Boston parking tickets are one of the most-searched city topics, and the rules are specific. Under the City of Boston’s ordinance, the fine for parking in violation of a posted prohibition against stopping or standing is $90, and a $25 penalty is added if it is not paid 21 days after the notice, according to the city’s published schedule of fines. This guide explains fines, the 21-day deadline, how to appeal and how resident permits work, using official City of Boston pages checked on Oct. 11, 2026.
Boston Parking Ticket Fines: What the City Code Lists
The schedule of fines is part of the city’s code of ordinances. Examples from the version we reviewed:
- Parking in violation of a posted prohibition against stopping or standing: $90 per violation, with a $25 penalty if unpaid 21 days after the notice.
- Parking a vehicle with an unauthorized or revoked city Resident Parking Permit: $100 per violation, with a $33 penalty if unpaid 21 days after the notice.
- Parking a vehicle with a gross weight over 12,000 pounds between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. or at any time on Sunday on city-controlled streets: $100, with a $33 late penalty.
The code lists many other violations with their own amounts, including different double-parking fines by zone. Because fines are set by ordinance and can be amended, check the current schedule or your ticket itself for the exact amount.
The 21-Day Rule: Pay or Appeal
According to the Office of the Parking Clerk’s parking ticket FAQs, you have 21 days from the date you receive a ticket to pay or appeal it. After 21 days the ticket is overdue and a late fee is added. An overdue ticket can still be appealed, but the late fee is included in the total due. The city says this information appears on the original ticket.
Mailed payments go to the Office of the Parking Clerk, P.O. Box 55800, and the city says processing can take several weeks because of mail delays. It says it honors the postmark date: if you mailed a payment before the 21-day deadline, it will not charge the late penalty, and you can disregard a late notice. The city also warns that an extra payment made while a check is processing can cause an overpayment.
How to Appeal a Boston Parking Ticket
The city directs people to appeal online at boston.gov/tickets. It asks that appeals include any evidence that helps staff investigate, and says staff can also help you submit an appeal in person or by other channels listed on the FAQ page. The sources reviewed do not predict how long a decision takes, so we are not stating a timeline.
Overdue Tickets, the Boot List and Your Registration
The city’s FAQ says that five overdue parking tickets on a vehicle’s record put it on the city’s boot list, after which the vehicle may be towed at any time. It also says that if your registration at the Registry of Motor Vehicles is marked because of overdue tickets, you must pay your balance in full before an electronic RMV release can be processed, and that tickets from other Massachusetts localities must be resolved with those localities.
Resident Parking Permits: What to Know
Many Boston residential streets are signed “Resident Parking Only,” and the city’s permit page says you need a valid permit for the same neighborhood to park there during restricted hours. Permits are free. They no longer show a printed expiration date; instead the city audits neighborhoods on roughly a two-year cycle, terminates permits that are no longer eligible and otherwise renews them automatically. The page also says the city is not currently accepting petitions for new resident parking areas, though residents can submit an expansion interest form.
According to the city’s permit FAQs, common reasons for denial or cancellation include a non-Boston address on registration or insurance, address or name mismatches, an invalid registration, unpaid parking tickets, and a vehicle no longer garaged in the permitted neighborhood. The FAQ says there are no exemptions for visitors, and that renters can apply for a Rental Resident Parking Permit. Disability placard holders have separate rules, including parking at meters and accessible spaces, described in the ticket FAQs.
More Boston Parking and Street Coverage
Neighborhood rules vary. Our report on South Boston resident parking looks at one example. Drivers should also know that MBTA bus lane cameras are part of a separate enforcement system with their own fines, covered in that article. For more, see our Boston news hub.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Contact the Office of the Parking Clerk at City Hall if you have questions about a specific ticket or permit.