How to Fight Parking Tickets in the City of Boston

Parking in Boston is rarely a walk in the park. Between street cleaning schedules, resident permits, and the dreaded rush hour restrictions, finding a spot feels like a victory. But coming back to find a ticket tucked under your wiper blade? That’s a quick way to ruin the day. If you’ve received a citation for a Loading Zone violation, you are looking at a $90 base fine. It’s a steep price to pay for a quick stop, but understanding why it happened is the first step to sorting it out.

So, what exactly constitutes a Loading Zone violation in Boston? The city designates specific curb space for the loading and unloading of goods, primarily to keep commerce moving and reduce double-parking. These spots are generally reserved for commercial vehicles with commercial plates. If you park a standard passenger car in one of these zones during active hours—even if you just put your hazards on to run into a store—you are technically in violation. The enforcement officers are strict about this because these zones are vital for delivery trucks navigating Boston’s narrow streets.

However, tickets aren't always perfect. There are valid reasons to contest a Loading Zone citation. The most common angle is signage visibility. If the signs marking the zone were missing, graffiti-covered, bent, or obscured by a tree or snow, you might have a case. Another angle involves the vehicle type; if you were driving a commercial vehicle but were ticketed as a passenger car, that is a clear error. Additionally, check the time on the ticket against the regulations posted on the sign. If the officer wrote the ticket at 6:01 PM but the loading zone restriction ended at 6:00 PM, the ticket shouldn't stand.

Time is of the essence when dealing with these fines. The City of Boston adds a penalty of $18 if the fine remains unpaid 21 days after the notice was issued. Ignoring the ticket won't make it go away; it just makes it more expensive and can eventually lead to a boot on your car or a hold on your registration renewal.

That is where Busted comes in. We make it easier to manage your parking tickets directly through our web app. Since we support disputes for the City of Boston, we can help you formulate your defense if you believe the ticket was issued unfairly. We ask the right questions to determine if your ticket has dismissible errors. If you’d rather just get it over with, you can also pay the fine securely through our platform. There is no need to download anything; simply navigate to the Busted website to get started and handle your citation quickly and correctly.