Responding to a citation dispute

Last updated: November 4, 2026

Review a dispute against the violation record, then approve it, deny it, or request an investigation. A careful review keeps your decisions consistent and defensible.

Who can do this: Property managers.

Before you start

  • Open the Citation Dispute Report from Reports, or click a count on the dashboard's Citation Disputes panel.

  • Start with disputes marked Expiring Soon.

Steps

  1. Click Details on the dispute's row.

  2. Read the resident's submission and evidence. Note exactly what they're claiming.

  3. Open the underlying violation. Review the enforcement reason, photos, and the rule that was applied.

  4. Check the timestamps at the bottom of the violation for the patrol scan, rule check, and enforcement action. Compare them with the resident's claim.

  5. Confirm whether the vehicle was authorized. Check for an active permit or guest pass, a Do-Not-Tow entry, or a patrol hold at that time.

  6. Confirm your settings. Make sure the rule was in effect at the time and that the warning structure matches what was issued.

  7. Click Actions and choose Approve, Deny, or Request Investigation.

A dispute often hinges on a small detail: a plate typo, a lease end date that wasn't updated, or a patrol hold placed too late. The violation record usually has what you need.

What happens next

  • Approve: use when the enforcement action shouldn't have happened. The citation, boot, or tow is reversed, any amount paid is refunded, and the dispute closes as Approved.

  • Deny: use when the enforcement action was valid. It stays in place, the dispute closes as Denied, and the resident is notified.

  • Request Investigation: use when you've reviewed the violation and a software issue or confirmed patrol partner mistake is the likely cause. The dispute moves to Pending Adjudication for review by ParkingPass support, which may involve your patrol partner. See How dispute statuses work.

Important notes

  • Use Request Investigation sparingly, for clear cases where a system error is the likely cause.

  • Approving a dispute doesn't refund your patrol partner's tow recovery fee. See Handling a tow dispute.

  • Your community manages its relationship with its patrol partner. If the patrol partner made an error, contact them directly. ParkingPass doesn't mediate that conversation.

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