How to Fight Parking Tickets in the City of Somerville
Unattached Trailer / Semi Trailer
In the City of Somerville, you are prohibited from parking a trailer or semi-trailer on a public street unless it is physically attached to a vehicle capable of towing it. This rule is enforced to prevent public parking spaces from being used as long-term storage for industrial or recreational equipment. To avoid this ticket, ensure your trailer is always hitched to a truck or parked on private property.
Guide to Fighting City of Somerville Unattached Trailer / Semi Trailer
Parking in the City of Somerville can be a competitive sport, and the city is strict about how public street space is utilized. One specific rule that often catches contractors, movers, and boat owners off guard is the prohibition against unattached trailers. Essentially, you cannot leave a trailer or semi-trailer parked on a public way if it is not physically hitched to a vehicle capable of towing it. The city enforces this to prevent public streets from being turned into makeshift storage yards for equipment, ensuring that spots rotate frequently for residents and visitors.
If you have returned to your spot to find an orange envelope on your trailer, you are looking at a base fine of $50.00. While this might not seem like a budget-breaker immediately, ignoring it is a bad idea. Somerville has a tiered late fee system that kicks in relatively quickly. If the ticket remains unpaid for 21 days and no hearing is requested, a $5.00 late fee is added. If you wait another 21 days after the mailed notice (roughly 42 days total), a second late fee of $15.00 applies. The most significant penalty comes after 63 days: the Parking Clerk will report the non-payment to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (RMV). This triggers an additional $40.00 fee and creates a 'non-renewal' mark on your record, preventing you from renewing your license or registration until the debt is settled.
However, not every ticket is open-and-shut. There are valid reasons to contest an unattached trailer violation. Perhaps the trailer was actually attached to a vehicle, but the parking enforcement officer missed the connection due to the angle or lighting. Maybe the trailer was temporarily unhitched for active loading or unloading purposes, and you were nearby. In some cases, the location where you parked might not actually be under the city's jurisdiction, or the signage prohibiting trailers was missing or obscured. If you believe the citation was issued in error, you have the right to request a hearing.
Dealing with the paperwork for a dispute can be tedious, but the Busted web app simplifies the process. We help you navigate the bureaucracy without the headache. You can use our platform to manage your ticket entirely online. If you choose to contest the citation, our system asks you a series of questions to understand your situation and helps generate a defense letter based on your answers. We then print and mail this package to the City of Somerville on your behalf. If you prefer to just get it over with, you can also securely pay your fine through our service. Whether you decide to fight it or pay it, handling it promptly via the web app is the best way to avoid those escalating RMV fees.
Late fee schedule
| Timing | Fee |
|---|---|
21-42 days First late fee > 21 days unpaid and no hearing requested | $5.00 |
42-63 days Second late fee 21 days after the mailed notice if still unpaid (or no hearing request) | $15.00 |
After 63 days RMV referral fee - when Parking Clerk reports non-payment to Registrar of Motor Vehicles | $40.00 |