General Information
Private parking facilities must be registered with the City of Portland before a penalty notice can be issued to a vehicle that has parked without paying, parked past the expiration of paid-for parking or the time allowed to park in a non-pay lot. Portland City Code requires informational and warning signs to be posted in order for a facility to be registered. The City can mediate disputes over penalty notices, and the City Code lists reasons for which the City may request the dismissal of a penalty.
Pay and Park Administrative Rules
LIC-13.01 - Parking Facility Registration Fees
LIC-13.02 - Assessment of Parking Fees
LIC-13.03 - Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
Parking Penalty Notice Information
Pay and Park Facilities
The operator of a pay and park facility may assess and collect a penalty from any individual found to have either parked without paying the required parking fees upon parking the vehicle, or parked without placing the proof of payment in the vehicle so that it is clearly visible through the windshield (if paper receipts are provided).
Non-pay Private Parking Facilities
The operator of a non-pay private parking facility may assess and collect a penalty from any individual found to have parked without authorization or beyond the time allowed.
Penalty Amounts
The penalty is indexed by City Code to the amount assessed by Parking Enforcement officers for overtime parking on City property (parking tickets). The City does not receive any of the money from parking fees or penalties. The City collects an annual fee from the operator for each registered lot.
Understanding the Parking Penalty Notice
If you do not understand your penalty notice, contact the lot operator or the Revenue Division with your questions.
Penalty notices, penalty payment letters, and any subsequent demands for payment must include:
- The name, address and telephone number of the operator;
- The vehicle’s make, model, color and license plate number;
- The time and date the penalty notice was issued;
- The location of the facility, including street address or the intersection nearest the entrance as provided on the original registration application;
- Any facility number that may be assigned by the operator;
- The amount of the penalty demanded;
- Instructions describing deadlines and acceptable methods of payment;
- Warning (if the operator collects an Administrative Fee) that an Administrative Fee may be assessed if the payment of the penalty is not received within 10 days of issuance of a penalty notice;
- Any additional penalty that may be added if not paid within 30 days; and
- A statement that the vehicle owner may submit a written complaint to the Revenue Division if attempts to resolve the complaint with the operator have been unsuccessful anytime within 90 days of the date of the first penalty payment letter. The Division's mailing address must be included on penalty payment letters.
Protesting a Parking Penalty Notice
You may file a complaint within 90 days from the mailing date of the first penalty payment letter.
Complaints are sent to the appropriate registered operator when they are received at the Revenue Division. The collection process must be suspended immediately until a determination is made on the complaint.
The information is reviewed to see if there is evidence of a Code violation. A re-inspection of the lot may be necessary to verify that all required signs were posted at the time the penalty notice was issued. The complaint resolution may be as simple as forwarding the copy of a parking payment receipt to the registered operator.
You will be notified of the determination in writing by the Revenue Division.
Common Parking Scenarios
Payment Machine Error
The policy at the pay to park lots is usually posted on a sign at the payment machine, words to the effect of “If machine does not dispense a ticket, do not park in parking facility.” The machines are maintained regularly but something may go wrong later in the day or there may be a problem with the payment method you tried to use. There is always a customer service number that you can call for assistance. If you leave your car in the lot without valid proof of payment, you risk receiving a parking penalty notice.
No Parking Penalty Notice on Vehicle
If there was no notice on your vehicle and you receive a penalty payment letter, you cannot ignore the notice. If you feel that you received the demand for payment letter in error, contact the Revenue Division and we will work to verify the identity of the vehicle for you.
Disabled Person Parking Place
In the private lots, the disabled person parking permit placard grants the privilege of parking in the reserved spaces but does not grant free parking. The registered operators add stickers to the blue disabled person parking signs that state “Permit holder responsible for payment” to help clarify any misunderstanding.
Valid Proof of Payment Was Not Properly Displayed
The operator must void the penalty if the parker or registered owner provides evidence within 30 days of the issuance of the penalty notice that the parking fee payment was made at the time the vehicle was parked at the facility. Be sure to keep the original proof of payment.