Owning a vehicle isn’t cheap, so many people opt to rent or borrow for infrequent trips. What happens, however, when the vehicle receives a ticket? Who is responsible and who has to pay?

Lent Vehicles

Lending your vehicle to someone, whether they be family or friend, comes with obvious risks. A parking or camera ticket is one of them. The Department of Finance assigns tickets by license plate number, so if your car was on the road, you’re the one who is responsible for the ticket. Unfortunately, the City assigns tickets by license plate and does not know that your cousin was the one driving, so it’s up to you to make sure that the ticket gets paid.

Rented Vehicles

Perhaps you’re visiting another city across the country and found it impractical to bring your car. Or maybe you’re moving and need to rent a van or truck. Whatever your reason is for renting, it’s still upsetting to come back to an orange envelope.

Similarly to lending a vehicle, the owner of the license plate is the one who is responsible for the ticket. In the case of a rented vehicle, the owner of the vehicle is the rental company. That doesn’t let you get off scot-free, though. You still have to pay for the ticket.

Each rental company is different, so be sure to review their ticket policy before you pay. While some have you pay the City directly, others take care of the ticket themselves and then bill you. Be careful not to double pay!