ARTICLE VII. Administration, Enforcement, Penalties and Collection.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-49 (2026)
Sec. 31-49. Reserved.LinkCopy Citation
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-50 (2026)
Sec. 31-50. Applicability of article.LinkCopy Citation
This article shall apply to the administration and enforcement of the provisions and regulations of this chapter and to the assessment of penalties and the collection thereof by the county for violation of said provisions and regulations. Unless otherwise provided, this article shall also apply to the collection by the county of any fines, penalties, costs or other charges which may be assessed pursuant to any other provision or regulation contained elsewhere in this Code relative to the unlawful parking of a vehicle.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-51 (2026)
Sec. 31-51. Enforcement and administration; fines and penalties; signs.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Authority of County Council. The Council must set by Council resolution adopted as provided in Section 2-57A a schedule of fines or other penalties for violations of this Chapter, except that:
(1)
the fine for parking in a fire lane must not exceed $250;
(2)
the fine for violating restrictions on parking in a space reserved for individuals with disabilities must not exceed $250; and
(3)
other fines and penalties must not exceed those imposed for a class B violation;
(b)
Authority of County Executive. The County Executive may:
(1)
adopt regulations under method (3) to administer this Chapter, including regulations that govern the collection of fines, penalties, costs, and other charges;
(2)
waive a fine, penalty, cost, or other charge when:
(A)
there has been a material error in the preparation of a notice of violation; or
(B)
the fine, penalty, cost, or other charge has been improperly assessed;
(3)
if a claim for a refund is made within 1 year after payment, refund the amount of any over payment of a fine, penalty, cost, or other charge paid in error or improperly assessed; and
(4)
delegate any power, duty, or function necessary to implement this Chapter to any agent, representative, or employee of the County.
(c)
Signs. Any sign marking a fire lane or space reserved for individuals with disabilities installed after May 31, 1994, should include the amount of the fine for illegally parking in the lane or space.
(d)
Waivers and refunds. The Director of Transportation must submit a quarterly report to the County Executive that identifies all fines, penalties, costs, and other charges that have been waived or refunded as authorized under subsection (b)(2) and (3).
(e)
Other jurisdictions. The County Executive may enter into a written agreement with the governing body of any municipality or special taxing area to provide central administration and collection of fines and penalties under this Chapter.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-52 (2026)
Sec. 31-52. Duties and responsibilities of the Department of Transportation.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
The Director of Transportation must maintain records of and control the issuance of pre- numbered parking violation notices to the Department of Police and other departments authorized by the County Executive to enforce the law relative to illegal parking.
(b)
The Director shall maintain receivable files for all parking violation notices issued by the said officers of said agencies and record the final disposition of each notice of violation issued.
(c)
All fines, penalties, costs and other charges imposed by this chapter for illegal parking violations shall be payable to Montgomery County, Maryland and the Director shall administer and collect all such charges in accordance with the written regulations imposed by the county executive and by this chapter.
(d)
Upon receipt of notification that the recipient of a notice of violation intends to stand trial for said offense, the Director shall notify the court and forward such records as necessary to conduct said trial. In addition, notice shall also be given to the officer who issued said notice of violation to advise said officer that his presence at the trial has been requested by the defendant.
(e)
The Director may, in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the state motor vehicle administration and state law, give or cause to be given notice to said administration of all vehicles registered by the state and the subject of any outstanding and past due parking violation of this Code and request that the administration refuse registration or transfer of registration of the subject vehicle, until notified by the county that said violation has been satisfied.
In such cases, the Director of finance may impose an additional cost of ten dollars ($10.00), or as may be otherwise established from time to time by the county executive by executive regulation adopted under method (3) of section 2A-15 of this Code, for each registration withheld; and the owner of the vehicle shall be subject to payment of such costs, and all other fines, penalties and charges before notice is given to the administration that the subject violation has been satisfied and the registration is released.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-53 (2026)
Sec. 31-53. Authority of parking enforcement officers; penalty for failure to obey parking enforcement officers.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Parking enforcement officers, appointed under the regulations of the county personnel board and so designated by the county executive and appropriately uniformed so as to be identified as enforcement officers, are authorized to patrol designated areas of the county for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this chapter. Such officers have concurrent jurisdiction with the police officers of the county as to the enforcement of all parking, use and conduct provisions and regulations applicable to county streets, highways, alleys, public parking facilities and other property of the county and to privately owned public parking facilities when such facilities are regulated by county traffic orders; except that, such officers shall not have concurrent jurisdiction or authority with police officers of the county to enforce any provision of this chapter relative to moving motor vehicle violations.
