Attention Scofflaws: Now is the Time to Pay Your Parking Tickets

Early last month, we reported on the price reduction and forgiveness program for parking tickets. This temporary deal, which spanned from May until the end of this month, is still being offered by the City of Seattle, in anticipation of their new "Scofflaw Ordinance."

The ordinance, which will begin cracking down on those who eschew paying their debt to society, was supposed to take effect on July 1, but has been moved to July 5, because, presumably, there are still a lot of outstanding, unpaid parking tickets.

Begining next month, scofflaws, or those with multiple unpaid parking tickets, will get more than just a slap on the wrist--they'll get a boot to the tire. Once your car is imoblilized, you won't be able to get rolling again until you've paid every one of your tickets within 48 hours. Every one of them. If you can't or don't, your car will then be towed and impounded, at which point you'll have to pay all of your parking tickets, in addition to any and all retrieval and lot fees, which usually run close to a couple hundred dollars.

Don't let this happen to you.

Paying parking tickets online is really easy. You can do it right from the City's website, where you can also check the status of a ticket, and see any other infractions your vehicle has against it. And right now, you'll still be entitled to a fee waiver, that can make paying tickets much more affordable.

But be warned: the City's setup can take up to 72 hours to process the payment, meaning if you pay on the very last day, you may still get the boot. Again, don't let this happen to you.

The time is drawing near. Pay your tickets now, while they're still discounted, and avoid loads of trouble later. You've been warned.