HOUSTON – Houston drivers could soon find parking tickets in their mailboxes instead of tucked under their windshield wipers.
Starting next week, parking enforcement officers will have the option to mail citations directly to the vehicle’s registered owner. Windshield tickets will still be allowed.
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Drivers will have 40 days from the date the ticket is written to pay the fine or contest it.
The change comes after Houston City Council unanimously approved the ordinance. The measure passed on the consent agenda and is being described as a modernization of the city’s parking rules -- not a complete overhaul.
According to the city’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department, the updates clarify technology requirements, remove outdated references, improve compliance and support the safe, efficient management of public streets and parking spaces.
What’s changing — and what isn’t
Under the new process, the city will have 30 days after a violation to issue a citation. The ticket will be mailed to the address connected to the vehicle’s license plate through the DMV.
The citation will include:
- The type of violation
- The date, time and location
- A photo or video of the violation
- The vehicle’s license plate number
- The fine amount
Drivers will be able to pay in person, by mail or online.
The ordinance also updates language involving parking permits, enforcement technology, booting and delinquent vehicles. It gives the city more flexibility to use newer technology without having to rewrite the ordinance every time the technology changes.
The city says any mailing costs will be covered through existing parking operations budgets, with no new funding required.
Reaction from Houston drivers
Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of receiving a ticket in the mail.
“I’m a little nervous about that because I don’t get half of my mail at the time,” said Houston driver Aaron Robinson. “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 also skeptical.
“I think that is a terrible idea,” she said. “I think if you have a violation just put it in your car, take care of it.”
Robinson also questioned how the city will make sure the ticket goes to the right person, especially when a vehicle may be borrowed, rented or used for rideshare.
“You can tow a car, you can ticket a car, but it can be somebody else’s,” he said. “So there has to be something that says this is yours to be able to match you.”
Why the city says it’s making the change
Houston City Council Member At-Large Twila Carter called the updates a positive step toward modernizing parking enforcement.
She said the transition should be manageable because officers can still leave citations on vehicles while the city rolls out the mailed-ticket option.
Carter also said the additional time to respond—40 days instead of 30—is intended to make it easier for drivers to pay or contest a citation.
Council members said the ordinance also clarifies the existing parking rules and could help officers avoid confrontations with the public in some situations.
