Ottawa extends the deadline for paying parking fines and changes ticket colors starting July 28

New amendments to the Ottawa parking violation system will come into effect on Tuesday, July 28, including extending the available payment deadlines, changing the color of the paper ticket, along with modifying some procedures related to violation reviews.

The new rules will apply to parking violations issued on July 28, 2026, and thereafter, while older violations will continue to be processed according to the deadlines and procedures that were in effect at the time of issuance.

Under the amendments, the color of the parking violation will change from white to yellow, aiming to make it more visible on the vehicle’s windshield and reduce the likelihood of it being unnoticed by the driver.

Extension of the early payment deadline

The period available to pay the reduced amount, known as the early payment amount, will increase from seven days to 15 days from the date the violation is issued.

If the violation is not paid within the first fifteen days, the right to the reduced amount expires and the full amount specified on the ticket becomes due.

The deadline to pay the full amount will also be extended from 30 days to 45 days from the date the violation is issued, giving the vehicle owner additional time before late fees are added.

These amendments do not mean a reduction in the value of the violations themselves, but rather give drivers a longer period to benefit from the early payment amount or settle the full amount.

Late fees after 45 days

If the violation remains unpaid after 45 days, a late fee will be added to the amount due, and the city will send a second notice to the registered vehicle owner.

This will increase the total period before the violation reaches the stage of default or non-payment from 61 days to 76 days after the date of issuance.

When the violation reaches the default stage, the city may refer the outstanding amount to the Ontario vehicle registrar, which may result in the automatic refusal to renew the vehicle’s plate until the violation and all associated administrative fees are paid.

Late payment does not cancel the violation, but may increase the total amount required due to the addition of late fees and plate renewal prevention fees.

Violation review is not done after payment

The vehicle owner can request a review of the parking violation through the administrative penalties system if they believe the violation was issued in error or that there are circumstances warranting a reduction or extension of the payment deadline.

The request is first considered before a review officer, and then a hearing session can be requested before a hearing officer to appeal the initial decision.

However, payment of the violation is considered acceptance of it and a final settlement of the amount, so it is usually not possible to request a review or appeal after payment is completed.

It is also important to adhere to the specified deadlines for submitting a review request, as extending the payment deadline does not necessarily mean extending all procedural deadlines related to the appeal.

Clarification of the concept of «undue hardship»

The amendments also include rephrasing the definition of «undue hardship» used during the review and hearing stages.

This concept is used when considering requests for a reduction in the amount or granting an additional payment deadline due to exceptional financial or personal circumstances.

The new wording aims to make the criteria clearer for vehicle owners and officials reviewing the requests, but it does not mean automatically canceling the violation simply because of a claim of financial difficulty.

The applicant may be asked to provide documents or information proving their financial or personal circumstances so that the review or hearing officer can assess the case.

Methods of paying parking violations

The violation can be paid electronically through the official City of Ottawa website, or by sending a check or money order by mail with the violation number written on it.

Payment can also be made in person at one of the city’s customer service centers, or at the Regional Offences Court and Administrative Penalties System service center.

The city confirms that it does not deal with unauthorized electronic payment platforms and advises drivers to use its official channels to avoid fraud or websites that impose unauthorized fees.

When paying by mail, the date the city receives and processes the payment is counted, not the postmark date, so the sender is responsible for ensuring it arrives before the deadline.

The amendments come after Ottawa’s transition to the administrative penalties system for parking violations, which allows the city to manage review and hearing processes independently, instead of referring every objection to the Regional Offences Court.