(b)
Parking enforcement officers shall have the power to issue a notice of violation to any motor vehicle or other vehicle owner or operator when such person’s vehicle is found parked in violation of any provision of this chapter, and to issue a summons to appear before a judge of the district court to any person violating any provision or regulation of this chapter.
(c)
Such officers are further empowered to temporarily restrict motor vehicles from parking in any public parking space in the event of an emergency, public assembly, street or public parking facility cleaning or maintenance operation or for any other public purpose.
(d)
Such officers are empowered to impound or immobilize motor vehicles as provided in this chapter.
(e)
Such officers are authorized and empowered to require any person found violating or suspected of having violated any provision of this chapter to present personal identification in the form of a motor vehicle operator’s permit and motor vehicle registration or other suitable identification for the purpose of obtaining such person’s name and address, proof of vehicle ownership or other information as may be required by the district court when charging said person with a violation of this chapter.
(f)
Such officers are further empowered to direct the owner or operator of any motor vehicle or trailer involved in or the subject of three (3) or more outstanding past-due violations of this chapter, to present identification as provided in the preceding section and to report immediately to the nearest collection agency and pay all outstanding and past due fines, penalties and costs assessed pursuant to violations of this chapter in lieu of said officer impounding or immobilizing the subject vehicle for such outstanding and past due violations. Any person failing to report to the collection agent for payment of delinquent fines as directed by a parking enforcement officer shall be subject to arrest or being issued a summons to appear in court as provided in section 31-59 of this chapter.
(g)
It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to obey or comply with a lawful order of a parking enforcement officer.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-54 (2026)
Sec. 31-54. Duty of police officers or other authorized persons to issue notice of violation.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Any police officer, or other authorized person designated by the county executive, finding a vehicle parked in violation of this chapter shall prepare a notice of violation to the owner or operator of said vehicle on a form prescribed by the county and shall attach said notice to the subject vehicle.
(b)
Said notice of violation shall report:
(1)
The vehicle identification by registration state and number.
(2)
The section of this Code said vehicle was parked in violation of.
(3)
The date, time and location of said violation.
(4)
The amount of fine charged for said violation.
(5)
The name of the officer reporting the violation.
(6)
Any other facts, a knowledge of which is necessary to a thorough understanding of the circumstances attending such violation.
(7)
In any case involving a vehicle parked at a parking meter after parking time has expired, the parking meter number shall also be reported.
(c)
Each notice of violation shall instruct the owner or operator, or either of them, to pay within 15 days to the Department of Transportation as penalty for the violation, the fine specified by Council resolution under this Article, or to give written notice, within 15 days, to the Department, of the owner or operator’s intention to stand trial for the violation in the District Court.
(d)
It shall be the duty of each police officer or other authorized person to report each such violation to the Department immediately or as soon thereafter as possible.
(e)
The notice and report as provided in this section shall bear corresponding serial numbers. All notices assigned for issuance by police officers or other persons shall be reported and fully accounted for by the respective officer or person to whom the notices were assigned and any missing notices or reports shall be immediately reported to the Department and documented by such officer or person.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-55 (2026)
Sec. 31-55. Same, uniform charge of fine.LinkCopy Citation
It shall be the duty of each police officer of the county or other authorized person so designated by the county executive to charge uniformly and consistently the official fine as established by written regulation and provided for in the preceding sections, for violation of each respective parking regulation and provision of this chapter.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-56 (2026)
Sec. 31-56. Owner or operator of illegally parked vehicle to pay fine within fifteen days.LinkCopy Citation
Each owner or operator notified under the provisions of the preceding section, shall, within fifteen (15) days of time when such notice was issued, pay to the department of finance, as penalty and in full satisfaction of such violation, the sum amount of the fine as specified on such notice.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-57 (2026)
Sec. 31-57. Failure to pay or comply; penalty in addition to fine.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
If the owner or operator does not comply with the preceding sections and the instructions provided on a notice of violation within the period prescribed by this Article, the fine for such violation must be increased by an additional penalty set by Council resolution adopted under Section 2-57A.
