I have MO plates--do I have to pay parking tix?? (Chicago: how much, purchase)

[breakfastbabe]

So, I've had my car in Chicago now for about 3 years. I don't know how I've gotten away with keeping MO plates for so long, but I have. I've racked up an insane amount of parking tickets and haven't paid any of them. About a year ago, I called the Chi Ticket hotline and decided to ask how much I owed. They said I only had 3 tickets on file! I guess they tried contacting the MO DMV to get my info but MO wouldn't hand it out! So IL had to delete my tickets. Has anyone else had this experience?? Am I just lucky?? Also, I've racked up a significant amount of tickets over the past year. Can they boot/tow/impound my car if it's out-of-state for Chicago street parking tickets? Could they take away my MO license? I'm starting to panic that my luck might run out soon...

[Drover]

Originally Posted by breakfastbabe

So, I've had my car in Chicago now for about 3 years. I don't know how I've gotten away with keeping MO plates for so long, but I have. I've racked up an insane amount of parking tickets and haven't paid any of them. About a year ago, I called the Chi Ticket hotline and decided to ask how much I owed. They said I only had 3 tickets on file! I guess they tried contacting the MO DMV to get my info but MO wouldn't hand it out! So IL had to delete my tickets. Has anyone else had this experience?? Am I just lucky?? Also, I've racked up a significant amount of tickets over the past year. Can they boot/tow/impound my car if it's out-of-state for Chicago street parking tickets? Could they take away my MO license? I'm starting to panic that my luck might run out soon...

Yes they can boot/tow/impound your car and then sell it at auction to satisfy the outstanding claim, even with MO plates. They don't have to ask the MO DMV for your information. They just send a ticket to the address to which your plates are registered on the theory that you have kept your registration up to date (including mailing address) as required by law and you are in effect announcing to the state that that's your current address. The city has no further obligation to "seek you out;" it is sufficient to send it to the address registered to your plates.

Once there is a final determination of guilt (which is what happens by default when you ignore a ticket), they can also send a collection agency after you and there is no statute of limitations on the collection. They can still chase you for it 20 years from now. The state of Illinois does not have the authority to suspend your Missouri license; however, the city can request suspension from the MO DMV. Whether they cooperate with the cty will depend on MO state law.

[KevK]

The short answer is that, if you are leaving Chicago, you need not worry about it. If you are staying, they will boot your car the first time they find it- even LEGALLY parked on the street. As for you license, it is doubtful they will suspend it over parking tickets in Missouri but of you ever try to to an Illinois license and they trace it back, they CAN suspend it. I left Chicago with unpaid tickets but they had an amnesty in which you could settle them and I went ahead and paid them anyway. Eventually they will have another amnesty and you can pay up and be done with it.

[Chicago60614]

I racked up a lot of tickets and just went in and signed up for Illinois plates.

They never asked about my Iowa plates, and as far as I know, those tickets died with that plate 6 years ago. Any tickets I got on my Illinois plate had notices sent to me which only listed me responsible for tickets under my new IL plates.

[Lookout Kid]

They will hunt you down, and eventually find you no matter where you are. I've had parking tickets that were five to ten years old follow me to different states and several address changes. They are very good at this, and are getting better. Have you heard about the new Department of Revenue Vans? They have a van that uses special cameras and sensors as it drives up the street to scan license plates on both sides of the street! Your car will get booted, no question about it. If I were you, I wouldn't mess with this city government. The government here is very unpleasant to deal with, and they will make you life miserable.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

I had a few tickets with my out of state plates. The I got a few more with my IL plates. I got booted. When I went to get my boot removed I set up a payment plan and they went back and identified previous tickets I had gotten with my old plates, and I had to pay those too.

It sucks. Avoid tickets. If you get em, pay em. It's all better that way. Trying to beat the system is just too much.

[CrownPrincess]

Go to the city of Chicago website. There's a link for parking/traffic tickets/boot elegible. You can find out exactly what you have. I used to keep track of my tickets thru their website.

https://parkingtickets.cityofchicago...rchTickets.jsp

[KevK]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBredChicagoan

I had a few tickets with my out of state plates. The I got a few more with my IL plates. I got booted. When I went to get my boot removed I set up a payment plan and they went back and identified previous tickets I had gotten with my old plates, and I had to pay those too.

It sucks. Avoid tickets. If you get em, pay em. It's all better that way. Trying to beat the system is just too much.

Eventually they will catch you unless you die. I know somebody who, like myself, got tickets in Chicago and moved away owing them. She got new plates in another state and then came back to visit her family for the holiday and made the mistake of parking illegally. They booted the car and she had to pay that ticket AND all the old ones! Somehow they can match a name and registration with somebody that was a prior resident with an Illinois plate (or maybe they check the VIN on out of state plates???). That was enough to scare me into paying mine when they has the last amnesty! Although I live in Georgia now, I do come back there and visit and shop.

[M TYPE X]

They look at the VIN? There is no hope for you. I was going to suggest paying the tickets and then changing your plates, but if they hate you that much, then you are owned.

[chitownwarrior]

I ran into a similar problem except from IL plates. I have on parking ticket, but sold the car that was ticketed. Will they attach that ticket to my name?

I've had other tickets that I paid for, so I was wondering if they would be able to track me on the next time I purchase a car and get new plates for it....