Fight a Portland parking ticket for a sold, transferred, or stolen vehicle
The vehicle was sold, gifted, repossessed, or otherwise transferred before the citation date, was stolen at the time of the citation (police report filed prior to or within 24 hours of the citation), or was otherwise used without your permission, express or implied.
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. I was not responsible for the vehicle bearing plate [PLATE] on [DATE], the date this citation was issued. [SELECT AND COMPLETE THE APPLICABLE SCENARIO: (a) Sold/transferred/repossessed — I sold, transferred, or the vehicle was repossessed on [SALE/TRANSFER/REPOSSESSION DATE], before this citation was issued, as shown by the attached bill of sale, Certificate of Title, or repossession letter. / (b) Stolen — this vehicle was stolen at the time of the citation, as shown by the attached police report, reported prior to or within 24 hours of the citation date. / (c) Unauthorized use — the vehicle was used at the time and place cited without my permission, express or implied, as described in the attached explanation.] Under ORS 811.555(4), it is an affirmative defense to owner liability for an illegal stopping, standing, or parking violation that the vehicle was used without the owner's consent, express or implied. I ask that this violation be dismissed on that basis. Attached: [bill of sale referencing the vehicle by plate or VIN with the sale date and both parties' signatures, OR Certificate of Title (both sides) showing the sale date and buyer's signature, OR a repossession letter from the lender; OR a copy of the police report of the theft with a reported date prior to or within 24 hours of the citation date, referencing the vehicle's plate or VIN; OR an insurance cancellation letter stating the cancellation was due to sale/transfer, if applicable; 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, 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.
- ✓Sold/transferred: a bill of sale referencing the vehicle by plate or VIN, including the sale date and both parties' signatures, OR the vehicle's Certificate of Title (both sides) showing the sale date and buyer's signature, OR a repossession letter from the lender referencing the vehicle and surrender date
- ✓Stolen: a copy of the police report of the theft, with a 'reported date' prior to or within 24 hours of the citation issue date, referencing the vehicle's plate or VIN
- ✓Insurance cancellation letter on letterhead stating the cancellation was due to sale/transfer, if applicable
- ✓A copy of the citation
what Portland rules say
The rule this rests on.
ORS 811.555 — Illegal stopping, standing or parking; owner liability and affirmative defense (unauthorized use)
Multnomah County Circuit Court maintains two dedicated official pages for this: one for vehicles sold, repossessed, or transferred before the citation date, and a separate one for stolen vehicles, each requiring documentation received within 60 days of the citation date.
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.
I sold the car before the citation date — do I still need to respond?
Yes. Submit your written not-guilty plea (or use the court's dedicated Sold/Repossessed/Transferred Vehicle page) with your bill of sale or Certificate of Title showing a sale date before the citation was issued, within 60 days of the citation date.
What if my car was stolen when it was ticketed?
Use the Multnomah County Circuit Court's dedicated Stolen Vehicles page and attach your police report. The report's 'reported date' needs to be prior to or within 24 hours of the citation's issue date.
What's the legal basis for this defense?
ORS 811.555(4) provides an affirmative defense to owner liability for illegal stopping, standing, or parking where the vehicle was used without the owner's consent, express or implied — which covers theft and certain unauthorized-use situations.
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