What does the Parking Ticket System allow me to do?

The online Parking Ticket System allows you to perform Web inquiries and to pay parking citations. Your citation number can be located on the original citation or on the Notice of Illegal Parking. Select from the list the agency from which you received your parking citation. After selecting the agency enter the citation number, and then click on "Ticket Lookup." You do not need to enter the leading zeros or alpha characters before the citation number.

What if I don't have my citation number?

For the security of your personal information, this site will only perform searches on the citation number. If you do not have your citation number you can call City of Vista Parking Enforcement at 760-639-6141 between the hours of 7:30am to 5:30pm Monday - Thursday excluding holidays.

Why is my parking citation not in the system?

If you just received a citation, you will not be able to pay on the Web until it is downloaded to the site. Automated citations are typically uploaded to the system daily, manual citations may take 7-14 days. If you cannot locate your citation on the Web, please call the City of Vista Parking Enforcement office at 760.639.6141 between the hours of 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday - Thursday excluding holidays.

Why won't the website let me pay my citation?

Sometimes the Web may not be available for making inquiries or accepting payments. If you are unable to access the Online Parking Ticket Payment Site, it should be available within 15 to 30 minutes. If you are experiencing difficulty accessing the website or finding your citation, please call the City of Vista Parking Enforcement office for assistance at 760-639-6141 between the hours of 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday - Thursday excluding holidays.

What if I cannot locate my citation on the website?

If you cannot locate the citation on the Online Parking Ticket payment site it may be it has not been downloaded to the site. If you just received your citation, you will not be able to pay on the Web until the citation is downloaded to the site. Automated citations are typically uploaded to the system daily, manual citations may take 7-14 days.

Why is more than one parking citation displayed? Do I have to pay them all?

If other citations exist on the same vehicle (same license plate, same owner) as the primary citation, they will be displayed as a courtesy. You may choose to pay any or all of the parking citations by clicking the box next to each citation you want to pay.

How does the Online Parking Ticket System work?

Once you have selected the citation(s) to be paid by placing a check in the box next to the citation number, click on "Pay Ticket(s)" and you will be asked for your credit card information. After entering your credit card information verify the information you entered is correct and click on "Submit Credit Card Charge." Your credit card information will be validated, and the amount of the charge will be submitted. If the credit card information is valid and approval is received for the amount you are paying, your credit card company will issue an approval to the Online Parking Ticket System. The payment will be immediately applied to the citation, and you will see the charge on your next credit card statement. You should print the online receipt for you records, or you can also receive an e-mail receipt if you enter an e-mail address.

Is the system secure?

This site uses 128-bit encryption, which is the highest level of encryption available. This is the same security used on all Web payment applications. This site does not store any information about your credit card. Once an approval or rejection is received, the information is purged from our system.

What is encryption?

Encryption is the scrambling of information for transmission back and forth between two points. A key is required to decode the information. When you inquire about your parking citation, the request is sent encrypted to the Online Parking Payment System. The Online Parking Payment System then decodes your request for information and sends it back to your computer in an encrypted format. When you receive it, your information is decoded so that you can read it. Because your parking citation information is being transmitted between your computer and the Online Parking Payment System, encryption protects your information so it cannot be intercepted and read by a third party.

What is 128-bit encryption?

There are basically two types of encryption: High and Standard. The difference between these types of encryption is the strength of capability. A High (128-bit) encryption is exponentially more powerful than a Standard (40 or 56-bit) encryption. With 40-bit encryption, there are billions of possible keys to decipher the coded information, and only one of them works. Someone intercepting the information would have to find the right key - a nearly impossible task. With 128-bit encryption, there are 300 billion trillion times as many keys as with 40-bit encryption. It is virtually impossible for an unauthorized party to find the right key, even if they are equipped with the best computers. The Online Payment System uses the highest level of encryption (128-bit) to ensure your online transmissions are secure.

What if I get a message the system is not available?

If you receive a message that the system is unavailable, it should be available within 15 to 30 minutes. Sometimes the site may not be available for inquiries or processing.

Why is there an additional online transaction fee of $3.00?

The $3.50 convenience fee is set by our online payment vendor and covers items such as online security, system maintenance, and the higher credit card processing fee banks charge for web payments. Payments on the City web site can be made after City Offices close until midnight. For those who have waited until the last minute, it is less expensive to pay the $3.50 fee than to wait until the next business day, because you will have to pay the double late fee. The online payment system is just one option; you are also able to pay by mail or in person. Please note: you can pay multiple citations in a single online transaction. 

How do I ask for a review of a ticket?

To request a review of a parking citation, fill out the "Request for Review" form.