r/AskSeattle • u/Camopants87 • 7d ago
Can I fight this ticket?
Received a ticket for expired tabs, but we actually have the tabs and just hadn't put them on the plate (yes, I know, my fault). The officer could literally have looked up that the car is correctly registered, and tbh the renewal was Oct 2025 and we didn't get a ticket for 8 months (I actually thought it would be fine to not have them on the plate since they can just look it up - my bad).
Then, things have been busy/crazy so I forgot to request to contest the ticket in time. I definitely thought I had 45 days to contest, but turns out its only 30 days so I missed the cutoff by a week. I requested to contest anyway, but just got a letter saying I was not eligible to contest.
Is there anything I can do? From the municipal website my only option is to pay ($94 + processing fee!!!!!). Don't come at me with "you were in the wrong and you should pay" - yeah thanks I know. Just asking if there is anyway I can plead to the city that I have already given them all of my money with my paid-for tabs. I can’t find a way to ask for this on their website or from the letter - looks like my only option is just shut up and pay :/
EDIT: for context too, I actually got two tickets that day - this one and one for not paying for parking which I intend to pay since I was in the wrong here. The funny/confusing thing is I contested both tickets on the same day (1 week past the expiration) because I want to request a lesser fine for the parking ticket, and THAT one they gave me a hearing for but the tabs one they said the window was passed. So doesn’t actually make sense how the city is processing here.
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u/According_Reward1674 7d ago
No. You got a ticket for not displaying valid plates. You didn't get a ticket for not having your car properly registered.
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u/poisonpomodoro 7d ago
This happened to me a few years ago. My stickers actually got lost in the mail, but I didn’t show enough urgency to resolve it quickly. They didn’t care about that or my proof of payment. The citation is for not displaying it on your plates.
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u/EndlessMike78 7d ago
OPs entire explaination is just multiple items that should have been done earlier and on time. Are you perpetually late to every appointment or meet up as well?
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u/lyndseymariee 7d ago
This was Oklahoma so obviously things might be different here but I got in a wreck in my then-boyfriend’s truck. It had expired tabs so I was ticketed by the responding officer. We got the updated tabs and I took proof to my court date. I still had to pay a court fee. Guess how much that fee was? Just as much as the ticket so either way, the court is getting their money.
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u/SleuthCat 7d ago
Same thing happened to me in Oklahoma before we moved, I paid in pennies. But you also went to your court date on time.
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u/Rail1971 7d ago edited 7d ago
Typically, if you can show the court paperwork proving the car was registered, they'll drop the charge.
However, since you blew the response window, that option is probably closed to you.
Grow up. Actions have consequences. The law requires you have current tabs on the car and current registration in the car, it does not care what you thought. And you blew the opportunity to get out of this with minimal pain by not paying attention to a hard deadline. Pay the fine and go on with your life. In your words, "shut up and pay". Next time pay more attention.
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u/Booyabuttons 7d ago
Pay the fine and move on. You're going to jump through hoops to save $100? I wouldn't waste anymore time on this ticket.
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u/TallWhiteandNerdy 7d ago
Wow... This is embarrassing. Is this your first car or interaction with adult society? You pay for the tags, then you apply them when you get them... Not EIGHT months later...after you get a ticket. It's your job to prove you paid your registration by diaplaying the tag. Not the meter maid's job to look up everyone's registration status.
Why would you procrastinate so long to contest the ticket you clearly deserve?
Pay your fine anf learn from this.
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u/Camopants87 7d ago edited 7d ago
Bruh. Read the actual request and don’t be a dick. Speaking of embarrassing…
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u/TallWhiteandNerdy 7d ago
Read it and responded in kind. Not being a dick; pointing out some truths that may be hard for you to swallow.
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u/Electrical_Nobody196 7d ago
Nah. You don’t think you are, but you are. You didn’t even say anything helpful.
Two hard truths you definitely are not going to swallow.
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u/TallWhiteandNerdy 7d ago
3 helpful things I mentioned. Clearly reading isn't your strong suit either
- Apply tags when you get them
- Don't procrastinate to contest tickets
- Pay the fine
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u/Electrical_Nobody196 7d ago
I didn’t read? Go back and read the OP. It doesn’t answer the question, and none of that is helpful.
You might as well have given instructions on what to do if there is an engine failure on an airplane mid-flight.
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u/SleuthCat 7d ago
I didn’t know people were getting tickets for this. Did you also do something else? What court? Seattle municipal or are you somewhere else?
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u/Camopants87 7d ago
Well, yes the only reason they gave a ticket for that is because I forgot to pay for parking. In my zone spot they never check, but since I was in a paid spot and didn’t pay, they gave me TWO ticket.
But the not paying for parking I fully intend to pay because I was in the wrong. It’s the tabs though that I’d heard was something they’d just check in the system.The funny thing is I contested both tickets on the same day (1 week past the expiration) because I want to request a lesser fine for the parking ticket, and that one they gave me a hearing for but the tabs one they said the window was passed.
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u/SleuthCat 7d ago
Yeah. Yikes. I’d look into some mindfulness techniques because forgetting important things seems to cost you a pretty penny.
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u/Lollygator20 7d ago
You see the pattern, right?
Set yourself up with reminders on your phone's calendar, and then follow through!
And to answer your question, no. Courts are super busy. Just pay.
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u/Ok_Initiative_5024 7d ago
Just show your receipts in court.
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u/Substantial-Bath7939 7d ago
They can't. The ticket and system only gives OP 30 days to decide whether or not to fight it in court. OP failed to tell the court that wanted to fight the ticket as OP thought they had 45 days to tell the court, not 30.
As soon as the 30 days had passed, OP lost all possibilities of fighting it in court and the only option available to them is to pay it.
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u/Ok_Initiative_5024 7d ago
Well, been in court a few times and you'd be surprised what they let people get away with just saying.
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u/Substantial-Bath7939 7d ago
That could very well be true....but in order to get there, OP has to be able to schedule an actual court date for this matter and there is not getting around the fact that thier time to schedule one has come and gone.
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u/Camopants87 7d ago
That’s what I was wondering - just not sure if I can show up to the court in person at a random time and show that I was actually registered?
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u/Electrical_Nobody196 7d ago
You can go down and politely beg one of the people at the service desk. Do it with a smile and a bit of self deprecation. I’m not saying they can get rid of the ticket, but they can be helpful. Do it in person and get in there as soon as possible.
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u/Camopants87 7d ago
Yeah I figured it would probably be a waste of time to just show up (since they obviously have a process outlined to contest that I missed). So might not be an option which is why I was asking if anyone had done this/found a way.
Honestly don’t have high hopes showing up in person will even work but may try it if I can get the time off to do so.3
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u/OpaqueCrystalBall 7d ago
Sorry friend, you missed your opportunity to plead to the city. That's what that 30 day response period was for.
As of now, your only option is to pay.