AB503: Indigent Payment Plan for Parking Citations

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Options for Indigent Persons

As of July 1, 2018, Assembly Bill 503 (AB 503) allows indigent persons as defined in CA Veh Code § 40220 to pay unpaid parking fines and fees in monthly installments of no more than twenty-five dollars ($25) for total amounts due that are three hundred dollars ($300) or less.

Indigent persons have 60 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation, or 10 days after the administrative hearing determination, whichever is later, to apply for indigency determination and request an installment payment plan. Unpaid parking fines and fees shall be paid off within 18 months, with no prepayment penalty for balances paid off prior to the payment period expiring. Indigency determination must be approved before a payment arrangement can be made.

AB 503 waives all late fees and penalty assessments, exclusive of any state surcharges described in Sections 70372, 76000, and 76000.3 of the Government Code, if an indigent person enrolls in the payment plan. Waived late fees and penalty assessments may be reinstated if the person falls out of compliance with the payment plan.

The person may be allowed a one-time extension of 45 calendar days from the date the plan becomes delinquent to resume payments before the City may collect through the DMV. If the City already has filed with the DMV to collect penalties from an indigent individual, for one time only, if the registered owner or lessee enrolls in a payment plan and pays a late fee of no more than five ($5) dollars, the City will rescind said filing with the DMV.

Indigent persons shall be allowed to request an administrative hearing without payment of the parking penalty upon satisfactory proof of an inability to pay the amount due.

How to Qualify

To qualify for indigent determination, an application must be submitted, and include documentation that any of the following conditions are met:

(A) The person meets the income criteria as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 68632 of the Government Code.
(B) The person receives public benefits from any of the programs listed in subdivision (a) of Section 68632 of the Government Code.
(2) The person may demonstrate that he or she is indigent by providing either of the following information, as applicable:
- (A) Proof of income from a pay stub or another form of proof of earnings, such as a bank statement, that shows that the individual meets the income criteria set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 68632 of the Government Code, subject to review and approval by the processing agency or its designee. The processing agency or its designee shall not unreasonably withhold its approval.
- (B) Proof of receipt of benefits under the programs described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), including, but not limited to, an electronic benefits transfer card or another card, subject to review and approval by the processing agency. The processing agency or its designee shall not unreasonably withhold its approval.
(3) If a defendant’s indigent status is found to have been willfully fraudulent, his or her fines and fees reduction shall be overturned and the full amount of fines and fees shall be restored.

(Requirements from AB 503 Effective January 1, 2018.)

Application

Applications for indigency determination may be obtained in person at the City of Simi Valley City Hall at 2929 Tapo Canyon Road, or by clicking the link below.

Application for Indigency Determination

Completed applications and supporting documentation for indigency determination must be submitted to the Customer Services Division in person or by mail to:

City of Simi Valley
Customer Services Division
2929 Tapo Canyon Road
Simi Valley, CA 93063

If the registered owner of lessee fails to enroll in the payment plan within the time specified in the notice, or is not eligible for the payment plan because he or she is not indigent, Unpaid parking fines and fees shall be paid by the due date on the notice of parking violation.