(b)
Whenever the Department of Transportation or its agent can find, by reasonable access to state motor vehicle administration registration records, the name and address of the owner, the Department or agent must immediately notify the owner in writing that:
(1)
the violation is overdue and delinquent,
(2)
the additional penalty has been added, and
(3)
the owner’s failure to pay the entire fine and penalty makes the owner subject to the warrant and other penalties provided by this Chapter.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-58 (2026)
Sec. 31-58. Dishonored check charges.LinkCopy Citation
Whenever any check or draft tendered to the county in payment of any fine, penalty, cost or other charge as provided in this chapter is dishonored by a bank or otherwise returned as uncollectible, a charge of ten dollars ($10.00), or as may be otherwise established from time to time by the county executive by executive regulation adopted under method (3) of section 2A-15 of this Code, may be imposed and added to the amount due in order to defray the cost of its collection. In such cases, the county may require that the total amount due be paid in the form of a certified check or money order.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-59 (2026)
Sec. 31-59. Penalty for failure to pay fine or stand trial, when warrant may be issued.LinkCopy Citation
It shall be unlawful for any owner or operator of a vehicle or any person to fail to satisfy a notice of violation or summons issued to such person or attached to a vehicle owned by such person, fail to stand trial, fail to appear upon receipt of a summons or other written notification directing said person to appear before a judge of the district court and fail or refuse to make payment of fine for notice of violation within the time period specified by any provision of this chapter.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-60 (2026)
Sec. 31-60. Presumption of reference to illegal parking.LinkCopy Citation
In any prosecution charging a violation of any provision of this article governing the standing or parking of a vehicle or trailer, proof that the particular vehicle or trailer described in the notice of violation was parked in violation of such provision together with proof that the defendant named in the notice of violation was at the time of such parking the registered owner of such vehicle or trailer shall constitute in evidence a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of such vehicle or trailer was the person who parked or placed such vehicle or trailer at the point where, and for the time during which, such violation occurred.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-61 (2026)
Sec. 31-61. Duty of police officers and other authorized persons to issue summons to appear.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Any police officer or other authorized person designated by the county executive, having observed any person or having been furnished evidence that any person, business or corporation did violate any provision of this chapter, shall prepare a summons to appear before the district court on a form prescribed by the district court and shall present said summons to the person or an officer of the business or corporation charged.
(b)
The summons to appear shall cite the section of this chapter that said person, business or corporation violated and instruct said person or representative to appear before the district court on a specified date and time, or to pay, on or before the specified court date and time, as penalty and in full satisfaction for such violation, the fine as specified herein, or as shall otherwise be established from time to time by the district court of Montgomery County. It shall be the duty of each police officer or authorized person to report each such violation to the district court immediately or as soon thereafter as possible.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-62 (2026)
Sec. 31-62. Impounding or immobilizing vehicles after enumerated violations generally.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Members of the department of police or any authorized designee of the county executive are hereby authorized to remove a parked or unattended vehicle or trailer from a street, highway, public way, county property or privately owned public parking lot to the nearest police station, garage or other place of safety designated by the department of police or county executive if said vehicle or trailer has been involved in or the subject of three (3) or more outstanding, past due violations of this chapter.
(1)
Whenever a vehicle or trailer is removed from a street, highway, public way, county property or privately owned public parking lot as authorized in this chapter and the officer or agent knows or is able to ascertain from the registration records in the vehicle or trailer or the records of the state motor vehicle administration the name and address of the owner thereof, such officer or agent shall immediately give or cause to be given notice in writing to such owner of the fact of such removal and the reasons therefor, and the method by which release can be secured. A copy of said notice shall be sent to the department of finance and to the officer or proprietor in charge of the place where said vehicle is being held.
(2)
It shall be unlawful for any person to remove or permit the removal of a vehicle from the custody of the county without first obtaining authorization from the county, a court order or paying all fines, penalties, costs and other charges associated with the impoundment of said vehicle.
