Contact Us
Santa Barbara Police Department
215 East Figueroa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 897-2300 (805) 897-2434 Fax
In case of emergency, call 9-1-1
Non-Emergency Dispatch, 805-882-8900
Parking Tickets
The Parking Enforcement Team consists of 5 Parking Enforcement Officers, supervised by a Police Sergeant.
Penalties can be paid online, in person, and by mail.
Pay online, if you have your license plate number and your citation number, through our secure online payment system. If you have questions or problems using the online payment system, please call 1-866-783-1929.
Pay by mail by sending your check, money order or certified check to:
City of Santa Barbara
c/o Citation Processing Center
P.O. Box 10479
Newport Beach, CA 92658-0479
You have 21 days from the date the citation is issued to pay the fine which is shown on the citation (weekends and holidays are counted). For correctable citations (i.e. expired registration, improper display of California registration/no registration tabs, and no front/rear plate) these are dismissible within 30 days of the citation date with proof of compliance and payment of an administrative fee.
If you wish to contest a citation, you must submit your request within 21 days of the date of the violation online through our Citation Processing Center and complete a review request form. If you do not do submit your request within 21 days of the date of the violation you forfeit all rights to challenge the citation. Administrative fees to dismiss citation based on proof of compliance are not subject to challenge.
Further information regarding parking citations can be obtained by contacting:
City of Santa Barbara
c/o Citation Processing Center
P.O. Box 10479
Newport Beach, CA 92658-0479
(866) 783-1929
- If you are in need of a regular parking payment plan for a parking citation please call (866) 783-1929.
- Per CVC 40220 parking citation payment plans are available for individuals who have an indigent status. Below are the requirement of the plan:
- The payment allows for unpaid parking penalties and related service fees in monthly installments of no more than twenty-five dollars ($25) for total amounts due that are five hundred dollars ($500) or less. The amount of late fees and penalty assessments waived pursuant to subclause (II) shall not be counted in calculating that total amount of five hundred dollars ($500) or less. Unpaid parking penalties and fees shall be paid off within 24 months. There shall be no prepayment penalty for paying off the balance prior to the payment period expiring.
- Waives all late fees and penalty assessments, exclusive of any state surcharges described in Sections 70372, 76000, and 76000.3 of the Government Code, if an indigent person enrolls in the payment plan. Waived late fees and penalty assessments may be reinstated if the person falls out of compliance with the payment plan.
- Limits the processing fee to participate in a payment plan to five dollars ($5) or less for indigent persons. The processing fee for an indigent person may be added to the payment plan amount, at the discretion of the indigent person. If a processing agency offers a payment plan option to persons who are not indigent, limits the processing fee to participate in the payment plan to twenty-five dollars ($25) or less.
- Allows a person a period of 120 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation or 10 days after the administrative hearing determination, whichever is later, to file a request to participate in a payment plan.
- To apply please go to https://SantaBarbara.Citationinfo.com or call (866) 783-1929.
Registration and Equipment Corrections
California Vehicle Code (CVC) sections 4000, 4000.4, 5200, 5201, and 5204 require correction prior to payment of the fines. The Certificate of Correction on the citation may be completed by any law enforcement agency or any DMV office. Evidence of correction must be received by the Santa Barbara Police Department by the 30th calendar day from the date the citation was issued. If received by the 30th day, the fee may be reduced to a $25 administrative fee for CVC §§ 4000 and 4000.4 and a $10 administrative fee for CVC §§ 5200, 5201, and 5204.
Equipment violation correctable traffic tickets (“fix-it” tickets, such as for a broken tail light) can be signed at the Police Department and then paid at Traffic Court. All other violations must be dealt with by the Traffic Court clerk or at the DMV. You can contact Traffic Court at 805-568-3959. More information is online at http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-traffic.htm.
Traffic citations must be handled in traffic court and cannot be handled at the Police Department. More information is online at http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-traffic.htm. Contact traffic court at: 805-568-3959 for more information.
To retrieve a towed vehicle, the registered owner should come to the Police Department.
- Vehicle must have current registration
- Registered owner must present a valid driver’s license
- A $160 release fee must be paid, which is in addition to the fees charged by the tow company
The release fee is $215 if the vehicle was being operated by a driver without a valid driver’s license.
If your vehicle was towed for having 5 or more delinquent citations, you must also pay the citations in full to retrieve your vehicle. If the car was towed when being driven by someone without a valid driver’s license, the release fee is $215.
Vehicles can only be released Monday-Saturday, 7 AM - 5 PM. Currently, vehicle releases cannot be completed on Sunday. If you have questions pertaining to a vehicle release during the above-mentioned times or need a vehicle released during non-lobby hours, please call: 805-897-2355.
If you have questions pertaining to a towed vehicle or a release outside of these times, please call: 805-882-8900 (non-emergency dispatch).
As of November 28, 2022, the Police Department's lobby hours are:
- Monday - 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Tuesday - 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Wednesday - 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Thursday - 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
To retrieve property from a towed vehicle, the vehicle’s registered owner (RO) must give permission. If the RO cannot come to the Police Department, contact the Parking Section at 805-897-2360 for information about the necessary procedures for property release.
Contact Santa Barbara Police Communications at 805-882-8900 and have the vehicle’s location, license plate number, and description.
A vehicle is considered abandoned if parked longer than 72 consecutive hours on a public street (SBMC 10.44.060) or if the vehicle is wrecked or incapable of operating under its own power longer than two (2) hours on a public street (SBMC 10.44.050). To report an abandoned vehicle or other parking violation, call 805-897-2413 and have the vehicle’s location, license plate number, and description.
If your car was repossessed, you can get a repossession receipt from the Parking Citation Section at the Police Department. The fee is $15. The license plate number or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is required. Please contact the Parking Section for assistance at 805-897-2360.
Once you have a valid Disabled Person (DP) placard, DP plates, or Disabled Veteran (DV) plates, you may park in certain areas. See California DMV for privileges and limitations in the use of these placards and plates.