Christmas has come early for Miami drivers as Operation Collection Relief gets underway next week. The county program is a real stroke of luck for local motorists, who are notoriously terrible, as it gives them a one-week window in which to pay all outstanding fines without any accrued penalties. That pile of parking tickets you’ve had sitting around for months? Now’s the time to handle them.
Operation Collection Relief runs from November 16 through November 22 and applies to all traffic and parking citations as well as criminal fees currently in collections. Simply call up the county clerk’s office or log on to their website and pay for your tickets online. You won’t be responsible for any of the extra fees that inevitably creep up when you forget to pay on time, no matter how small the sum might seem.
If you think parking tickets don’t add up, think again. These civil infractions range from $29 for improper parking to $253 for illegally parking in a disabled spot, with most averaging about $75. While fines aren’t astronomical, they double after 30 days and then sent to collections if still unpaid within 90 days. Once they’ve reached that step, your $29 violation can exceed $100 when you factor in late fees and the collection agency’s percentages. Worst yet, three or more outstanding parking citations can result in the suspension of your license and getting your car towed. Imagine walking outside to find your car’s gone missing? That’s a very 2020 scenario you might want to avoid.