The three ways to pay your San Francisco traffic citation

You can pay an SFMTA (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) citation online, by mail, or in person at their office. The online method is fastest — you'll need your citation number and the date of the violation, and payment processes the same day. By mail, send a check or money order to the SFMTA Parking Citations office with your citation number written on the back of the payment. In person, you can walk into the SFMTA office at 25 Van Ness Avenue during business hours and pay by cash, check, debit card, or credit card.

Each method has different timing. Online and in-person payments are recorded when ready. Mail payments take 7 to 10 business days to process, so if you're close to a important date, don't use the mail unless you have no other option. The amount you owe doesn't change based on how you pay — only the method and speed differ.

Key Takeaways

  • The SFMTA website lets you pay online using your citation number and violation date, and the payment posts the same day.
  • Mailing a check or money order to 25 Van Ness Avenue works but takes 7 to 10 business days to show as paid in the system.
  • Paying in person at the SFMTA office accepts cash, check, debit card, and credit card, and records when ready.
  • Your citation number appears on the ticket itself, on any notice you received in the mail, or in your online account if you've already looked it up.

Paying online through the SFMTA website

Go to sfmta.com and look for the "Pay a Citation" or "Parking Citations" section. You'll enter your citation number and the violation date, then review the amount owed. The site will ask for your payment method — credit card or debit card — and a billing address. Once you submit, you'll see a confirmation number on screen and receive an email receipt.

The payment posts to your account when ready, so you can check your balance right away. If you need proof of payment for your records, save or print the confirmation page. The SFMTA system updates within hours, so if you were worried about a late fee or collection action, paying online stops that clock as soon as the transaction goes through.

If you don't have your citation number, you can search for it on the SFMTA website using your license plate number and driver's license number. This takes a few minutes but lets you find all outstanding citations under your name or vehicle.

Mailing a payment to the SFMTA

Write a check or money order for the full amount shown on your citation. On the back of the check, write your citation number in large letters so the office can match it to your account. Mail it to: SFMTA Parking Citations, 25 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Include a copy of your citation if you have it, though it's not required — the citation number on the check is what matters. Mail typically arrives within 3 to 5 business days, but the SFMTA takes another 3 to 5 business days to process and post it to your account. That means you should expect 7 to 10 business days total before the payment shows as received in their system.

This delay matters if you're near a important date or worried about collection. If you mail a payment and then receive a notice that your citation went to collections, bring proof of mailing (a receipt from the post office or a photo of the envelope) to the SFMTA office. They can often stop collection action once they see the payment was sent in time, even if it hasn't posted yet.

Paying in person at the SFMTA office

The SFMTA Parking Citations office is located at 25 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. They accept walk-in payments during business hours, which are typically Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but check the SFMTA website or call 311 to confirm current hours before you go. Bring your citation or citation number, and bring your payment method: cash, check, debit card, or credit card.

Payment is recorded on the spot, so you leave knowing it's done. If you're paying by check, write your citation number on the back. The office can also answer questions about your citation, explain what the violation was, or discuss your options if you want to contest it — though that's a separate process from paying.

Parking can be tight near the office, and lines can be long during lunch hours or late afternoon. If you're paying by mail or online to save time, that's often faster than going in person, even though in-person payment posts when ready.

What happens after you pay

Once your payment is recorded, the citation is closed and you won't receive collection notices or have it reported to the DMV. Your driving record is not affected by parking citations — they are civil violations, not moving violations. However, if you had multiple unpaid citations, paying one doesn't clear the others. Check the SFMTA website to see if you have other outstanding citations under your name or license plate.

If you paid online or in person, you can check your account on the SFMTA website within hours to confirm the payment posted. If you paid by mail, wait at least 10 business days before checking. If it still shows unpaid after that, contact the SFMTA office or call 311 to ask them to look up your payment in their mail log.

If you want to contest the citation instead of paying

You have the right to contest a citation by requesting a hearing. This is different from paying — you're asking the SFMTA to review whether the citation was issued correctly. The important date to request a hearing is usually 30 days from the date on your citation, so don't wait. You can request a hearing online through the SFMTA website, by mail, or in person at the office.

If you request a hearing, do not pay the citation. Paying it closes your case and you lose the right to contest it. If you're unsure whether you want to pay or contest, contact the SFMTA office first to understand your options. They can explain what the violation was and what evidence you would need to challenge it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay an SFMTA citation with a credit card?

Yes, credit and debit cards are accepted online and in person at the SFMTA office. By mail, you must send a check or money order — credit card payments are not accepted through the mail.

What if I lost my citation and don't have the citation number?

Use the SFMTA website to search for your citation by license plate number and driver's license number. Once you find it, you'll see the citation number and amount owed, and you can pay online when ready.

Will paying a parking citation affect my insurance or driving record?

No. Parking citations are civil violations, not moving violations, so they do not appear on your driving record or affect your insurance rates. They only affect your driving record if you ignore them and they go to collections.

How long does it take to pay online?

The payment process itself takes about 5 to 10 minutes. The payment posts to your account when ready, so you can check that it's recorded the same day.

What if I can't pay the full amount right now?

Contact the SFMTA office at 311 or visit in person to ask about a payment plan. Some citations may be may be able to access for installment payments, though this depends on the amount and your situation. Do not ignore the citation — contact them before the important date to explore your options.