Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pay for a citation?

To pay for a parking citation, you may search by Citation number or Notice number. Your citation number is located on the original ticket or on the Notice of Parking Citation. To search by Citation number, you will need both Citation number and time of violation. If you have a handwritten citation with 7 digits, please proceed the citation number with 00. To search by Notice Number, you will need the Notice number (located on Notice of Parking Citation) and the 5-digit Zip Code.

LATE PAYMENT INFORMATION:

A payment received in our office after the due date will cause a late penalty to be added. Postmarks WILL NOT be honored. Failure to clear a citation by payment may result in a hold on your vehicle registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles and will incur a penalty in addition to the above amount. Furthermore, the vehicle may be towed or the registered owner may be subject to a civil judgment as well as intercept of your State Income Tax.

Where may I park?

You may park at any unpainted curb side that is not posted with a no stopping or no parking sign. Vehicles over three tons may park on streets only authorized by local ordinance. Meter parking is available in Downtown, Belmont Shore, the beach lots and at the Long Beach Airport. All meters accept quarters. You can also visit LongBeachParking.org.

Where may I not park?

Street Sweeping Zones: Parking in street sweeping zones is enforced throughout the City Tuesday through Friday with some City holidays excepted. Areas are posted for various hours with time zones ranging from 4:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The City sweeps either side of a street in a given area on two different days. Posted signs indicate both the time and day each side of the street is swept. Check posted signs for specific days and times.

Alleys: For the safety of the public, parking in alleys is not permitted in the City. They must be available for emergency vehicles, i.e., fire trucks, ambulances, etc.

Fire Lanes: Only City emergency vehicles may park in fire lanes.

• Red - No stopping, standing or parking at any time.
• Blue - Handicapped parking only (must display disabled license plate or a valid placard).
• Yellow - May park long enough to load or unload freight or passengers.
• White - Two-minute passenger loading and unloading only.
• Green - May park for a limited time only. Time is usually painted on curb.

What happens if my vehicle was towed?

If your vehicle has been towed and is being held for delinquent parking citations, do not make a payment using this online system. You will need to speak to a customer service representative at (562) 570-6822 between the hours of 7:30 AM. to 4:15 PM, Monday through Friday, except holidays. You should have your vehicle license number ready. Please be aware that you must pay all parking citations on the towed vehicle as well as all unpaid parking citations issued in the registered owner’s name for any other vehicle. Citations must be paid by cash or credit card.

What happens if I violate a parking law?

If you park illegally and receive a citation, read carefully and follow all instructions on the citation. Failure to submit payment within the required time may result in a penalty being added to the original fine, a hold being placed against your vehicle registration, the vehicle may be towed or other increased collection efforts may be applied.

Once a citation has been placed against the registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the payment can be made when renewing registration or at Long Beach City Hall. For prompt posting of the payment, it is advisable to pay directly to the City of Long Beach.

California Vehicle Code Section 22651 (i) gives authorization for the towing or booting of a vehicle when citations are issued and remain unpaid. Should your vehicle be towed for outstanding citations, you may contact the Parking Citation Section for information pertaining to the towing and amount due or go to the Towing Operations Website at www.longbeach.gov/pw/towing. The vehicle must have current registration and all towing and storage fees must be paid prior to the release of the vehicle.