NYC violation code guide

Violation Code 38: Expired meter / meter receipt

Code 38 is failure to display a muni-meter receipt. You parked in a metered space and the paid receipt wasn't displayed on the dashboard, wasn't readable, or had run out. It is the single most-fought parking ticket in New York City — and the most dismissed at appeal of the major codes.

Dismissal figures: NYC Department of Finance, FY2025 (appeal stage). A historical rate across all appeals — not a promise about your ticket.

What the fine and exposure actually are

The fine for code 38 is $65 in Manhattan at or below 96th Street, $35 everywhere else in NYC. NYC parking violations are not moving violations: they carry no license points. The exposure that surprises people is what stacks on top: late penalties of +$10 at 30 days, +$20 at 60 days, and +$30 at 90 days — a $65 ticket left alone for three months carries $60 in penalties alone. At around 100 days the unpaid ticket enters judgment, and once a vehicle's judgment debt reaches $350, it can be booted — and towed within 48 hours of booting.

What contesting a code 38 ticket involves

You dispute a parking or camera ticket with the NYC Department of Finance — online through the city's dispute portal, by mail, or in person — and the city takes 30–60 days to rule. In FY2025, 25.74% of appealed code-38 violations were dismissed (1,048 of 4,072). Meter-receipt tickets win most on defective tickets — a missing meter number — or proof the meter was broken or missing at the time.

Before you pay, check the ticket itself against the city's own requirements. Dismissals usually start with a defect:

• The ticket shows a meter number
• The meter was working — not broken, missing, or bagged
• Your receipt was displayed face-up on the dash
• Your plate number is correct on the ticket

TicketBeat checks your code free — up to 3 free lookups a day per visitor — counted by network address and browser — and shows the dismissal rate and the defect checklist for it. If you want the dispute written for you, a dispute letter is $9.99 one-time; if tickets keep coming, Watchdog covers dispute letters for up to 3 plates for $6.99/mo while you're subscribed. TicketBeat drafts the letter — you submit it to the city; we do not file it for you, and no one can promise a dismissal.

Code 38 questions

How much is a code 38 ticket in NYC?

The fine for code 38 (fail to dsply muni meter recpt) is $65 in Manhattan at or below 96th Street, $35 everywhere else in NYC. If it goes unpaid, late penalties add $10 at 30 days, $20 more at 60 days, and $30 more at 90 days — $60 on top of the fine before the ticket enters judgment at around 100 days.

Does a code 38 ticket add points to my license?

No. NYC parking violations are handled by the Department of Finance, not the DMV — they do not add points to a driver's license. The real exposure is the fine, the late penalties, and boot or tow risk once tickets reach judgment.

How often are code 38 tickets dismissed?

In the city's FY2025 data, 25.74% of appealed code-38 violations were dismissed — 1,048 dismissals out of 4,072 appeals (NYC Department of Finance, FY2025). That is a historical rate across all appeals, not a prediction for any individual ticket.

What happens if I ignore a code 38 ticket?

Penalties stack at 30, 60, and 90 days, and at around 100 days the ticket enters judgment. With $350 or more in judgment debt, your vehicle becomes eligible for booting — and a booted vehicle can be towed within 48 hours. Ignoring it is always the most expensive option.

Other violation codes

Code 14 · Code 21 · Code 40 · Code 20 · Code 7 · Code 36 · Code 5 · Code 46

Related guides

• How to dispute a parking ticket in NYC
• NYC parking ticket fines and deadlines
• What happens if you ignore a parking ticket
• How to fight an expired meter ticket in NYC

TicketBeat is not legal advice. Odds are historical statistics from published city data, not predictions or guarantees about any individual ticket.