A parking ticket is what any driver tries to steer clear of whenever they use street parking services. However, it still happens, and we offer all the Alexandria public parking information you need to avoid parking tickets or to dispute if you get one. Additionally, you’ll discover the city parking restrictions, locations of the best places to park, and helpful tips.
Street Parking in the City of Alexandria, VA
Apart from downtown parking garages and lots, the City of Alexandria offers plenty of street parking spots for vehicle owners. A great thing about the city parking service is that metered parking is free on Sundays and state holidays. Also, you can find free parking spaces a few blocks off King Street that can be used for two or three hours. If you plan on visiting Old Town or Carlyle, note that any metered parking spot is free after 9 PM. Throughout the day, there’s a time limit of two to three hours (depending on the location). Some meter stations accept coins and credit cards while others only accept the ParkMobile app payment. Generally, the parking rate at multi-space meters is $1.75/hour, while the price at single-space meters is $1.25/hour.
Accessible parking in Alexandria is free for up to four hours for persons with disabilities! Any person with a disabled parking hangtag or driver’s license plate can park more than twice the time posted on signs in all time-restricted zones.
Avoiding Parking Tickets
We know that street parking signs aren’t always visible or may provide incorrect information. For this reason, vehicle owners should always pay close attention to the posted signs to avoid the ticket. This way, even if you get one due to the sign’s incorrect information, you’ll be able to easily dispute it. Use the chat widget below and dispute the ticket free of charge with a real lawyer! You can also pay a small monthly fee to gain access to any legal help from attorneys, which is quite convenient.
Another way to avoid the tickets and parking altogether is by using public transit. Fortunately, the City of Alexandria offers several transportation services that can quickly and affordably take you to numerous places in the area.
Public Transportation
The city allows you to choose between various transportation options, including public buses, rail, and trolleys. If going to the Old Town — a historic district along the Potomac River — you can use DASH or Metro buses, as well as Metrorail lines to the King Street Station. There’s a free trolley that runs every 15 minutes between the King Street Station and the Potomac River waterfront. Using these transportation services will reduce your expenses and save you from the stressful search for a convenient parking space.
Invalid Alexandria Parking Ticket?
Some of the common parking violations in the City of Alexandria include parking in a handicap parking area, illegally parking within residential permit parking districts, expired meter, and failure to display a current state license plate. However, invalid parking tickets are more frequent than you might expect. Therefore, if you receive a ticket, don’t pay it right away; first, you have to make sure it’s valid. And we’re going to help you do this by providing a list of things that you need to check before paying your parking citation.
Potential Reasons Your Ticket Could be Invalid:
- Malfunctioning parking meter;
- Signage issues (a sign that’s not visible or incorrect information on it);
- Illegible writing on the ticket;
- Wrong date or time of issuance;
- Incorrect or missing motor vehicle information (this can refer to a wrong license plate number, the color of the motor vehicle, model year, etc.)
- You got a ticket for not having a parking permit, but the permit was actually displayed;
- You weren’t the owner of the motor vehicle at the time;
- Your motor vehicle was stolen.
The final two things on the list need to be proven.
How to Dispute an Alexandria Parking Ticket
Disputing is a quite simple process if you know what you’re doing. And that’s why we’re here — to help you file a dispute and properly fight a traffic ticket in the City of Alexandria. There are several steps that all vehicle owners should follow if they think that the ticket was issued due to an administrative error. Keep reading to discover what to do and how to contest the parking citation.
- Gather Evidence
We suggest that you don’t leave the scene right away when you notice that you got a ticket. This way, you might gather some evidence. For example, you could take a picture of the posted sign if it’s not clearly visible, and this would certainly be a perfect proof of your innocence. Or, if you got the ticket for parking in a handicapped parking space, provide a photograph to prove that the vehicle displayed a valid placard.
- Don’t pay your ticket
This is a very important step if you’re completely sure you want to file a dispute. When vehicle owners pay their parking tickets and then decide to dispute, they have no chance. This is because, by paying the parking citation, you assume liability, and so it would be too late to dispute afterward.
- Dispute
When it comes to filing the dispute, the City of Alexandria gives you a couple of options — you can send a formal letter (along with documents like driver’s license) or go to the Parking Adjudication Office. Note that you must do this within 10 days of the ticket’s issue date. If you choose to send it via mail, the address is 301 King Street, Box 43, Alexandria, VA 22314. Also, please make sure to clearly explain your defense and use proper grammar.
- Attend your hearing
Even though parking tickets are usually resolved without hearings, they can still request one. If that happens, simply attend the hearing and provide your story. On the other hand, if you’re the one who disagrees with the final decision and wants to schedule the hearing, you may appeal to the Alexandria General District Court. Download the form online or call General District Court at 703-746-3941 for additional information.
Paying Your Ticket
Vehicle owners that can’t dispute need to pay the City of Alexandria parking ticket within 30 days after the parking citation is issued. If you don’t pay in time, a fee of $25 will be assessed, as well as potential additional collection fees. Drivers who have three unpaid parking tickets may have their motor vehicles immobilized.
You can pay for your ticket online using a credit card or use some of the other forms of payment. Head to City Hall at 301 King Street; they accept cash, checks, Visa/MasterCard/Discover cards, and debit cards. Alternatively, you can pay by calling 703-782-9176 or send the money through the mail at Alexandria Citation Processing Center, P.O. Box 609, Belle Mead, NJ 08502-0609.
Alexandria City Parking in a Nutshell
In general, finding suitable parking spaces in the City of Alexandria is simple, but you should always be careful and pay attention to the posted signs, parking meters, and your license plate if necessary. If you want to avoid parking tickets but don’t want to use public transit, we recommend parking in one of the city parking garages or surface parking lots. Many car parking facilities in Old Town offer budget-friendly parking rates and convenient locations. For example, the Market Square Garage (at 108 N. Fairfax Street) is only $5 per day on Saturdays, Sundays, and weekdays after 5 PM.
