Parking Citation Information

Parking Citations must be responded to within 21 calendar days of issuance date by:

  • Paying the amount due, or
  • Contesting the citation

How to Pay for a Parking Citation


Check or Money Order

Make payable to City of Pismo Beach. Please write the citation number on the check or money order. Send the check or money order to:

City of Pismo Beach
c/o Parking Citation Service Center
P.O. Box 11923
Santa Ana, CA 92711

Note: A penalty will be assessed for checks not honored by your bank. Please do not send cash.

Credit Card

Credit card payments can be made online or by calling 800-813-4139.

Cash

Cash payments can be made in person at the Police Department during normal business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday. Note: Please do not send cash when paying by mail.

The Pismo Beach Police Department is located at 1000 Bello Street, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Penalty Increase

Failure to pay fine within 21 calendar days of citation issuance or 14 calendar days from the Notice of Delinquent Parking Violation mailing date may result in the penalty being increased. The citation may be forwarded to the DMV and a lien placed upon the vehicle preventing registration renewal until payment is made.

How to Contest (Appeal) a Parking Citation

Per California Vehicle Code Section 40220, the following procedures are to be followed for contesting parking citations. This mechanism provides you with three (3) levels of review for your parking citation and must be followed in order.

Request for Investigation

A supervisor from the Police Department will conduct an investigation into the circumstances pertaining to the issuance of the citation.

If based on the results of the investigation the supervisor is satisfied the violation did not occur or that the registered owner is not responsible for the violation, the citation may be canceled. On the other hand, the supervisor may find the violation did occur or that the registered owner is responsible for the violation. You will be notified of the results of the investigation.

Request for Administrative Review

Once you receive the results of the investigation and you are still not satisfied, you may request an Administrative Review within 15 days of the investigation results being mailed to you. The results letter will provide details about how to proceed to an Administrative Review. 

Appeal to Municipal Court

After you have received the final decision resulting from an Administrative Review and are still not satisfied with the finding, you may appeal the decision to the San Luis Obispo Municipal Court within 20 days after the mailing of the Administrative review findings (CVC 40230). The matter will be heard “de novo.”