Parking tickets in Guelph: how to pay, dispute and what they cost
A Guelph parking ticket, now called a penalty notice, is due 30 days after it is served, and you have the same 30 days to ask for a screening review. Since May 1, 2025, Guelph handles parking tickets through its Administrative Penalty System, not the courts. Most 2026 penalties are $40 to $75; an accessible space is $365.
Facts checked November 10, 2026
Ways to pay
| Method | Where or how | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online [1] | City of Guelph parking portal (pay or dispute) | Use the penalty notice numberTickets issued before May 1, 2025 use the infraction number in the same portal. |
| In person[1] | ServiceGuelph, City Hall, 1 Carden Street, or the court counter at 59 Carden Street | Pay or file a screening request form at either counter |
| By mail[5] | City of Guelph, 1 Carden Street or 59 Carden Street (N1H 2Z9) | Cheque payable to the City of GuelphPayment is only credited when the City receives it, so mail it well before the due date. |
| By phone[2] | 1-877-678-8465 | Listed in the City’s court FAQ for parking payments |
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Disputing a ticket
- You have 30 days from the date the penalty notice is served to pay it or request a screening review, online through the parking portal or in person at ServiceGuelph or Court Services.[1] Official page
- Paying ends it: a penalty paid before a screening review is final and can’t be reviewed, unless the City finds an error on the face of the notice. Dispute first if you plan to.[4]
- A screening officer reviews the notice and what you send, then confirms, reduces or cancels the penalty, or gives you more time to pay. The decision comes in writing, by email.[2]
- Can’t afford it? Financial hardship can be considered at screening: the penalty may be reduced and more time given. Ask for an extension of time to pay in your screening request.[2]
- Missed the 30 days? Email the Extension of Time to Request Screening Review form to screeningofficer@guelph.ca, explaining why you were late. It must show extenuating circumstances, and no request is accepted after 60 days from the issue date.[1]
- Disagree with the screening decision? Request a hearing review within 30 days of it (an extension can be asked for up to 60 days). Hearings are held on Zoom, and the hearing officer’s decision is final.[1]
- Not the registered owner? Send the APS Client, Owner-Agent Authorization Form with the request. Lost the notice? Ask Court Services for the number at courtservices@guelph.ca or 519-826-0762.[2]
- Penalty notices in Guelph can be issued by by-law officers, police officers and private parking contractors.[2]
Penalty amounts (2026)
- Private and municipal property: meter violation, no parking stub, or parked on municipal property without consent, $40; parked on private property without consent, $50. City lots (no stub, unpaid fee, over 18 hours): $40.[3]
- On the street: no parking zone, over the time limit, expired meter, in front of or within 1 m of a driveway, within 15 m of an intersection, wrong angle: $50.[3]
- Parked on a street between 2:00 and 6:00 a.m.: $50. Parked within 3 m of a fire hydrant, or with invalid plates or no current sticker: $55.[3]
- On a street over 48 consecutive hours, or on a sidewalk between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m.: $60.[3]
- Taxi stand, school bus loading zone, stopped in an intersection or roundabout, or along a fire route: $70. No stopping zone or obstructing traffic: $75.[3]
- Parked during a temporary parking ban: $90. Interfering with a City emergency service: $145.[3]
- Accessible parking space without a permit, public or private, or blocking one with snow or an object: $365.[3]
Late fees, plate denial and avoiding a ticket
- Miss the 30 days and fees are added: an $11 MTO search fee, then a $25 late payment fee. If it stays unpaid, the City sends a plate denial notice giving 15 days to pay, then adds a $22 fee and sends the file for plate denial, so you can’t renew your plate.[2]
- An unpaid penalty is a debt to the City and can be added to the tax roll of a property in Guelph.[1]
- If a screening or hearing officer cancels the penalty, its fees are cancelled too; if you already paid, the City refunds the amount cancelled or reduced. Missing a screening you booked in person costs $75; missing a hearing costs $100.[4]
- Winter: from December 1 at 2 a.m. to April 1 at 2 a.m., street parking isn’t allowed from 2 to 6 a.m. unless signs say otherwise. A free winter exemption (2 vehicles, up to 2 days at a time, 12 a year) goes on sale after the third Wednesday in November and can be suspended during storms.[6]
- Downtown, free on-street parking is 2 hours once per day: once you leave the spot, the 2 hours are used up for the day and may be enforced. City lots and parkades charge 24/7: $3 an hour, $24 a day, $3 flat evenings, overnight and per weekend day.[7]
- Questions about a penalty notice: 519-822-1260 ext. 2423. Parking enforcement: ServiceGuelph, 519-822-1260, press 0.[1]
Common questions
How do I pay a parking ticket in Guelph?
Pay a Guelph penalty notice online in the City’s parking portal with the penalty notice number, in person at ServiceGuelph (1 Carden Street) or the court counter (59 Carden Street), by cheque to the City of Guelph, or by phone at 1-877-678-8465. You have 30 days.
How much is a parking ticket in Guelph?
Most Guelph parking penalties in 2026 are $40 to $75: $50 for a no parking zone, an expired meter or parking between 2 and 6 a.m., $55 near a fire hydrant, $60 over 48 hours, $70 in a fire route. A temporary parking ban is $90 and an accessible space $365.
What happens if you don’t pay a Guelph parking ticket?
After 30 days Guelph adds an $11 MTO search fee, then a $25 late payment fee. If it stays unpaid, a $22 fee is added and the penalty goes for plate denial, so you can’t renew your plate. It can also be added to a Guelph property’s tax roll.
How do I dispute a parking ticket in Guelph?
Request a screening review within 30 days, online in Guelph’s parking portal or in person at ServiceGuelph or Court Services. Don’t pay first: a paid penalty is final. If you disagree with the screening decision, ask for a hearing review within 30 days; hearings are on Zoom.
Can I dispute a Guelph parking ticket after 30 days?
Only with a reason. Between 30 and 60 days from the issue date, email Guelph’s Extension of Time to Request Screening Review form to screeningofficer@guelph.ca and explain the extenuating circumstances. After 60 days, Guelph doesn’t accept the request.
How much is an overnight parking ticket in Guelph?
From December 1 to April 1, parking on a Guelph street between 2 and 6 a.m. isn’t allowed unless signs say otherwise, and the penalty is $50. A free winter exemption covers up to 2 days at a time, 12 times a year.
Have a driveway near Guelph?
Listing is free. Set your own price, block the times you need the space, and eligible earnings are paid out every week.
Sources
- City of Guelph: Administrative Penalty System (APS)
- City of Guelph: Provincial Offences Court and APS FAQ
- City of Guelph: By-law (2025)-21188, Schedule A-1 parking penalties (from January 1, 2026)
- City of Guelph: Administrative Penalty By-law (2025)-21055 with schedules
- City of Guelph: City moves to an Administrative Penalty System for parking (May 2025)
- City of Guelph: Get a parking permit (winter parking)
- City of Guelph: Find a parking spot Downtown Guelph
Rates and rules change. Check the official page before you park; these were last checked November 10, 2026.
Researched by the Parkeas team from the official pages above. Parkeas is independent: not affiliated with the Cities, venues, hospitals or universities named in these guides. How we check these guides
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