Do Parking Tickets Stay on Your Driving Record?

Parking tickets say nothing about your safety habits, but they are inconvenient. Nobody wants to see this sight. You're walking back to your car to get to your next destination when you notice a long piece of paper pinned under a windshield wiper. You immediately recognise what that means: you've been issued a parking ticket. While your day has been ruined, you can take solace in knowing that this ticket will have little impact on your driving record.

Do Parking Tickets End Up on Your Driving Record?

As a driver, it's critical that your driving record be as spotless as possible. Your driving record, as a collection of past and ongoing driving behavior, potentially including violations, accidents, and other roadside incidents, serves as a historical retelling of your time behind the wheel. While this may be embarrassing for some, it is critical for car insurance companies.

Past evidence of both negligence and poor decision making behind the wheel frequently causes insurers to raise a person's premiums, as past experiences indicate that a driver is more likely to file an insurance claim. That means that drivers with a clean driving record can enjoy lower premiums, whereas those with major incidents on their record, such as at-fault accidents or DUIs/DWIs, will see their insurance costs rise, to varying degrees depending on the state.

So, if you just got a parking ticket, what does it mean for your driving record? There is nothing. While the penalties for certain parking violations vary by state and municipality, they are all non moving violations. As a result, a parking ticket does not appear on your driving record because it does not reflect poorly on your driving safety habits. After all, your vehicle can only cause harm while moving.

Are Car Insurance Premiums Affected by Parking Tickets?

Parking tickets have no effect on your car insurance premiums on their own. Because they do not appear on your driving record, car insurance companies are unaware of their existence. As long as you pay the associated fine by the deadline, you should have no reason to worry about your insurance costs rising.

However, if you do not pay your parking ticket on time, it may cause problems with your insurance company. The consequences can become more severe depending on the severity of the fine and how long you go without paying it. Penalties can include an increase in the fine, having your car towed by the municipality, or even having your driver's license suspended.

Furthermore, failing to pay a parking ticket may have a direct impact on your credit score, which insurers take very seriously. A lower credit score frequently indicates to insurance companies that you have a history of mismanaging your finances and failing to pay your bills on time. While some insurance companies may make decisions based on credit scores, such as raising premiums or refusing coverage, some states have passed legislation making these policies illegal. Check with your state legislature to see if these laws apply to you.

What Consequences Can Result from a Parking Ticket?

While your parking ticket will not appear on your driving record, it does not mean that receiving one is unimportant. The following are just a few examples of how a parking ticket can cause you problems.

• Fines. The fines associated with parking tickets are the most important consideration. The exact cost is determined by rules established at the municipal, county, and state levels. These fines will eventually have a due date, but failing to pay on time will almost certainly result in a larger fine.
• Your vehicle may be seized or disabled. Despite the fact that your parking ticket will not appear on your official driving record, local law enforcement will notice that you have an unpaid parking ticket. If an officer discovers your car parked on a public road and you have an unpaid parking ticket, the officer may impound or disable your vehicle with the use of a boot.
• Negative impact on your credit score. Failure to pay your parking ticket on time can have a negative impact on your credit score. This type of behavior indicates to insurers, banks, and other financial institutions that you are less trustworthy than others. Your credit score may influence your rate and coverage depending on where you live.
• Driver’s license suspension. This is the big one. If you don't pay your fines and wait long enough, the state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may suspend your license entirely. Driving with a suspended license is a risky proposition because you could be pulled over and ticketed by police. If they discover that your license is suspended, they will almost certainly have your car towed. Driving while your license is suspended is an illegal moving violation that will reflect poorly on your driving record. Those who drive while their license is suspended face arrest and possible jail time in many states. Examine your local regulations to see if you are affected.

The Bottom Line

While parking tickets may not directly affect your driving record, they may come back to bite you in the form of blocking access to your car or driver's license, as well as harming your credit score, if you don't deal with them sooner or later. State and local governments have long memories and little sympathy for lawbreakers. The phrase "the long arm of the law" certainly applies to parking tickets, even if they do not appear on your driving record.