Over 295,000 unpaid tickets are potentially affected
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Seattle Municipal Court will resume late fees for Seattle infraction tickets that are past their due date beginning January 30, 2023.
Late fees for unpaid tickets have been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. There are over 295,000 tickets that will be impacted if the tickets remain unpaid. Members of the public are encouraged to pay their overdue tickets, take advantage of the court’s payment plan or community service plan options, or schedule a hearing to dispute or mitigate their tickets by January 30, 2023 to avoid late fees.
The court suspended the default penalty fee for past-due tickets and stopped referring tickets to collections in March 2020, due to the economic hardships caused by the pandemic. The late fee is an additional $25 for parking and camera tickets and an additional $52 for traffic tickets.
Members of the public can pay their tickets online, by phone using a Visa or MasterCard, by mail, or in person at the Seattle Municipal Court or at a neighborhood Seattle Customer Service Center.
If you lost your parking or camera ticket(s), you can look them up using the court’s online portal to check your license plate. Use the Vehicle Information tab in the left-hand menu to search your license plate. Click on your license plate, and any Seattle citations issued to that vehicle will be listed.
If you lost your traffic ticket(s), you can use the court’s online portal to search your name under the “Defendant Search” tab. Click on your name, and any Seattle traffic tickets issued to you will be listed.
If you can’t pay your ticket(s) in full, you can apply for a payment plan or community service plan by January 30, 2023. You may be able to set up a payment plan for as low as $10 per month, or perform community service work at an approved charitable organization instead of paying.
If you would like to dispute or mitigate your ticket, you can request a hearing by mail or by phone before January 30, 2023.
The court’s upcoming outreach event on September 19 at the Rainier Beach Community Center is a great opportunity for anyone with overdue Seattle tickets to come learn about their options. Court staff will be available to set up payment plans, set up community service plans, schedule hearings, and answer questions. Community members can also get help resolving outstanding SMC warrants and connect with local social services at this event.
If you are low-income and have Seattle tickets that are in collections, you can sign up for a Seattle Ticket Debt Reduction Hearing. Hearings are held every Thursday starting at 11 AM via telephone. Registration is required.
If you have questions, please check out our Ticket Response Options page or contact our customer service team at (206) 684-5600.