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New Orleans Increases Parking Fines & Fees

On February 29th, New Orleans announced that parking ticket fines increased 30%+ through the city. This comes right after an increase in the parking meter rates throughout the city as well. It looks like New Orleans is making moves towards increasing their revenue streams. As a traffic ticket lawyer, I would like to provide you with as much information as possible in order to ensure you do not receive any parking tickets, boots or tows.

What Are the Parking Fines in New Orleans?

General on-street parking tickets in New Orleans have increased from $20 to $30 as of February 29th. This fine is for parking tickets that are paid within the 30 day deadline. If not paid within 30 days, the parking fine goes up to $60, and will increase to $90 once 60 days has passed.

New Orleans parking tickets for parking in a residential parking permit zone (think: French Quarter, Marigny, etc) without a proper permit have also increased from $40 to $75.

New Orleans Issues Parking Tickets

The New Orleans City Council, which approved the increase in parking tickets last month, says that by increasing the fines, it will bring in the revenue needed to pay for more traffic law enforcement in the city. This way, they can send patrols into the neighborhoods to ticket those cars that are in violation of street parking rules. What are some common parking violations you should watch out for when parking in New Orleans?

  • Obstructing a fire lane
  • Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant on either side
  • Parking within 20 feet of an intersection, crosswalk or stop sign
  • Parking in a bus or taxicab zone
  • Parking against the flow of traffic or on an angle
  • Parking in a freight or loading zone
  • Parking at broken meters (yes! Take note of this!)
  • Parking within 3 feet of a driveway on either side, only upon a driveway owner’s request (so, yes, you can park in front of your own driveway)
  • Parking on a sidewalk, even if its adjacent to your own property (it’s important to note that if there is no sidewalk, and only dirt, you still have to be on the street or they may ticket you)
  • Parking adjacent to the neutral ground

The full list can be found here (though note, it is not 100% complete.) The City says all these citations are $40 so just beware and investigate your ticket closely.

What Does it Cost to Park at New Orleans Meters?

On January 1, parking prices all across New Orleans increased at the meters regardless of which part of town you are in. In the French Quarter, Downtown (CBD) and Warehouse District (including the new South Market District), parking at a meter increased from $1.50 an hour to $3.00 an hour. Everywhere else in the city it increased from $1.50 an hour to $2.00 an hour, including Magazine Street.

Another thing to note is that parking meters used to end at 6:00 p.m., but now they end at 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Lucky for all of us, Sundays are still free around the city.

The consensus around the city is that this will hurt many residents and businesses, and especially those who work in the service industry. New Orleans’ public transportation system is not reliable enough for the many service industry workers so increasing the rate to park around the city is detrimental to their well-being.

The City of New Orleans uses the ParkMobile app, which allows customers to pay for parking online and even add time to the meter if you’re running over-time! More information about the City of New Orleans-ParkMobile collaborative can be found here.

What Should I Do if I Get a Parking Ticket?

If you received a New Orleans parking ticket, it’s hard to say that you have much of a chance of fighting it. Even an experienced traffic ticket lawyer will tell you that you need to have evidence in support of your innocence. One suggestion Crescent City Law has is to take photographs of your car parked where it is, in the event that you receive an improper ticket.

If you have received multiple parking tickets and found your car booted, then call Crescent City Law as there may be a way to minimize your fines by negotiating with the City. It may be possible for one of our attorneys to help negotiate a reduced payment to save you money. As an experienced parking ticket lawyer, Crescent City Law can help arrange for the consolidation and negotiate the total amount of the final bill. If your car is currently booted, call us today at (504) 264-9492. We will get the ball rolling so you can hopefully get your car back at a reduced price.

How to Pay for Parking Tickets in New Orleans

If you have no evidence to support your innocence of your parking ticket, and you have no reason to fight it, then you can pay your New Orleans parking ticket a few different ways. Click here to learn how to pay your ticket in New Orleans traffic court.

Call (504) 264-9492 For Your Free Initial Consultation

Crescent City Law is here to help you if you think you have a case against your traffic tickets or parking ticket. Again, it is not likely we can get a reduced or dismissed parking ticket but you can give us a call at (504) 264-9492 to see if there is a case or you can e-mail us. We are available nights, weekends and off-site and have translators available in Spanish, French, Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese.

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