Service of parking citation by mail.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 16-69
in effectSec. 16-69. - Service of parking citation by mail.
(a) In addition to the methods of service provided in section 16-64, a parking citation may be served on the registered owner or operator of a motor vehicle by mail. A citation must be mailed by a peace officer or other authorized parking compliance agent designated by or upon authority of the city, not later than the 30th day after the alleged violation.
(b) It is presumed that the registered owner of the motor vehicle that is the subject of the administrative hearing is the person who parked or stopped the vehicle at the time and place of the offense charged.
(c) A citation served by mail under this section must be mailed to:
(1) The owner's address as shown on the registration records of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles; or
(2) If the motor vehicle is registered in another state or country, the owner's address as shown on the registration records of the appropriate agency of that state or country.
(d) If mailed, the citation must also include:
(1) A description of the alleged violation;
(2) The location where the violation occurred;
(3) The date and time of the violation;
(4) The name and address of the owner of the motor vehicle involved in the violation;
(5) The license plate number of the motor vehicle involved in the violation;
(6) A copy of a recorded image of the violation, including a depiction of the area of the registration number displayed on the license plate of the motor vehicle involved in the violation;
(7) The amount of the civil fine for which the owner is liable;
(8) The number of days the person has to pay or contest the imposition of the civil fine, and a statement that the person may incur a late payment penalty if the civil fine is not paid or the imposition of the fine is not contested within that period;
(9) A statement that the person may pay the civil fine in person, by mail sent to a specified address, or by electronic means instead of appearing at the time and place of the administrative adjudication hearing;
(10) Information that informs the person:
a. Of the owner's right to contest the imposition of the civil fine against the person in an administrative adjudication hearing;
b. That imposition of the civil fine may be contested by appearing at the administrative adjudication hearing, whether conducted in person, online, or by other electronic means designated by the local authority; and
c. That failure to pay the civil fine or to contest liability for the penalty in a timely manner is an admission of liability and a waiver of the owner's right to appeal the imposition of the civil penalty; and
(11) A statement that a recorded image is evidence in a proceeding for the imposition of a civil fine.
(e) A citation served by mail is presumed received on the tenth day after the date of mailing. The appearance date shall be the 30th day after the presumed date of receipt, for a total period of 40 days from the date of mailing. Except as modified by this section, all provisions of this article governing adjudication, hearings, appeals, and enforcement apply to citations served by mail.
(f) A citation served by mail is not invalid and may not be dismissed solely due to the omission of, or an error in, one or more of the elements required by subsection (d), if the citation complies with the requirements of section 682.006 of the Texas Transportation Code, and the citation substantially complies with all other requirements of this section.
(Ord. No. 2026-0803, § 6, 9-23-2026)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH16MUCO_ARTIVADPACI_S16-69SEPACIMAFetched: 10/26/2026