Chicago launches traffic ticket debt relief program

CHICAGO - Motorists in Chicago will be able to pay off their old traffic ticket debt to the city without paying any late fees or interest starting this month.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said the program was meant to reform what it called an "outdated and punitive fines and fees system," according to a city news release.

How it works

What we know:

Starting on Tuesday, Chicago motorists and businesses with eligible ticket debt issues on or before December 31, 2023, will be able to settle their balances without having to pay late penalties, interest, or additional fees if they pay in full by June 30 of this year.

Which violations are eligible?

What you can do:

Johnson’s office said the following types of ticketed violations are eligible for the program:

• Non-meter parking tickets and standing violations, (e.g. parked with the driver inside)
• Compliance violations (e.g. expired registration, missing city sticker or license plate)
• Automated speed and red-light camera tickets

Tickets currently in a payment plan are eligible as well if they are paid in full by June 30.

The program will also waive seizure fees like towing, storage, booting, vehicle immobilization device tampering and bounced check penalties with limited exceptions.

Johnson’s program will also allow for commercial driveway and sign debt relief which will include violations for:

• Not paying the required driveway permit fees
• Not securing a permit to use or build on the public way
• Improper construction of a driveway over a sidewalk

Tickets for these types of violations must have been issued and adjudicated on or before Dec. 31, 2023.

Exclusions:

The program excludes expired parking meter violations and any violation where the city has filed a case in court or started administrative proceedings to collect the debt.

What they're saying:

Johnson framed the program as a way to show his commitment to "economic justice" and implement "fiscal systems that work for working people, not against them."

"Too many working families in Chicago, especially in communities long overlooked and underinvested, have been trapped in cycles of ticket debt that grow faster than their ability to pay," said Johnson in a statement. "This program gives people a path forward. By eliminating penalties and late fees, we’re offering real economic relief and demonstrating that City government can be a partner in building financial stability, not a barrier to it."