To Contest a Parking Citation

Initial Review Request – 1st Level

If you disagree with a parking citation you received and would like to contest it, you have 21 days from the date the citation was issued, or 14 days from the mailing of the Delinquent Parking Notice to submit an Initial Review Request.

For your convenience you may download the Request for Initial Review Form. Please complete the form, attach all relevant information and a copy of the parking citation to the Request for Initial Review Form and mail it to the address below. Initial Review Requests received beyond the date prescribed by the California Motor Vehicle Code 40215 will not be accepted. A written statement as to why you believe the parking citation was issued in error must be submitted to the GWC Parking Enforcement . You should also include any supportive documentation (i.e. receipts, pictures, diagrams) to support your statement. Documentation submitted for review will not be returned. Download form Initial Review in PDF Format

The Golden West College Parking Enforcement will review your Initial Review Request and will make a determination as to its outcome by rendering one of the following decisions:

1. The citation was determined to be invalid and will be dismissed. You will receive written correspondence from Golden West College Parking Enforcement confirming the dismissal of your parking citation.
2. The citation was determined to be valid and payment must be submitted in full. You will receive written correspondence from Golden West College Parking Enforcement notifying you of the decision and advising you that the citation must be paid.

Initial Review Requests that were rendered a decision will not be conducted a second time for the same citation.

Warning! You must complete the Initial Review process prior to requesting an Administrative Hearing.

Administrative Hearing – 2nd Level

If you are dissatisfied with the initial review results, you may further contest the citation by requesting an Administrative Hearing. You may not request an Administrative Hearing until you have completed the Initial Review process and received the results.

Unlike the initial review request, State Law requires that you pay in advance all fines that are owed on the citation before you can request an Administrative Hearing. Administrative Hearings must be requested within 21 days of the date the decision was reached on your Initial Review Request. If you fail to request the Administrative Hearing within the prescribed time you will lose the opportunity to further contest the parking citation.

To request an Administrative Hearing, please complete the Administrative Hearing request form and mail it to GWC Parking Enforcement address below with your full payment. Administrative Review requests that do not include the bail amount will not be heard. Please be sure to check the applicable box indicating that you are requesting a hearing. You will receive written notification regarding the date and time scheduled for your hearing. Download form – Administrative Hearing request [PDF]

If the Hearing Officer makes a decision in your favor, GWC Parking Enforcement will refund your payment, if you have no other outstanding parking citations. If you have outstanding parking citations the refund will be applied to the unpaid balance.

Additional Administrative Hearing Information:

GWC Parking Enforcement will provide the Hearing Officer with all relevant information associated with your case. Information provided may contain the following items:

1. Copy of the citation you were issued.
2. All correspondence that GWC Parking Enforcement has on file that you submitted.
3. Investigation results that were conducted associated with your citation.
4. Correspondence and notices that were sent to you by GWC Parking Enforcement.

The Hearing Officer will review all information, and listen to your explanation as to why you feel the parking citation should be dismissed. The Hearing Officer will end the hearing once he/she has enough information to render a decision. The Hearing Officer will render one of the following decisions:

1. The parking citation is upheld, bail amount will close citation.
2. The citation is dismissed, no additional fees are due and the bail amount will be refunded to you.

If you are unable to attend the Administrative Hearing on the scheduled date you may reschedule your hearing. To reschedule a hearing please call (714) 895-8924.Administrative Hearings can only be rescheduled one time. If you are not in attendance on the date of your rescheduled hearing you will lose the opportunity to contest your parking citation.

Warning! You must complete the Administrative Hearing process prior to filing an appeal with the West Orange County Municipal Court.

Appealing the Administrative Hearing – 3rd Level

If you are not satisfied with the Hearing Officer’s decision you may further contest the parking citation by appeal through the West Orange County Municipal Court as defined by CVC 402115. You cannot appeal a parking citation if you have not first obtained the results from your Initial Review Request and your Administrative Hearing. Both must be performed before you can appeal the parking citation. Furthermore, appeals must be requested within 30 days from the date of the Hearing Officers decision. To file for an appeal, you must do so in person at the West Orange County Municipal Court. The West Orange County Municipal Court is located at 8141 13th Street, Westminster, CA 92683. A $25 filing fee must be submitted to the court for each citation that you are appealing. If your appeal is granted, the West Orange County Municipal Court will obtain your case file from the Golden West College Parking Enforcement and will schedule your Appeal Hearing.

The case file is used by the presiding judge at the West Orange County Municipal Court for use in rendering a decision on your parking citation. If the Judge presiding over your case renders a decision to dismiss your citation, the $25 filing fee along with your parking fine will be refunded to you.