How to Fight Parking Tickets in the City of Boston

Driving in Boston is an adventure in itself, and finding a legal parking spot often feels like the boss fight at the end of the level. If you have returned to your vehicle only to find an orange envelope tucked under your wiper blade with "Angle Parking Only" checked off, you are certainly not alone. While the $15.00 base fine might seem like a minor annoyance compared to more expensive moving violations, nobody enjoys throwing money away. Furthermore, ignoring this small ticket can lead to annoying late fees and administrative headaches down the road.

So, what exactly went wrong? In many parts of Boston—specifically in neighborhoods with tighter streets or busy commercial districts—the city utilizes angle parking to maximize the number of vehicles that can fit on a single block. Instead of the traditional parallel parking method where you align your car with the flow of traffic, these spots require you to pull in at a slant, usually 45 to 60 degrees relative to the curb. This violation is issued when a driver ignores the geometry of the street, usually by parallel parking across multiple angled spots or parking at an angle that opposes the painted lines.

The city enforces this rule strictly because one car parked incorrectly can effectively block two or three legal spaces. In narrower streets, a car parked at the wrong angle might even stick out far enough to obstruct the travel lane, causing traffic backups. However, valid defenses do exist. The most common angle for disputing this ticket involves the visibility of the markings. Boston winters are tough on road paint. If the angled lines were obscured by snow, unplowed ice, or heavy leaf coverage, you may have grounds to contest the ticket. Similarly, if the paint is so faded that the spots are indistinguishable, or if the signage indicating "Angle Parking Only" was missing, a hearing officer might dismiss the violation.

If you believe you were ticketed in error, or if you simply want to handle the fine without the hassle of finding a stamp and mailing a check, the Busted web app is your go-to solution. We have streamlined the process to help you manage your Boston parking tickets directly from your browser. Because Busted fully supports disputes for the City of Boston, our platform can help you assemble your evidence—such as photos of the faded lines or your vehicle's position—and present your case professionally.

It is crucial to act relatively quickly. While the $15.00 fine is low, the City of Boston assesses a $5.00 penalty if the fine remains unpaid 21 days after the notice is issued. That is a 33% price increase just for procrastinating.

Using Busted is incredibly simple. You do not need to download anything or clutter your phone with another mobile app. Just navigate to our web app, enter your ticket details, and let us handle the heavy lifting. Whether you choose to pay the fine instantly to get it over with or fight back against unclear street markings, we make the administrative side of car ownership a little less painful.