Unpaid or unanswered parking and photo enforcement tickets may result in the immobilization (booting) of your vehicle. Your vehicle may be booted if you have two or more outstanding parking and/or photo enforcement tickets—even if you are legally parked at the time the car is booted.

DC DMV does not boot or tow vehicles, but does accept payment to release your vehicle from a boot or from an impound lot if it has been towed there.

To release your booted or towed vehicle, you must pay ALL outstanding ticket fines and citations associated with your name, including those from current and previously owned vehicles. Additional outstanding charges under your name must also be paid prior to the release of your vehicle.

Additionally, if you do not pay your ticket and any fines associated with it, within the time allowed and you are a District resident, any overdue or outstanding ticket debt may be deducted from your DC tax refund. Additionally, if you are a District resident, you may not be able to get a driver license or register a vehicle if you have outstanding ticket debt.

If your ticket debt gets referred to a collections agency, you can call that agency directly. If you have more questions about ticket debt collections, you can call the District’s call center at 311.