DC To Resume Parking Enforcement, Launches Amnesty Program

WASHINGTON, DC — Parking enforcement will resume in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 1, followed by the city returning to the booting of cars on July 1. The enforcement will cover expired meter violations and expired residential parking permits.

Many municipalities across the United States, including D.C., suspended some or all parking enforcement a year ago because of COVID-19 concerns. With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, parking enforcement is resuming in many cities.

For motorists with old parking and traffic ticket debt, the D.C. government also is launching a four-month ticket amnesty program. It will give motorists who are in arrears to the city an opportunity to pay their ticket debts without having to pay any overdue penalties.

The city has more than $400 million in unpaid parking tickets, overdue photo citation fines and fees, and outstanding payments for moving violation citations.

The District’s ticket amnesty program gives motorists an incentive to pay older tickets. The Ticket Amnesty program will run from June 1 to Sept. 30. The program includes tickets issued before Sept. 30, 2021.

During the four-month window, motorists must pay any original ticket amount; however, any penalties will be waived.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exacted a heavy human cost and levied an economic hardship on many people,” John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s manager of public and government affairs, said in a statement Thursday. “The ticket amnesty program can provide financial relief to tens of thousands of people.”

Starting Tuesday, the District also will begin issuing tickets for violations such as expired District license plates and expired inspection tickets. The city also will re-launch its street sweeping enforcement program. Illegally parked vehicles in the city will be towed once again.