Appealing a parking ticket


NDSU parking tickets

If your parking ticket was issued by NDSU police, please visit the university's appeal Web page.

City of Fargo parking tickets

Any person who feels that a City of Fargo parking ticket was issued in error may contest the parking ticket by filling out a city notice of appeal form. A paper copy of the form is available at the Fargo Police Department, 222 4th Street North.

All persons receiving a citation have a right to appeal within five days of receiving the ticket. To file an appeal, complete the form. The administrative review involves no court appearance. The appeal will be reviewed within five days by a Fargo Police Department sergeant. If the administrative review is denied, you are obligated to pay the fine noted on the ticket within five days of notice of denial. You will only be notified if this appeal is denied and, in that case, the $5 penalty still becomes effective 15 days after the date the ticket was issued.

General reasons that violations won't be dismissed

Below are some commonly listed reasons given for violating parking regulations. While these reasons may seem valid to the violator, they do not address City of Fargo Ordinances. These reasons generally will not result in the violations being dismissed, or the violator being successful on appeal.

  • Short errands
    No errand, no matter how short or how important to the driver (short of a bona fide medical emergency), is an acceptable excuse for illegal parking. A short errand is a very common excuse. It is not a valid reason for illegal parking.
  • Late for business or personal appointment
    Being late does not permit the driver the privilege of parking illegally.
  • No other place to park
    Other than being an invalid excuse, this, in fact, confirms the driver’s liability. It is driver’s responsibility to locate legal parking.
  • "I didn't see the sign." or "I didn't understand the sign."
    Drivers are required to look for signs when parking. This may mean checking an entire lot or block from corner to corner. Drivers are also required to abide by the message on the signs. Saying that you did not see a sign preventing parking is not an acceptable excuse.
  • Only part of my car was illegally parked.
    A violation is not based on a certain percentage of the vehicle being illegally parked. If part of the vehicle extends into a restricted area, the violation is the same as if the entire vehicle encroached.
  • "I left someone in the car."
    "I left my parking lights on (or blinking)."
     "I left a note on the car as to my whereabouts."
    "I left the motor running."
    Many drivers seem to think that evidence of a short stay erases their offense. It does not. The purpose of parking regulations is to restrict vehicles from certain places. The presence of a passenger, a note or blinking lights does not satisfy this purpose and does not constitute a valid reason to dismiss a violation.
  • "It was only a few minutes."
    This explanation is one of the most common claims. Even if true, parking in a prohibited area is still a violation.
  • "Nobody else got a ticket."
    Sometimes this excuse is raised as discriminatory enforcement. The officer may have had to leave the area before checking all the vehicles, however, a parking citation stands on its own.
  • "Someone else had my car; I wasn't even driving it."
    The registered owner has joint responsibility with the person driving his or her car. Unless it can be shown by the registered owner that the car was driven without permission, the registered owner, renter or lessee is responsible for a parking citation.
  • Violation not enforced in the past
    This normally is not the case, however, inadequate staffing or other priorities may give rise to violations not being enforced continually; however, apparent failure to enforce parking laws does not constitute a valid excuse for illegal parking.
  • "I've done it for years." or "Everybody else does it."
    This is never a valid excuse for illegally parking. Nobody should be rewarded for getting away with prior violations.

 Notice of appeal form