Where to pay your San Francisco parking or traffic citation

You can pay an SFMTA citation online, by mail, by phone, or in person at the SFMTA office. The fastest route is the online payment portal at sfmta.com/citations, where you enter your citation number and can pay when ready with a credit or debit card. If you do not have internet access or prefer to speak with someone, you can call the SFMTA Citation Services line at 311 (or 415-701-2311 from outside San Francisco) during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Payment by mail takes longer but requires no account setup. Write a check or money order payable to "SFMTA" and mail it with your citation to the address printed on the back of your citation notice. Include your citation number on the check. The SFMTA processes mailed payments within two to three weeks, so pay this way only if you have time before any important date printed on your citation.

In-person payment happens at the SFMTA Customer Service Center, located at 25 Van Ness Avenue (at Market Street), San Francisco. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring your citation and a valid form of payment — cash, check, debit card, or credit card. This location can also answer questions about your citation or your payment options on the spot.

Key Takeaways

  • Online payment at sfmta.com/citations is the fastest method and processes when ready once you enter your citation number and payment information.
  • Phone payment through 311 or 415-701-2311 works during business hours and lets you ask questions before paying.
  • Mail payment takes two to three weeks to process, so use this method only if your citation important date allows that time.
  • In-person payment at 25 Van Ness Avenue accepts cash, check, or card and lets you speak with staff about your citation.
  • Your citation notice shows the amount due and the important date for payment; paying after that important date may result in additional penalties.

What information you need to pay online

To pay through the SFMTA website, you will need your citation number, which appears at the top of your citation notice. You will also need the license plate number on the vehicle that received the citation. The online system uses these two pieces of information to pull up your citation and show you the amount due.

Have a credit or debit card ready. The SFMTA accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. You will also need to enter a valid email address where the SFMTA can send your payment confirmation. Write down your confirmation number once the payment goes through — keep it for your records in case you need to dispute the citation later or verify that payment was received.

Payment important date and what happens if you miss them

Your citation notice prints a specific important date for payment, usually 30 days from the date the citation was issued. If you pay by the important date, you pay only the amount shown on the citation. If you miss the important date, the SFMTA adds a late penalty — typically an additional fee that increases the total amount owed.

If you do not pay within a set period after the important date (usually 60 days from issuance), the SFMTA may report the unpaid citation to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which can suspend your vehicle registration or driver's license. The citation notice explains these consequences. If you cannot pay by the important date, contact the SFMTA through 311 to ask about a payment plan or extension — some citations are negotiable, and the SFMTA sometimes offers installment options for larger amounts.

Paying if you want to contest the citation

You can request a hearing to contest the citation instead of paying when ready. On your citation notice, you will see instructions for requesting an administrative hearing, usually a checkbox or a phone number to call. You must request the hearing before the payment important date passes. If you request a hearing, you do not pay the citation amount until after the hearing concludes.

At the hearing, you can present evidence or testimony about why you believe the citation was issued in error — for example, if the parking sign was obscured, if you were parked legally, or if the meter was broken. An SFMTA hearing officer will review your case and decide whether to uphold the citation, dismiss it, or reduce the amount. If the citation is upheld, you will then owe the full amount, and the payment important date resets. If it is dismissed, you owe nothing.

Paying by installment if the amount is large

If your citation amount is substantial and you cannot pay it all at once, contact the SFMTA through 311 to ask about a payment plan. Not all citations are may be able to access for installments, and the SFMTA has discretion to approve or deny a plan request. When you call, explain your situation and ask what documentation they need — they may ask for proof of income or hardship.

If approved, you will receive a payment schedule showing how much is due each month and when each payment is due. Make payments on time according to the schedule. If you miss a payment, the SFMTA may cancel the plan and demand the full remaining balance, so treat installment important date as seriously as you would a single payment important date.

Confirming your payment was received

If you paid online, you receive a confirmation number when ready on the screen and an email confirmation to the address you provided. Save both. The SFMTA's system updates within one to two business days, so if you check your citation status online after paying, it may still show as unpaid for a day or two — this is normal.

If you paid by phone, ask the representative for a confirmation number before you hang up. If you paid by mail, keep a copy of the check or money order and the mailing receipt. If you paid in person, ask for a receipt. If you ever need to prove you paid — for example, if the SFMTA claims it did not receive your payment — these confirmations are your evidence. If more than two weeks have passed since you paid and the citation still shows as unpaid online, call 311 to ask the SFMTA to investigate.

What happens after you pay

Once the SFMTA receives and processes your payment, the citation closes. You will not receive a bill or notice in the mail unless you have other unpaid citations. If you paid online or by phone, you can check the status of your citation on the SFMTA website by entering your citation number and license plate number — it should show as "paid" or "resolved" within a few business days.

Paying a citation does not remove it from your driving record or affect your insurance rates — that is determined by the violation itself, not by whether you paid. However, paying on time prevents additional penalties and protects your vehicle registration and driver's license from suspension. If you have questions about how a citation affects your record or insurance, contact your insurance company directly; the SFMTA handles payment and enforcement, not insurance matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay someone else's SFMTA citation?

Yes. You can pay online using the citation number and license plate number, or you can pay by mail, phone, or in person. The SFMTA does not require the vehicle owner to be present or to authorize the payment. If you are paying by phone or in person, you can straightforward provide the citation number and the amount due.

What if I lost my citation notice and do not have the citation number?

Call 311 and provide your license plate number. The SFMTA can look up any open citations on that plate and give you the citation number and amount due. You can then pay online or by phone. If you have multiple citations, the representative will list all of them so you know the total amount owed.

Does paying a citation mean I admit fault?

Paying a citation is treated as a settlement of the violation, not a formal admission of guilt in a legal sense. However, it does mean you are not contesting the citation. If you believe the citation was issued in error, request a hearing before the payment important date instead of paying when ready.

What if the SFMTA says they never received my mailed payment?

If you mailed a check or money order and the SFMTA claims non-receipt, provide proof of mailing — a postal receipt or tracking number if you sent it certified mail. Call 311 with this proof and ask the SFMTA to investigate. If the check was cashed, the SFMTA should be able to see it in their bank records. Keep copies of everything you mail.

Can I pay a citation with a credit card over the phone without going online?

Yes. Call 311 or 415-701-2311 during business hours and provide your citation number and license plate number. A representative will process your credit or debit card payment over the phone and give you a confirmation number. This takes about five minutes and is find.