HOUSTON – Houston drivers could soon receive parking citations instead of finding them on their windshields, under a new ordinance being considered by Houston City Council.
The proposed change would give parking enforcement officers the option to mail citations directly to vehicle owners. Drivers would have 40 days from the date the ticket is written to pay the fine or contest it. Windshield citations would still remain an option.
According to the city’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department, the updates are not a complete overhaul of parking regulations — but rather a modernization effort.
“The updates to the ordinance help clarify technology requirements, remove outdated references, improve compliance, and support the safe and efficient management of public streets and parking spaces,” the Administration and Regulatory Affairs department said.
What’s changing — and what isn’t
The proposed amendments include updating terminology and job titles, removing references to programs or practices no longer in use, and updating language related to parking permits and enforcement technology. The changes also clarify provisions related to booting and delinquent vehicles.
As for cost, the city said any expenses tied to mailed citations — such as postage — would be covered through existing parking operations budgets, with no new funding required.
The ordinance is also being updated to give the city more flexibility with technology going forward.
“The amendments allow the City to modernize parking operations by removing outdated references and giving the City flexibility to use current and future technology without having to revise the ordinance each time technology changes,” the department said.
Reaction from Houston drivers
Not everyone is on board with the idea. Aaron Robinson said the change gives him pause.
“I’m a little nervous about that because I don’t get half of my mail at the time,” Robinson said. “If something is coming to me and I don’t have it and I can get in trouble for it, that is a whole other thing right there.”
Julie Stuhrenberg was equally skeptical.
“I think that is a terrible idea,” Stuhrenberg said. “I think if you have a violation just put it in your car, take care of it. Mailing it, watching you, all those things, is not a good idea.”
How the new system would work
If the ordinance passes, the city would have 30 days following a violation to issue a citation. The ticket would be mailed to the address tied to the vehicle’s registered license plates through the DMV, with the presumption that the registered owner was driving at the time.
Robinson noted that linking a ticket to an owner isn’t always straightforward.
“You can tow a car, you can ticket a car, but it can be somebody else’s — it can be rideshare — so there has to be something that says this is yours to be able to match you,” he said.
Each mailed citation would include the type of violation, the date, time and location of the incident, a photo or video of the violation along with the license plate number, and the fine amount. Drivers would be able to pay in person, by mail or online.
Council members weigh in
Houston City Council Member At-Large Twila Carter called the changes a positive move for the city.
“These changes are a step forward in modernizing the enforcement of parking regulations,” Carter said. “The transition should be an easy one, as the city will continue to place citations on vehicles and as we implement the rollout of mailing citations.”
Carter added that extending the response window is designed to make the process more manageable for drivers.
“Extending the timeframe from 30 days to 40 days to respond to a citation should make the process easier for all involved,” she said.
Other council members also describe the ordinance as necessary to clarify language in the current city parking ordinance, adding that mailing citations would help officers avoid potential confrontations with the public in certain situations.
The vote is on Wednesday.
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