How to contest a Chicago parking ticket — including LV2 tickets.

You have three options: online, by mail, or in person. LV2 tickets have a few specific defenses that are worth knowing before you just pay.

You have 21 days from the ticket date to contest it. After that, the ticket is considered admitted and you lose the right to a hearing. Don't wait.

Your three options for contesting

The City of Chicago lets you contest parking tickets in three ways. All three are legitimate and result in the same kind of review — an administrative hearing officer looking at the evidence.

Online: Fastest. Go to chicago.gov parking tickets. You submit your defense in writing with any photos you have. A hearing officer reviews and decides.
By mail: Write your defense on the back of the ticket or on a separate paper, include any supporting photos, and mail it to the address on the ticket. Keep a copy.
In person: Appear at a Department of Administrative Hearings location. You make your case verbally in front of a hearing officer. Good if your defense is complicated or you have physical evidence.

What actually wins at a hearing

Hearing officers are not looking for creative arguments. They're looking for one of these:

The violation didn't happen. The ticket contains a factual error — wrong plate number, wrong address, wrong date — that you can document.
The sign was missing or illegible. If the sign that posted the restriction wasn't visible, you have a defense. Photo evidence is critical.
Procedural error on the ticket. An officer filling out a ticket incorrectly (wrong violation code, etc.) can void it.
You weren't the registered owner at the time. If you sold the car before the ticket date, you can contest with proof of sale.

"I didn't know" and "I was only there for a few minutes" are not winning defenses. Neither is "I was running late." Only documented factual issues win.

LV2-specific defenses

If you got an LV2 ticket near Wrigley Field, there are a few defenses specific to how the program works:

Was there actually a game or concert that day?

LV2 is only in effect on Cubs home game dates (including postseason) and concert dates at Wrigley Field. If you can show there was no scheduled event on the date of your ticket, the restriction shouldn't have applied. Check the LV2 Park schedule and cross-reference with the MLB schedule or Ticketmaster.

Was the sign clearly posted on your block?

LV2 restrictions apply to posted streets only. If the LV2 sign on your block was missing, damaged, or obscured, photograph it and use it as your defense. "No sign visible" is one of the more successful approaches for permit zone tickets.

Was the ticket issued before 5 PM?

LV2 enforcement runs from 5 PM to 10 PM. If the ticket timestamp shows a time before 5:00 PM, the restriction wasn't yet in effect. Check the timestamp on your ticket carefully — this is a real error that happens.

The hearing process

Submit your contest within 21 days of the ticket date.
If you contest by mail or online, you'll get a written decision by mail. It can take 4–8 weeks.
If you appear in person, the hearing typically takes 10–15 minutes. Bring all your documentation.
If you lose, you can appeal to Circuit Court — but for most parking tickets the fine amount makes this impractical.

If your car was towed

Getting towed and getting a ticket are separate. You need to pay to get your car out of the pound regardless of whether you plan to contest the ticket. To find a towed car, call 311 or check the City's online tow locator. LV2 tows go to Auto Pound #6 at 701 N. Sacramento, (773) 265-7605. Minimum cost to retrieve is around $160–$200 plus the ticket fine.

After you get your car back, contest the ticket separately. The tow fee is typically not refundable even if the ticket is dismissed.

Know before game day.

Weekly LV2 schedule so you know exactly which days to move your car.