DC fare evasion penalties top out at a $50 civil fine. Riding Metro without paying has not been a criminal offense for adults in the District since the Fare Evasion Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2018 took effect, so a citation will not put you in jail or on a criminal record. The rules live in DC Code § 35-252 and § 35-254.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-254 – Penalties
The Fine and What the Citation Actually Is
A fare evasion ticket in DC is a civil infraction carrying a fine of up to $50.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-254 – Penalties WMATA confirms that fare citations issued in the District are civil, not criminal.2WMATA. Fare Citations
The statute does not escalate for repeat violations. A second or fifth ticket still caps at the same $50 maximum as the first.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-254 – Penalties Before the 2018 reform, the same conduct could be prosecuted criminally; that is no longer the case for adults in DC.3D.C. Law Library. D.C. Law 22-310 – Fare Evasion Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2018
Any police officer with arrest authority in the District can write the citation. In practice, Metro Transit Police handle most enforcement on trains and in stations, with Metropolitan Police issuing citations at bus stops or during joint operations.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-254 – Penalties
Giving a False Name Can Still Be Criminal
The stop itself is civil, but lying your way out of it is not. When an authorized officer stops you on suspicion of fare evasion, you must give your true name and address. You do not need to show ID; you just need to answer accurately.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-252 – Failure to Pay Fare or to Present Valid Transfer; Entry by Rear Door Prohibited
Refusing to identify yourself or knowingly giving a false name or address is a separate criminal charge punishable by a fine of up to $100 on conviction. That is the one piece of a fare evasion encounter that can land on a criminal record.1D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-254 – Penalties
What Counts as Fare Evasion
DC law defines fare evasion as knowingly doing any of the following without paying or presenting a valid transfer:
- Boarding a Metrobus or other passenger vehicle for hire.
- Boarding a Metrorail train.
- Entering or leaving a rail station’s fare-paid area, which covers jumping turnstiles, crawling under barriers, or tailgating through a closing gate.
- Boarding a bus through the rear door, unless a WMATA employee directed you to.
The word “knowingly” matters. The government has to show you were aware you hadn’t paid, not simply confused by a malfunctioning gate or an unfamiliar reader.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 35-252 – Failure to Pay Fare or to Present Valid Transfer; Entry by Rear Door Prohibited That matters because many citations trace back to tap problems: using one card to enter and a different card to exit can register as unpaid on the entry card, and a phone wallet holding both a SmarTrip and a credit card can tap the wrong one if “Express” mode is not set correctly.5WMATA. Tap. Ride. Go.
Paying the Ticket
Read the citation closely for the deadline. The DC Office of Administrative Hearings warns that you may have as few as 14 days to pay, and late payment can add penalties on top of the fine. The back of the ticket lists accepted payment methods and the mailing address for check or money order.6Office of Administrative Hearings. Pay a Fine
How to Contest the Citation
Fare evasion disputes go to the DC Office of Administrative Hearings, not criminal court.7WMATA. MTPD Citations If you think the ticket was wrong, request a hearing instead of paying. The citation itself has the deadline and instructions; missing that window usually forfeits your right to a hearing.
Evidence to Gather
Proof you actually paid is the strongest defense. Pull your SmarTrip transaction history from the WMATA website, which logs every tap with date, time, and location. If you paid with a contactless card through your phone, your bank statement may show the WMATA charge. When a bad gate or farebox caused the problem, write down the specific gate or machine number and the station so the hearing officer can check whether maintenance issues were reported there at that time.
Also record the basics from the citation: citation number, date and time of the stop, station or bus route, and the name or badge number of the officer. Those details help OAH locate the case file and tie your evidence to the right incident.
At the Hearing
OAH hearings for civil infractions run less formally than a criminal trial. You can present evidence, explain what happened, and respond to what the officer or agency submitted. The standard of proof is lower than “beyond a reasonable doubt,” but the government still bears the initial burden of showing the violation occurred. If the officer does not appear and the agency submits no evidence, the citation is typically dismissed.