Dispute Parking Tickets

To help mitigate the effect of COVID-19, the City of Cambridge has closed all municipal buildings and asked non-essential staff not to report to the office beginning Tuesday, March 17th until further notice. During this time, parking meter payments will not be required. Additionally, we will continue to honor 2019 Resident and Visitor Parking Permits. All previously scheduled parking ticket hearings have been cancelled. Once City buildings are re-opened, we will begin processing 2020 Parking Permit applications, scheduling parking ticket hearings, and processing ticket disputes.

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A parking ticket must be paid within 21 days to avoid late penalties. If you feel that a ticket was issued in error you may file a dispute.

The Dispute Process

Ticket disputes must be submitted online or in writing. 

To submit a dispute online click here. 

You will need the following information:

  • Ticket number 
  • Vehicle registration number (license plate)
  • Name and address
  • The reason for the dispute 
  • A daytime phone number
  • An email address

This form will allow you to upload supporting documentation (2 files). Enter the ticket number as it appears on the ticket, do not include spaces or hyphens.

The dispute will be reviewed and the Hearing Officer’s decision will be mailed within 4 to 6 weeks. If you do not agree with the findings you may request a hearing.

You may also mail or deliver your Parking Ticket Dispute to:

Attn: Hearing Officer
Traffic Parking & Transportation Department
City of Cambridge
344 Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02139

The dispute will be reviewed and the Hearing Officer’s decision will be mailed within 4 to 6 weeks.

Appearing and Testifying at Hearings

You may request to have an in person hearing at the Department's office. All hearings must be scheduled in advanced. At the hearing you will have the opportunity to explain the reason you feel the ticket was issued in error or if there are extenuating circumstances and to provide any documentation or evidence that supports your claim. The Parking Control Officer who wrote the ticket will not be present. The legal appeal from the decision of the Hearing Officer is to the Middlesex County Superior Court, 200 Trade Center, Woburn MA. There is a $275.00 filing fee. The parking ticket adjudication process was decriminalized by the Massachusetts State Legislature.