applicable (some disabled-zone rules still require meter payment up to the posted time limit)
- ✓A signed letter of explanation
what Portland rules say
The rule this rests on.
Portland City Code 16.20.640 — Disabled Person Placard – Metered Districts
Multnomah County Circuit Court maintains a dedicated page for disabled parking space citations, requiring documentation within 60 days of the citation date; it separately notes that a disabled permit does not authorize parking in a handicap access aisle, so make sure the citation is specifically for the disabled-designated space itself, not an adjacent access aisle.
if this doesn’t work
Your next move.
If the court rules against you, or you miss the response window entirely, the court may enter a default judgment for the full fine under ORS 153.820, issue a warrant for immobilization and/or impoundment of the vehicle, and assign the balance to collections with added fees. You generally have up to one year from case closure to file a Motion for Relief from Default Judgment with the Multnomah County Circuit Court showing good cause, though relief after that period is granted only at the court's discretion.
questions people ask
FAQ.
Does a valid placard cover the access aisle next to a disabled space too?
No. The Multnomah County Circuit Court's own guidance specifically notes that a disabled permit does not authorize parking in a handicap access aisle — confirm your citation was for the disabled-designated space itself, not the adjacent striped access aisle, before relying on this defense.
Do I still need to pay the meter if I'm in a disabled space?
Possibly — some disabled-zone rules still require meter payment up to the posted time limit even with a valid placard. If applicable, attach your paid parking receipt alongside your placard.
Where do I submit documentation for this ground?
The Multnomah County Circuit Court maintains a dedicated Disabled Parking Spaces page for this ground, and requires the documentation to be received within 60 days of the citation date.
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