You have the right to an appeal if your vehicle is ticketed, immobilized (booted), or towed.

Appealing Your Parking Ticket

If you received a parking ticket, and you believe the ticket was issued in error, you may appeal your ticket. Your appeal must be in writing and received by the City within twenty-one (21) days of the ticket being issued. 

You may submit your appeal online, by mail or in person.

ONLINE

The City of Wilmington has transitioned to a new enforcement vendor. Please visit https://wilmingtonde.rmcpay.com to appeal your parking ticket. Search for your ticket by citation number or licenses plate number. If your parking ticket is eligible for appeal, click “appeal” and fill out the online appeal form. 

BY MAIL

Mail your written appeal to:

City of Wilmington
P.O. Box 2308
Wilmington, DE 19899

Please note that your written appeal must be received by the City within twenty-one (21) days of the ticket being issued. If you choose to mail your appeal, please allow sufficient time for mail delivery.

IN PERSON

Bring your written appeal to:

Customer Service Center
Louis L. Redding City/County Building
800 N. French Street, 1st Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801

Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Contesting the Immobilization (Booting) or Towing of Your Vehicle 

*These procedures are set by the Department of Finance Policy 2019 – 01: Version 9.0 Rules for Collection of Delinquent Accounts (Revised October 15, 2024)

If your vehicle was immobilized or towed for unpaid parking or red-light tickets:

Vehicles are subject to immobilization once a vehicle owner has incurred $300 or more in outstanding and overdue parking and red-light tickets on vehicles registered to them.  Fines for tickets which are currently under appeal or are within the 21-day period to appeal are not counted when determining whether a vehicle owner has met the threshold for immobilization.

A vehicle owner who has received an immobilization warning or whose vehicle has been immobilized or towed for unpaid parking or red-light tickets may request a hearing to determine whether the threshold for immobilization or towing has been met, or that the immobilization or towing was the result of extraordinary circumstances (e.g., the vehicle owner was in the hospital or out of town due to a family emergency) or inability to pay.  The hearing will not be a second opportunity to challenge the validity of the parking or red-light ticket.  A neutral hearing officer will conduct the hearing.

Hearings will be available upon the vehicle owner’s request. The vehicle owner may choose to participate in the hearing either by phone, video (e.g., Zoom or Teams), or in person at the Louis L. Redding City/County Building.

To request a hearing, download and complete the Hearing Request Form, and mail it or drop it off in person to:

Customer Service Center
Louis L. Redding City/County Building
800 N. French Street, 1st Floor
Wilmington, Delaware 19801

Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. 

Call 311 (if you live within city limits), or (302) 576-2620 (if you live outside city limits) for assistance.

The request for a hearing should explain why you believe your vehicle should not have been immobilized or towed and include any supporting evidence. 

If the hearing officer determines that the vehicle was immobilized or towed in error, the vehicle will be immediately released to the registered owner.

If the hearing officer determines that the vehicle was properly immobilized or towed, the registered owner will be provided a record of all outstanding and overdue tickets required to be paid.  A vehicle owner may request a payment agreement from the City to pay outstanding parking or redlight tickets before or during the hearing.

Hearings are available within 7 (seven) days of a vehicle being towed.  A vehicle owner may request a hearing within 45 (forty-five) days of the vehicle being towed.  If a hearing is requested and held more than 7 (seven) days after the vehicle was towed, towing and storage fees will not be waived unless the hearing officer determines that:

• the vehicle was towed in error, or
• the vehicle owner can demonstrate extraordinary circumstances (e.g., the vehicle owner was in the hospital or out of town due to a family emergency).

If your vehicle was towed for something other than unpaid parking or red-light tickets:

A vehicle owner whose vehicle has been towed because of a parking or traffic violation may request a hearing to determine whether the vehicle was appropriately towed or towed as a result of extraordinary circumstances (e.g., the vehicle owner was in the hospital or out of town due to a family emergency).  A neutral hearing officer will conduct the hearing.  

Follow the procedure explained above to request a hearing.

Please be advised that this hearing is not an opportunity to challenge the validity of a parking or traffic ticket. If you believe your vehicle should not have been towed because you received a ticket that you believe was issued in error, you must appeal your ticket to the Justice of the Peace Court.  (See “Appealing Your Parking Tickets” for information on how to appeal a parking ticket.).  You must pay the applicable towing and storage fees under protest to the towing company to obtain the release of your vehicle and request a hearing with the City to contest the tow.   If your appeal in the Justice of the Peace Court is successful and the Court determines that you did not violate the law, please provide this information to the hearing officer, together with a receipt showing the amount of towing and storage fees you paid, and the City will reimburse you the towing and storage fees paid under protest. 

Obtaining a Vehicle Release Form for Towed Vehicles

If your vehicle has been towed due to outstanding parking or red-light tickets, you must obtain a Vehicle Release Form from the City in order to retrieve your vehicle from the tow company.

To obtain a Vehicle Release Form:

• Call the Department of Finance at 311 (if you live within the city limits) or (302) 576-2620 (if you live outside the city limits) to receive the total amount of outstanding parking fines, penalties and fees that are owed.
• Pay all your outstanding fines, penalties and fees owed on this vehicle by:
  • Paying in person at the City’s Revenue Division Customer Service Office on the 1st Floor of the Louis L. Redding City/County Building, 800 N. French Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.
  • Paying Online:
    • Red Light Tickets: www.wilmingtonparkingtickets.com
    • Parking Tickets: https://wilmingtonde.rmcpay.com/
  • Payment agreements to pay your outstanding fines, penalties and fees are available. Call 311 (if you live within the city limits) or (302) 576-2620 (if you live outside the city limits).
• Bring the following to the City’s Revenue Division Customer Service Office, Louis L. Redding City/County Building, 800 N. French Street, 1st Floor, Wilmington, Delaware 19801:
  • Valid driver’s license
  • Valid vehicle registration
  • $50 release fee

After you pay your outstanding fines and fees or enter into a payment agreement and make your first payment, you will receive a Vehicle Release Form.

Bring your Vehicle Release Form and payment for towing, storage, and miscellaneous fees (if any) to the tow company’s storage facility and your vehicle will be released to you. You will not be charged a daily storage fee if you pick-up your vehicle from the storage facility within seven (7) days of it being towed.

For additional information or assistance, please call 311 (if you live within the city limits) or (302) 576-2620 (if you live outside the city limits).