Important Information Regarding Booted or Towed Vehicles and Vehicle Registration Releases
If your vehicle is currently booted, has been towed or has vehicle registration hold, you must make payment for all outstanding citations in cash only at City Hall, 200 E. University Ave., 1st Floor.
This service is for City of Gainesville issued parking citations only and does not apply to other City of Gainesville citations or for parking citations issued by the University of Florida or other law enforcement agencies.
Failure to respond within 30 calendar days will result in a waiver of your rights to contest the citation, additional costs as outlined below and may result in the immobilization or impoundment of the vehicle together with associated charges and expenses:
- Weekends and holidays are included in the 30 calendar days.
- Click here to contest your citation. An affidavit of explanation must be filed within 7 calendar days from the date of the citation. A judicial hearing must be filed within 30 calendar days from the date of the citation.
- After 30 calendar days, an additional $16 late fee will be added to all unpaid and partially paid citations, per ordinance.
When the payment is processed, records at the City of Gainesville and the Department of Motor Vehicles will be updated accordingly and the citations will be marked as paid.
- Payments for booted or towed vehicles must be in cash at City Hall, 200 E. University Ave., 1st Floor.
- If your car was booted or towed or if your tag has a hold on it for unpaid citations, please click here.
The City of Gainesville Code of Ordinances provides for waiving of the fee for the following reasons only:
- Malfunctioning meter;
- Valid and verifiable emergencies;
- Government employees on verified official business (when initially legally parked);
- City volunteers detained due to verified volunteer duties; and
- Error in issuance of citation when affidavit is properly filed.
There are two ways to contest your citation:
Affidavit of Explanation
- Must be filed within the first seven days from the date of the citation.
- There is no fee for contesting a citation by filing an affidavit of explanation.
- Forms and instructions are available on the Police Department's website and at the Police Administration Building, 545 NW Eighth Ave.
- Form must be submitted within 7 calendar days of issuance of the citation. The 7 day response period includes weekends and holidays. Failure to respond within 7 calendar days of the date of the citation will result in a waiver of your rights to file an affidavit of explanation contesting the violation.
Judicial Hearing
- Must be filed within the first 30 calendar days from the date of the citation
- There is a non-prevailing court fee assessed if you the Court finds you guilty.
- Forms and instructions are available on the Police Department's website and at the Police Administration Building, 545 NW Eighth Ave.
- Form must be submitted within 30 calendar days of issuance of the citation. The 30 day response period includes weekends and holidays. Failure to respond within 30 calendar days of the date of the citation will result in a waiver of your rights to contest the citation and a delinquency penalty will be assessed.
For questions regarding citations and payments, please email citybc@gainesvillefl.gov or call 352-334-5025. For questions about contesting a parking citation, please email jacksonrn@gainesvillefl.gov.
- Payment for any of these releases that are made using the online portal will be cancelled due to a large number of returned items. The City of Gainesville is not responsible for the time it takes for the cancelled transaction to be credited to your account.
- Payment for boot releases must be made within 24 hours of boot placement and must be made in cash at City Hall, 200 E. University Ave., 1st floor during office hours.There are no boot releases outside of these office hours.
- Payment for tow releases must be made in cash at City Hall, 200 E. University Ave., 1st floor during office hours. There are no tow releases outside of these office hours.
- The following documents must be submitted at the time of payment to complete the tow release:
- Copy of the current vehicle registration
- Copy of the vehicle owner’s driver license
- Copy of the current vehicle insurance
- Tow release affidavit if the person picking up the vehicle is not the registered owner
- Copy of the driver license of the person picking up the vehicle
- Payment to release a hold on your tag for unpaid citations must be made in cash at City Hall, 200 E University Avenue, 1st floor during office hours.