How to Fight Parking Tickets in the City of Cambridge
Not in marked space
In the City of Cambridge, you are required to park your vehicle entirely within the painted lines of a designated parking stall. You may receive this citation if your tires are straddling a line, if you are taking up two spaces, or if you park in an area that is not explicitly marked as a legal parking spot.
Guide to Fighting City of Cambridge Not in marked space
Parking in Cambridge can often feel like a competitive sport, and unfortunately, sometimes the referees—parking enforcement officers—blow the whistle even when you thought you were playing by the rules. If you have returned to your car only to find a citation for "Not in marked space," you are certainly not alone. This is a common violation issued when a vehicle is not positioned entirely within the painted lines of a designated stall or is parked in an undefined area where markings are strictly required.
While the base fine is $25.00, it is crucial not to toss that ticket in the glove box and forget about it. The City of Cambridge has a strict timeline for payments and penalties. If you do not pay or appeal the ticket within 21 days, a $10.00 late fee is tacked on. If the issue remains unresolved after 67 days, another $20.00 is added. If you let it linger past 104 days, you are looking at an additional $40.00 penalty. Suddenly, a manageable fine becomes a significant expense, not to mention the risk of administrative issues with your vehicle registration.
So, why were you ticketed? Usually, this happens if your tires are straddling the white lines, encroaching on a neighboring space, or sticking out too far into the roadway. However, mistakes happen. Sometimes the lines are faded to the point of being invisible, or snow and ice might have obscured the markings entirely during the winter months. In other cases, the signage regarding where a "space" begins and ends might be contradictory or missing. These are valid angles to consider if you believe the ticket was issued unfairly.
If you want to handle this without the headache of navigating complex city portals or mailing in checks, the Busted web app is here to help. Our platform allows you to manage your ticket entirely online. We can help you pay the fine instantly to stop the clock on those late fees, or if you have evidence that the infraction was unjust—like photos of faded lines or confusing signage—we can help you assemble and submit a dispute to the City of Cambridge.
Using Busted is simple and requires no downloads. Just navigate to our website, enter your ticket details, and let us handle the heavy lifting. Whether you choose to pay it off or fight back against a questionable ruling, we make the process smoother so you can get back to your day without the stress of a looming parking fine.
Late fee schedule
| Timing | Fee |
|---|---|
21-67 days Tickets must be paid or appealed within 21 days to avoid the first late fee. | $10.00 |
67-104 days Tickets must be paid or appealed within 21 days to avoid the first late fee. | $20.00 |
After 104 days Tickets must be paid or appealed within 21 days to avoid the first late fee. | $40.00 |