You must pay the ticket or request a hearing within 21 days.
Did you receive a ticket for a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation? Find out how to respond to it.
- This page, Pay a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket, is offered by
- District Court
- Boston Municipal Court
- Massachusetts Court System
Pay a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket
Contacts
Boston Municipal Court Department and District Court Department
The Details of Pay a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket
What you need for Pay a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket
If you receive a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket, you have 21 days to pay it. Otherwise, you need to request a hearing within 21 days. Fines can be up to $300, and vary depending on the ordinance or bylaw.
The procedure for paying a fine varies depending on whether or not the town who issued the ticket has adopted G.L. c. 40U, which allows cities and towns more control over enforcing penalties, particularly for violations of ordinances or bylaws about sanitation, housing, and snow and ice removal.
How to pay Pay a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket
- For tickets from cities or towns that haven't adopted G.L. c. 40U — You must return the ticket with payment to the city or town clerk or to the clerk-magistrate of the District Court or Boston Municipal Court (BMC) with your request for a civil hearing. The hearing may be held by a clerk or judge.
- For tickets from cities or towns that have adopted G.L. c.40U — You may either pay the ticket to the city or town clerk or request review a hearing from the municipal hearing officer. If you have a hearing before the municipal officer and are unhappy with the result, you may appeal for review within 10 days from a clerk-magistrate of the District Court or BMC.
For tickets from cities or towns that have adopted G.L. c.40U, you also have the option of requesting review of the ticket by mail.
More info for Pay a city or town ordinance or bylaw violation ticket
If you don't pay the fine, there are 2 different procedures, depending on whether the city or town that issued the ticket has adopted G.L. c. 40U or not.
- Cities and towns that haven't adopted G.L. c. 40U — The city or town may file an application for criminal complaint, which is then scheduled for a court hearing.
- Cities and towns that have adopted G.L. c. 40U — The ticket may be prosecuted criminally. For municipal violations of housing, sanitary, or snow and ice requirements, the city or town may notify the property owner and manager by mail. After 30 days, the unpaid fine becomes a lien on the property.