(b)
Members of the department of police or any authorized designee of the county executive are hereby authorized to immobilize, in such a manner as to prevent its operation, a parked or unattended vehicle or trailer, if such vehicle or trailer has been involved in or the subject of three (3) or more outstanding, past due violations of this chapter except that no such vehicle or trailer may be immobilized by any means other than the use of a device or mechanism that will cause no damage to such vehicle or trailer unless it is moved while such device or mechanism is in place.
(1)
In any case involving immobilization pursuant to this section, such officer or agent shall cause to be placed on such vehicle or trailer in a conspicuous manner notice sufficient to warn any individual to the effect that such vehicle has been immobilized and that any attempt to move such vehicle might result in damage to such vehicle. Said notice shall further instruct the owner or operator of the procedure to follow to secure release of the vehicle.
(2)
It shall be unlawful for any person to be found tampering with or removing or attempting to remove the immobilization device without authorization or found removing the warning notice.
(c)
In any case involving the impoundment or immobilization of a vehicle under this Section, an administrative cost set by Council resolution adopted under Section 2-57A must be charged to the owner or operator of the vehicle, in addition to all outstanding fines and penalties assessed for violations of this Chapter and any towing and storage costs incurred. All such fines, penalties, costs, and charges must be paid to the County before the owner may reclaim or secure the release of the vehicle.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-63 (2026)
Sec. 31-63. Sales of abandoned, etc., vehicles-Procedure generally.LinkCopy Citation
Whenever any motor vehicle or part thereof is in the custody of the department of police and whenever the owner or person entitled to the possession thereof cannot be located and fails to claim such motor vehicle or part thereof for a period of sixty (60) days after such motor vehicle, or part thereof, came into the custody of the division, the same may be disposed of by the county executive, at public sale, at some time and place which shall be convenient and accessible to the public, provided, that an advertisement of the time, place and terms of the sale, together with a full, detailed description of such motor vehicle, or part thereof, shall be inserted in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the county, at least once each week for two (2) successive weeks prior to the sale; provided, further, that a notice by registered mail shall be sent at least ten (10) days prior to the sale to the owner and lien holder, if any, shown on the records of the commissioner of motor vehicles, or the person entitled to the possession of such motor vehicle or part thereof, if his address be known, or if it can be ascertained by the exercise of reasonable diligence. If such address cannot be ascertained then such notice shall not be required.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-64 (2026)
Sec. 31-64. Same-Evidence of title.LinkCopy Citation
A sales receipt as prescribed or approved by the Motor Vehicle Administration of Maryland shall be issued to each purchaser of any such vehicle sold and said receipt shall constitute sufficient evidence of title to any motor vehicle so sold, in order to enable any such purchaser to obtain a certificate of title and registration from the Motor Vehicle Administration of Maryland.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-65 (2026)
Sec. 31-65. Same-Disposition of proceeds; payment of liens, etc.LinkCopy Citation
After payment of the expenses of any sale held pursuant to section 31-63 and the amount of storage, transportation and other administrative costs incurred by the county on account of the motor vehicle or part thereof sold at such sale and after payment of any outstanding traffic or parking violations against such vehicle and all liens filed against the motor vehicle or part thereof, the balance, if any, received by the county at any such sale shall be held by the director of finance for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of such sale. The director of finance shall pay such balance to any person who shall file his verified claim prior to the expiration of such period establishing that he is the owner or person entitled to the possession of such motor vehicle. If no such claim is filed within such period, the balance shall be transferred to the police relief and retirement fund of the county.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-66 (2026)
Sec. 31-66. Receipts not required for payments received by mail.LinkCopy Citation
The provisions of section 2-35 relative to the issuance of a receipt to a person paying same shall not apply to the payment of parking violations and related charges by mail. The canceled check of the owner or operator shall suffice as a receipt in all instances. Payment may be made in person or by mail to the department of finance.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 31-67 (2026)
Sec. 31-67. Penalties, generally.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
No vehicle shall be parked in violation of the provisions of this chapter or regulations issued thereunder, and the owner thereof shall be subject to the fines and penalties established under the provisions of article VII of this chapter for such violation.
(b)
Any violation of any provisions of this chapter or regulations promulgated hereunder shall be punished as a class B violation as set forth in section 1-19 of chapter 1 of the County Code. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed as a separate offense.