How To Dispute A Charge For Improper Vehicle Immobilization Service

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Nearly 6,000 miles of cost roads criss-cross 21 states in the United States.^[one] Many of these cost roads have automatic payment systems to smooth your commute and reduce the jams created by requiring drivers to cease at toll booths. Yet, with automatic payment systems comes the possibility that the system – or you – could make a fault. If you lot receive a violation discover in the mail service, information technology'southward important to deed equally apace as possible to bank check its legitimacy since you have a limited time to dispute it before additional charges offset mounting.

1
Cheque the name and license tag number. Identities and records can exist crossed, and it's possible that the name or tag number on the violation don't belong to y'all.
- Keep in listen that you're still liable for the violation even if someone else was driving your machine.^[ii] However, if the license tag isn't yours, it's possible you received the violation as a result of a clerical error.
- For tolled locations where automatic passes are used, if a commuter passes through without using one of the pass accounts, a photo of the license tag is taken. That photo is transmitted to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, which provides the name and address of the registered owner of the car.^[3]
- If the photo isn't clear, the tolling bureau may get the license tag number incorrect, or may transport the violation find to the wrong address.
- The Illinois Tollway gives you lot two ways to dispute a license tag image: You may either country that the plate is incorrect, or that the image is missing. If the license tag epitome is so blurred that the numbers and messages are illegible, you would select "missing epitome" to dispute your toll violation.
- If the tag in the image is non your license tag, you also should exist able to dispute the violation and accept the violation waived.^[iv]
2
Make sure you yet endemic the car when the violation occurred. If you lot've recently sold your car, or if information technology was stolen, you lot typically won't be liable for the charges assessed.^[5] ^{[half dozen]}
- Yous won't be liable for the price or the violation if your car was reported stolen earlier the violation occurred.^[7]
- Although violations typically are mailed to the accost on file with the DMV at the time the violation occurs, if you recently sold the automobile, the DMV information may not have been updated still.^[8]
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iii
Review the status of your payment account. If you have an active payment account with the tolling say-so, the violation may be in error.
- If you have a prepaid toll account, yous may receive a violation if in that location wasn't enough coin in your account to encompass the toll. You commonly can remedy this situation by checking and updating the status of your payment account.^[9] ^[10] ^[11]
- If you take a sticker or other laissez passer, you may receive a violation if the sticker wasn't detected by the tolling location for some reason. As long as your business relationship is active and electric current, you lot should be able to resolve the problem by associating the toll nib assessed with your active business relationship.^[12] ^[xiii]
four
Write down the dates on your notice. You only have a brief amount of time – sometimes equally little every bit ii weeks – to respond to the violation and dispute the charges or they volition be presumed valid.
- Since the deadlines are unlike in every land and sometimes among different cost road operators inside a state, it's important to read your notice advisedly and use the dates or fourth dimension periods provided on the discover you received, rather than going by anything yous've seen elsewhere or washed before.
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one
Call the client service center. Well-nigh toll road operators accept a website, or a toll-free phone number, where you can quickly and easily register a dispute.
- For instance, the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Bureau in California allows you to contest a violation either online or through the mail. A "Contest of Notice" form is included on your violation detect, which you can make full out and return to the agency.^[14]
ii
Download the appropriate form. Typically you can notice a dispute form at the cost road operator'due south website that you need to file a dispute.
- For instance, if you receive a notice of violation from the Illinois Tollways, you can download an affidavit of not-liability form from the tollway's website, which yous can fill out and submit.
- Some toll agencies also provide the option of disputing your toll violation using email or fax. Contact the agency that assessed your violation to observe out the methods available to dispute the violation.
3

Include a detailed reason for your dispute. Some forms may accept a listing of valid reasons from which you can choose, while others just ask that you explain your reasons.
4
Submit your dispute form. Make sure you lot've included your correct name and current accost and contact information on the form before you lot submit it.
- Your notice should include an accost or other methods to register your dispute with the proper potency.
5

Look for a response. Typically the toll road authority volition investigate the dispute and mail you a written report detailing the results of the investigation.^[15]

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i
Observe out the next steps. Each toll road authorisation has its own process for appealing an initial investigation or continuing a dispute if you believe you are not liable for the charges assessed.
- For example, the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency allows yous to seek administrative review if y'all are non satisfied with the initial investigation of your violation. If yous yet are not satisfied with the results of the administrative review, you can appeal with the municipal court.^[16]
ii
Download the appropriate forms. If you need to request a hearing or appeal to a different government body, yous must fill out the correct form by the deadline on your report.
- Forms typically are made available online or by contacting the appropriate toll agency or board.
- When yous complete your forms, attach any documents or other data that y'all intend to utilize as evidence to back up your merits that you lot are not responsible for paying the toll or penalties.
iii
File your request for a hearing. Typically you must file a request for a hearing with an administrative board to hear your dispute.
- Pay attention to the deadlines for entreatment. After you receive observe, yous only accept a cursory menses of time to request a hearing, and it may merely be a couple of weeks.^[17] However, some states such equally Illinois requite you lot up to thirty days to request a hearing.
- Oft this deadline is calculated from the post marking on the notice. Thus, information technology is possible that y'all just accept a few days to asking a hearing, depending on how long it took for you to get the notice after it was mailed to yous.^[eighteen]
- Some agencies may require yous to pay a fee or deposit when you asking a hearing. For instance, the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency requires your request for an administrative hearing be accompanied by a deposit of either $250 or the amount of the toll evasion penalties assessed, whichever is less.
- Although hearings typically are less formal than an actual trial, y'all will exchange bear witness with the authoritative board. For example, if you file a request for a hearing with the Washington State Department of Transportation, you can pick up an evidence packet from any of the walk-in customer service centers three days earlier your scheduled hearing.^[19]
iv
Nourish your hearing. One time your hearing is scheduled, you must appear at the scheduled time if you intend to continue disputing the violation.
- State law typically requires the hearing to be scheduled within a certain amount of time after your asking. For example, in California, the hearing must be scheduled inside fifteen days of the price bureau's receipt of your request.
- Oftentimes you lot have the option of appearing either in person or over the phone.
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Article Summary 10

If yous've received a price road violation notice for someone else, for a motorcar you sold, or for a price you already paid, you lot can dispute it by telephone or mail. Some companies also have the option of disputing by electronic mail. Check the website for the cost road for their contact details. You'll need to provide a specific reason why you lot shouldn't have to pay the toll violation find. Proceed in listen that fifty-fifty if someone else was driving your motorcar, y'all're even so liable to pay the fine. Nonetheless, if you recently sold your motorcar or it was stolen, you won't have to pay the toll. If the toll visitor reject your dispute, y'all tin asking a hearing with an administrative board. The process for each cost company is slightly different, but y'all'll need evidence to support your merits. For more tips from our Legal co-author, including how to download the forms to asking a hearing, read on!

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