Appeal a Parking Violation

The Parking Clerk is an appointee of the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council. The duties of the parking clerk are outlined in Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 90, section 20A 1/2 - 20E. The Parking Clerk maintains and records all parking violations, applies payments and late fees, reports overdue violations to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor vehicles, issues registry releases, hears appeals and holds hearings.  Please note that the Parking Clerk will only render decisions on the parking violation.


Deadline


Recipients of parking violations in Gardner are required to submit payment or request a hearing within 21 days to appeal the violation. Appeals can be submitted online, in person, or by mail using the Parking Violation Appeals form.  If neither occurs within that time a late fee of $5 is imposed and an attempt is made to notify the vehicle owner.


Second Notice & Process


If the violation is still not paid or dismissed by the Parking Clerk, a second notice is sent and the violation is submitted to the Registry of Motor Vehicles to be “marked.” Once the violation has been marked, the owner may not renew his or her driver’s license or vehicle registration until the original fine, late fees and a $20 Registry of Motor Vehicles fee has been paid (by cash or money order only) and a release issued.


Methods of Appeal


You may appeal a violation online, by mail, or in person. If you have questions related to the appeal process, please, contact the office via email or phone. Upon receipt, the appeal will be reviewed and a response will be made in writing. If you are not satisfied with the response, a formal hearing may be requested. At a formal hearing, only new information not provided in the original appeal will be considered. The Parking Clerk will render a decision within 14 days in writing.


If you do not agree with the Parking Clerk’s decision, you may file a formal appeal with the Superior Court. There is a filing fee to appeal at the Superior Court level.