With a new year comes new, increased parking fines in Seattle

Starting Jan. 1, Seattle residents and visitors will be paying more for parking tickets if they park in an illegal spot within the city.

Previously, most parking fines ranged from $29 to $53, depending on the type of violation. In 2025, the new fines will start at $43 and can reach as much as $78 — an approximate 33% increase in cost. The only parking tickets that exceed $78 are if a car is parked illegally in a disabled zone, has a forged parking permit or if a “junked” car is using a city parking spot.

This is the first increase in parking citations since 2011. The full list of the citations and their attached costs can be found here.

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The City of Seattle cited the price hikes are to account for inflation and current parking rates.

The Center Square reported that parking infraction penalties are estimated to reach $17.2 million in 2024, more than $5 million less than the $22.4 million parking citations netted in 2023. This parking fine increase is expected to reach approximately $23.8 million in both 2025 and 2026.

Seattle Police Department (SPD) parking enforcement officers are responsible for enforcing all parking regulations and violations on city property.

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Last October, the price of parking increased by 50 cents per hour in more than a quarter of the parking spots in nine Seattle neighborhoods. The most expensive jumps were $6 an hour in the afternoon in Ballard and Columbia City and $6.50 for an hour of afternoon parking in Fremont and the Pike, Pine downtown area.

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.