Pay your SFMTA parking ticket online, by mail, or in person at the SFMTA office
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) handles parking citations in the city. You can pay a ticket through their website using a credit or debit card, mail a check to their office, or walk in to pay in person. The fastest method is online at sfmta.com/citations, where you'll need your citation number (the ticket itself) and can complete payment in minutes.
Your citation number appears at the top of the parking ticket. If you've lost the physical ticket, you can still look up the citation using your license plate number on the SFMTA website, though having the citation number speeds things up. Payment is due within 30 days of the ticket date to avoid additional penalties.
Key Takeaways
- Pay online at sfmta.com/citations using your citation number and a credit or debit card — this is the fastest option and takes about five minutes.
- You can also mail a check to SFMTA, 25 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, but allow two weeks for processing.
- Walk-in payment is available at the SFMTA office at 25 Van Ness Avenue during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
- Payment is due within 30 days of the ticket date; paying late adds a penalty to your total amount owed.
Paying online through the SFMTA website
Go to sfmta.com/citations and select "Pay a Citation" from the main menu. Enter your citation number (found at the top of your ticket) and your license plate number. The system will pull up your ticket details, including the violation, the amount owed, and the due date.
Review the information to make sure it matches your ticket. Then select your payment method — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover — and enter your card details. A processing fee of about 2.5% is added to the total. After you submit payment, you'll receive a confirmation number on screen and via email.
Mailing a check or money order
Write a check or money order for the exact amount shown on your ticket. Do not send cash. On the back of the check, write your citation number and license plate number so the SFMTA can match the payment to your ticket.
Mail it to:
SFMTA 25 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102
Include the ticket itself or a copy of it in the envelope. Mail takes about one week to arrive, and the SFMTA needs another week to process it, so plan for two weeks total before your payment is recorded. If your due date is approaching, paying online or in person is faster.
Paying in person at the SFMTA office
The SFMTA office is located at 25 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102. It's open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring your ticket and a form of payment: cash, check, or debit/credit card.
Walk to the payment window and hand over your ticket. Staff will process the payment on the spot and give you a receipt. This method takes about 10 to 15 minutes depending on how busy the office is. The office is closed on weekends and city holidays.
What happens if you miss the payment important date
If you don't pay within 30 days of the ticket date, a late penalty is added to your balance. The SFMTA will send you a notice in the mail with the new amount owed. Continuing to ignore the ticket can result in a hold on your vehicle registration renewal, a collections referral, or a judgment against you.
If you've missed the important date but want to pay now, you can still use any of the three payment methods above. Contact the SFMTA at 311 (or 415-701-2311 from outside San Francisco) if you need to know your current balance with penalties included.
Contesting a ticket instead of paying
If you believe the ticket was issued in error — for example, the sign was missing, you were in a legal spot, or the meter was broken — you can request a hearing instead of paying. You have 30 days from the ticket date to file a contest.
Go to sfmta.com/citations and select "Contest a Citation." You'll need your citation number and a written explanation of why the ticket should not have been issued. Include any photos or evidence (a photo of a missing sign, for instance). The SFMTA will review your submission and either dismiss the ticket, uphold it, or offer a reduced amount. This process takes several weeks.
Payment methods and fees
| Payment Method | Where to Pay | Processing Fee | Time to Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit or debit card | sfmta.com/citations | About 2.5% | 5 minutes |
| Check or money order | Mail to 25 Van Ness Avenue | None | 2 weeks (mail + processing) |
| Cash, check, or card | SFMTA office, 25 Van Ness Avenue | None | 10–15 minutes |
Online payment is the most convenient but carries a small fee. Mailing a check avoids the fee but takes longer. In-person payment is fast and fee-free if you can reach the office during business hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I lost my parking ticket?
You can still pay online using your license plate number instead of the citation number. Go to sfmta.com/citations and select the option to look up a citation by plate. The system will show any unpaid tickets on that vehicle. You can pay from there without the physical ticket.
Can I pay a parking ticket for someone else's car?
Yes. You'll need the citation number or the license plate number of the vehicle. Pay online, by mail, or in person using that information. The payment will be applied to that ticket regardless of who makes the payment.
Is there a payment plan if I can't pay the full amount at once?
The SFMTA does not offer payment plans for parking tickets. The full amount is due within 30 days. If you're unable to pay, contact the SFMTA at 311 or 415-701-2311 to discuss your situation; in some cases they may be able to offer guidance, but the standard requirement is full payment by the important date.
How long does it take for an online payment to show up?
Online payments are processed when ready, and you'll receive a confirmation number right away. Your ticket will show as paid in the SFMTA system within 24 hours. If you need proof of payment before that, keep your confirmation email.
What if the ticket amount seems wrong?
Review the violation code on your ticket and check the SFMTA website for the current fine amount for that violation. If the amount doesn't match, contact the SFMTA at 311 before paying. You can also contest the ticket if you believe it was issued in error, which gives you a chance to dispute the amount as part of the hearing process.