To pay a DC ticket, use one of four DC DMV channels: the online portal at dmv.dc.gov, the DC DMV mobile app, the automated phone line at (866) 893-5023, or a mailed check or money order. Pay within 30 calendar days of the issue date, because after that the fine doubles.
The Four Ways to Pay
The DC DMV runs separate online payment portals for parking and photo enforcement tickets and for minor moving violations, both reachable from the main pay-tickets page at dmv.dc.gov.1Department of Motor Vehicles. Pay Tickets Enter your ticket number, or your license plate number and state, then check out with a credit card, debit card, or electronic check (ACH).
The DC DMV mobile app follows the same steps on your phone. The phone line at (866) 893-5023 walks you through automated prompts for your ticket information and card details.1Department of Motor Vehicles. Pay Tickets
To pay by mail, detach the remittance slip from the bottom of the ticket, fill it out, and send it with your check or money order to:
DC DMV Adjudication Services
PO Box 2014
Washington, DC 200131Department of Motor Vehicles. Pay Tickets
Write your ticket number and plate state on the memo line. Mail is slower to process, so if your 30-day window is close, use one of the electronic options instead.
Card Fees and a Chargeback Warning
As of December 15, 2025, the DC DMV charges a 2.5% service fee on all debit and credit card transactions, whether you pay online, in the app, or in person. Electronic check (ACH) payments have no service fee.1Department of Motor Vehicles. Pay Tickets On a single $100 ticket the fee is $2.50, but it stacks quickly across multiple violations. ACH avoids it.
One thing to know before you use a card: if you pay by credit card and later reverse the charge with your bank, DC treats the ticket as if you never paid. That can trigger a default judgment, send the ticket to collections, and permanently block you from using a card for future DC ticket payments.1Department of Motor Vehicles. Pay Tickets
The 30-Day Deadline and What Late Costs You
You have 30 calendar days from the issue date to either pay the ticket or contest it. Miss that, and the DMV adds a penalty equal to the original fine, doubling the amount you owe.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 50-2301.05 – Monetary Sanctions and Fees A $100 parking ticket becomes $200 the day after the deadline.
At 60 days without a response, DC deems you to have admitted the infraction. All fines, penalties, and any vehicle conveyance fees are assessed automatically.3D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 50-2303.05 – Answer The DMV mails a warning letter around day 50, but if the address on your registration is stale, you may never see it.
Once the debt is 90 days past due, DC agencies are required to transfer it to the Central Collection Unit, which adds its own surcharges and may refer the balance to an outside collection agency.4D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 1-350.01 – Definitions; 1-350.02 – Responsibility of District Agencies to Transfer and Refer Delinquent Debt From there, you’re dealing with collectors rather than the DMV.
Pay or Contest, Not Both
If you think the ticket was issued in error, decide before you pay. Once a fine is paid, DC considers the matter closed and no refund is available. You can challenge a parking or photo enforcement ticket online through the DMV adjudication portal, at a virtual hearing scheduled through the DMV website, by mail to DMV Adjudication Services, ATTN: Mail Adjudication, PO Box 37135, Washington, DC 20013, or in person at the Adjudication Service Center. Submit the contest within the same 30 calendar days to avoid the doubling penalty.5Department of Motor Vehicles. Contest Parking and Photo Enforcement Tickets
Confirming the Payment Posted
After paying, you should receive a digital receipt or confirmation number. Save it. Electronic payments usually post quickly, and you can verify by re-entering your ticket number or plate information on the online portal; a cleared ticket shows a zero balance. The mobile app also keeps a transaction history you can refresh.
If the balance still reads unpaid after a few business days, contact the DMV before penalties start. Having your confirmation number in hand makes any discrepancy easier to resolve.
What Unpaid Tickets Trigger
The DC Department of Public Works boots or tows vehicles with two or more unpaid tickets older than 60 days. Your car can be booted even if it is legally parked at the moment.6Department of Motor Vehicles. Booted or Towed Vehicles Once booted, the vehicle can be towed immediately if the outstanding tickets and boot fee are not paid.
If your car goes to the impound lot, storage fees run $20 per day, and you must retrieve the vehicle the same day you pay or the daily charges keep accruing.6Department of Motor Vehicles. Booted or Towed Vehicles Between doubled fines, boot fees, tow charges, and daily storage, a couple of ignored tickets can turn into a four-figure bill.
Unpaid ticket debt can also block you from renewing a DC driver’s license or registering a vehicle.7Department of Motor Vehicles. Failure to Pay a Ticket Once the debt is at the Central Collection Unit, the CCU may assign the account to an outside collection agency, which complicates matters well beyond the original fine.8Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Central Collections Unit
Payment Plans if the Debt Is Already at CCU
If your ticket debt has moved to the Central Collection Unit, you may qualify for an installment plan. The CCU generally requires a down payment of at least 25% of the outstanding balance, with the rest split into equal monthly payments. The number of months depends on the balance and other factors CCU staff weigh.9Office of the Chief Financial Officer. CCU Policies for Installment Payment Plans
Plans tied to DMV services, such as a pending license or registration renewal, are handled directly by the CCU. Other arrangements may be managed by the CCU’s outside collection agency.9Office of the Chief Financial Officer. CCU Policies for Installment Payment Plans Miss a payment and the plan defaults; the CCU is not obligated to offer another one. Treat the first plan as your real opportunity to clear the balance.