What should I know about parking on the street?

Whether it be from the people worried about their neighbours parking on the street, or those who receive tickets themselves, one of the issues we hear most often about concerns parking on the street. We've compiled some of the important information here so you can be prepared; whether it be to keep your streets clear or to avoid fines in the future.

Can I park on the street?
In the City of Toronto, unless otherwise signed, you are allowed to park on the street for up to three hours at a time. If you exceed that limit, whether it be at your house or not, you risk being fined. This includes overnight parking.

What do I do if neighbours are parking on my street for more than three hours?
As a resident, you can call Parking Enforcement at 416-808-6600. Give them all the information you can (where the car is parked, when and how long it's been parked, and if possible, the make, model, and license plate of the car.), and they will send out an officer to investigate.

If it is a recurring problem, call our office at 416-392-1374. We will contact Parking Enforcement on your behalf, and set up an extended parking detail.

What do I do if I've been issued a ticket?
You have two options, pay the fine, or dispute the ticket. You can make the payment online, in person, by mail, or by telephone. If you choose to dispute the ticket, you must bring the ticket to one of four Parking Tag Operations offices, and schedule an appearance in court. More information on both of these can be found in the links below.

I've been parking on the street for years, why did I only get a ticket now?
Parking on the street for over three hours has always been illegal. Because of the complaint-driven nature of enforcement, street parking may not always be ticketed right away.

Can I apply for a parking permit to let me park on the street?
Parking permits allow the holder to park in specified areas on-sreet at designated hours. Unfortunately, parking permits are not issued for the Scarborough area at the current moment. The permit program is only in effect for the cities of Toronto, East York, York, and limited parts of Etobicoke; generally in areas where driveways are not common. Plans for expansion are under consideration.

Why have I received a notice of violation when I was parked on my own driveway?
If you are parking on a widened portion of your driveway, this is a Property Standards violation. A good rule of thumb is that you should not be parking more vehicles side-by-side than will fit in your garage. You may also receive a Parking Enforcement for parking over the sidewalk or on the boulevard portion of your driveway, both of which are City property. We will be exploring both these issues in more depth a future article.

Useful links:
Parking offences that do not require signs
What to do if you've received a parking ticket
Online parking ticket payment system
Permit Parking in Toronto
Toronto Police Services: Parking Enforcement

"Secret" Parking Ticket Cancellation Guidelines Revealed (UPDATED)

Toronto Parking Enforcement's secret parking ticket cancellation policies were made public by City Council yesterday, so here is your chance to take a look.

Download (18 pages, pdf format)

Update! The City of Toronto has published a press release concerning this document. A seperate version of the document can also be found within it.

News Release

June 9, 2010

City of Toronto releases guidelines on parking ticket cancellation

Toronto City Council yesterday approved the public release of the City's parking ticket cancellation guidelines. The guidelines outline the circumstances in which a City of Toronto parking ticket may be cancelled and the evidence required to support a parking ticket cancellation.

The City of Toronto uses established guidelines to help staff make informed, consistent decisions about parking ticket cancellations. Reasons for cancellation may include bylaw exemptions, an error in a parking ticket, an individual having a valid permit, or a medical emergency.

City staff at parking ticket counters review each disputed ticket and the evidence presented to understand the nature of the infraction and the circumstances surrounding the ticket issued, and to determine whether a cancellation is warranted.

Publishing the cancellation guidelines will help streamline the process for disputing a parking ticket and may reduce the number of requests for trials to dispute parking tickets. If a parking ticket does not meet the requirements for cancellation, or the proper evidence cannot be provided, individuals may choose to pay the ticket rather than request a trial.

The guidelines are available at http://toronto.ca/pay-toronto-tickets/pdf/cancellation_guidelines.pdf.

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents. For information about non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.