On the list of "things that can ruin a day," walking back to your car to find that white piece of paper tucked under the windshield wiper has to rank pretty high.

So you got a parking ticket in San Antonio — now what?

Well, from the date of your citation, a countdown begins. If the ticket is not resolved within that window, San Antonio will consider that ticket delinquent. Ouch.

Note: Private parking operators also issue citations and have their own set of procedures.

How to pay

Pay your parking ticket in person at the Frank D. Wing Municipal Court Building. | Photo by City of San Antonio

To pay the fee, you can do so one of three ways: by mail, in person at Municipal Court Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or online. While the average fine is $35, tickets can run as high as $500.

You can also contest the parking ticket in one of two ways:

Option one: You must appear no later than the hearing date listed on the parking ticket.
Option two: Send a letter through the mail with the ticket number and any evidence necessary to contest the ticket, then a Parking Hearing Officer will review your case and make a ruling. Check out the mailing instructions.

No action can be taken in any case until the ticket is submitted to the court and a parking case is created in the court docketing system. If the case is created after the hearing date on the ticket, a new summons for a hearing will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Pro tip: San Antonio offers free parking downtown every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. in select areas. Download the app for easy parking.