How to fight a parking ticket in San Francisco

You have about 21 days from the date on the ticket.

SFMTA's Citation Protest Form and its Contest a Citation page both state: "Submit protest within 21 calendar days of the issuance of the citation, or 21 calendar days of the date of the first mailed citation notice" and that "Protests will not be considered after that period of time has expired." This matches the statewide deadline set by California Vehicle Code §40215(a): a person may request an initial review "within 21 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation or 14 calendar days from the mailing of a notice of delinquent parking violation." A separate, later deadline applies to the next stage: if the initial protest is denied, CVC §40215 gives you 25 calendar days from the date of the denial letter to request a second-level administrative hearing, and SFMTA states there are no exceptions to that 25-day window. Sources: https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/drive-park/citations/contest-citation ; https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2019/01/citation_protest_01.09.2019.pdf ; https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=40215.&lawCode=VEH

Citations must be paid or protested within 21 calendar days of issuance (or of the first mailed notice); missing that window doesn't forfeit your right to contest outright but starts delinquent penalties. Per SFMTA's current Fees and Fines Schedule (effective July 1, 2026, S.F. Transportation Code Division II §301(a)): a $45 delinquent penalty is added after the first payment due date, a further $63 after the second payment due date, plus a $45 special collection fee after the second due date. Delinquent citations are transmitted to the California DMV, which must refuse to renew the vehicle's registration until all outstanding parking penalties and administrative fees are paid, per CVC §4760 (limited exceptions apply, e.g. citations issued before the current owner took possession). SFMTA states vehicles with five or more parking citations are subject to booting and/or towing; separately, CVC §22651(i) authorizes impounding a vehicle known to have five or more notices of parking violation left unanswered more than 21 calendar days (or 14 days for a delinquent-violation mailing) until the owner provides identification, an in-state address, and proof all parking penalties on that vehicle (and others registered to the same owner) are cleared. SFMTA's current schedule lists an Administrative Tow Fee of $385 (July 2026) among its tow-related fees. If you request an administrative hearing under CVC §40215, you must first deposit the fine amount (waivable for indigency and other listed categories); if you lose and don't appeal further within 30 days, CVC §40230 treats the decision as final and collection proceeds.