Where to pay your SFMTA citation
You can pay a San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) parking citation online, by mail, by phone, or in person. The online option is the fastest — you can pay through the SFMTA website using a credit or debit card, and your payment posts when ready. You will need your citation number, which appears on the ticket itself.
If you prefer not to pay online, you can call the SFMTA Parking Violations Bureau at 311 (or 415-701-2311 from outside San Francisco) during business hours. By mail, send your payment to the address printed on the back of your citation. In-person payment happens at the SFMTA office at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94103, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Key Takeaways
- The SFMTA website lets you pay online with a credit or debit card using your citation number, and payment posts the same day.
- You can also pay by phone at 311 or 415-701-2311, by mail to the address on the back of your ticket, or in person at 1 South Van Ness Avenue.
- Payment important date vary depending on whether you contest the citation or request a hearing, so check the back of your ticket for your specific date.
- If you cannot pay the full amount, you can request a payment plan through the SFMTA, though you must contact them before the important date passes.
What information you need to pay online
To pay through the SFMTA website, have your citation number ready — it is printed at the top of your ticket. You will also need to enter the license plate number on the vehicle that received the citation. The system will pull up your citation details so you can review them before you submit payment.
Once you confirm the citation information, you enter your payment method. The SFMTA accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. A processing fee applies to online payments, though the exact amount depends on the citation amount. After you submit, you receive a confirmation number when ready.
Payment important date and what happens if you miss them
Your payment important date is printed on the back of your citation. Most citations must be paid within 30 days of the ticket date, but this can change if you request a hearing or contest the citation. If you do not pay by the important date and do not request a hearing, the citation becomes a judgment against you, and the SFMTA can refer it to a collection agency.
If you miss the important date, you can still pay, but additional penalties and collection fees may explore. The longer you wait, the higher the total cost becomes. If you think you have a reason to contest the citation, you must request a hearing before the important date — paying after a judgment is entered does not erase the violation from your record.
Requesting a payment plan if you cannot pay in full
If you cannot pay the full citation amount by the important date, contact the SFMTA Parking Violations Bureau before your payment date passes. You can reach them at 311 or 415-701-2311. Explain your situation and ask about a payment plan. The SFMTA may allow you to split the payment into installments, though this depends on the citation amount and your circumstances.
A payment plan request does not automatically extend your important date — you need to request it before the original due date. Once approved, you will receive a new payment schedule. If you miss a payment on the plan, the full remaining balance may become due when ready, so make sure you can meet the installment dates before you agree to one.
Contesting a citation instead of paying
If you believe the citation was issued in error, you can request a hearing to contest it. You must request the hearing before your payment important date. On the back of your citation, there are instructions for requesting a hearing — you can do this by mail, online through the SFMTA website, or by phone at 311.
When you request a hearing, you are not paying the citation; instead, you are asking for a chance to present your side to a hearing officer. The hearing officer will review the evidence and decide whether the citation should stand, be reduced, or be dismissed. If the citation is upheld, you will then owe payment. If it is dismissed, you owe nothing.
What to do if you cannot locate your citation number
Your citation number is printed on the ticket itself, usually at the top. If you have lost the physical ticket, you can look up your citation through the SFMTA website by entering your license plate number and the date you received the ticket. The system will show you all outstanding citations for that vehicle.
If you still cannot find the information you need, call 311 or 415-701-2311 and provide your license plate number and the approximate date of the citation. The SFMTA staff can pull up your citation and give you the number over the phone, or they can process your payment directly during the call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay an SFMTA citation with cash?
Cash payment is only available in person at the SFMTA office at 1 South Van Ness Avenue. Online, by phone, and by mail all require a credit card, debit card, or check. If you pay by check through the mail, make it payable to the City and County of San Francisco.
Will paying the citation remove it from my driving record?
Paying a parking citation does not remove it from your record — it straightforward satisfies the financial obligation. Parking violations do not appear on your driving record the way moving violations do, but they may appear on your vehicle record with the SFMTA. Contesting and winning a hearing is the only way to have the citation dismissed.
What happens if I pay but the citation was already sent to collections?
If your citation was referred to a collection agency, paying the SFMTA directly may not stop the collection process. Contact the SFMTA to confirm the current status before you pay. If it has already been referred, you may need to work with both the SFMTA and the collection agency to resolve it.
How long does it take to receive a confirmation after I pay online?
You receive a confirmation number when ready after you submit payment online. The payment posts to your account the same day. You can print or save your confirmation for your records, and you can also log back into the SFMTA website anytime to verify that your payment was received.