How to Appeal a Citation

How to Appeal a Parking Citation

You have the opportunity to submit an appeal online, by email, or US mail for 14 days from the date the citation was issued. Appeals are not conducted in person.

Citations under appeal will not be billed until a decision is made. Citations that are re-appealed will be billed. Certain citation violations are not appealable.* Please refer to the list of violations.

Appeal decisions will be communicated via the email provided upon submission. Appeal decisions are final.

A second appeal may be accepted only if new information is made available and that had valid reason for not being provided during the initial appeal. Second appeals must be submitted in written form to the parking operations office, or by email. Prior to a second appeal being put forward to the committee, the citation will be required to be paid. If the Indiana University decision results in a citation dismissal, this payment will be refunded in full.

Submitting an appeal

Citations may be appealed through the Citation Appeal Application that can be accessed online in the Parking Portal.

If you are unable to submit your appeal using the online application, you may Send your citation and written appeal information to:

IU Parking Operations
Henderson Parking Garage
310 S. Fess Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47401

Once an appeal is submitted it can take 4-6 weeks to get the appeal result.

Acceptable Reasons

Appeals may be granted for these reasons:

  • There is substantial evidence that you did not commit the violation
  • You may have committed the violation, but circumstances were not under your control, and
    • before receiving the citation, you made a demonstrable attempt to notify Parking Operations or Parking Enforcement of the situation, or
    • you can produce written verification from a witness to the situation indicating that the situation was so unusual it cannot reasonably occur again.
Unacceptable Reasons

Appeals will not be granted for these reasons:

  • Lack of knowledge of the regulations or did not see posted regulation/signage
  • Other vehicles were parked improperly
  • Only parked illegally for a short period of time/blinkers were on
  • Stated failure of parking officer to ticket previously for similar offenses
  • Late to class or appointment
  • Inability to pay the amount of the fine
  • No other place to park
  • Permission to park given by anyone other than a Parking employee
  • Inclement weather conditions
  • Parked in a Disabled access aisle (hash mark area)
  • Parking in a Fire Lane

Information you’ll need for your appeal

To submit an appeal, you must provide:

  • Full name and email address
  • University ID number (IU students and employees)
  • Reason(s) for appeal
  • Citation number and date issued
  • License plate number and state the vehicle is registered in

Decisions on your appeal

Decisions will be reached using the following guidelines:

  • Published Parking Regulations and Signage
  • Previous IU parking citation history
  • Registered owner of 1) IU Permit displaced and 2) registered ownership of the vehicle
  • Status of vehicle registration with IU Parking Operations

Potential outcome:

  • Dismissed: The parking citation fine is waived and will not require payment. If payment has already been made, a refund will be issued in the same payment form.
  • Upheld: The parking citation will require payment of the associated fine.
  • Upheld but Reduced: The parking citation will require payment of a reduced fine amount.

Parking Appeals Committee

The Parking Appeals Committee is comprised of faculty, staff and students who are independent of Parking Operations and Enforcement.

Committee members are appointed by the following organizations that represent various populations on campus:

  • Bloomington Faculty Council
  • Bloomington Professional Council
  • Communications Workers of America, (CWA Local 4730)
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME Local 832 at IU)
  • Indiana University Student Association