$200 in parking fines. Vehicle gifted. Am I liable?

Hello all,

Quick question.

Over the last few months I've gathered roughly $200 in parking tickets for parking at meters and neglecting to pay (by-law violation) here in Ontario. I'm going to court on them next month, but if I lose, I still don't intend to pay them.

I gifted the vehicle permit and plate permit that incurred these tickets recently to a family member (not because of the tickets, but because of other reasons).

Here in Ontario, an unpaid parking ticket can disallow you to renew your plates. The plates are due for renewal later this year, but as the scenario goes, I'm not the one who now needs to renew them.

Does anyone have any idea what would happen at plate renewal time?

Thanks for the response(s).

-Avatar

[charlesa6]

Originally Posted by Avatar

Hello all,

Quick question.

Over the last few months I've gathered roughly $200 in parking tickets for parking at meters and neglecting to pay (by-law violation) here in Ontario. I'm going to court on them next month, but if I lose, I still don't intend to pay them.

I gifted the vehicle permit and plate permit that incurred these tickets recently to a family member (not because of the tickets, but because of other reasons).

Here in Ontario, an unpaid parking ticket can disallow you to renew your plates. The plates are due for renewal later this year, but as the scenario goes, I'm not the one who now needs to renew them.

Does anyone have any idea what would happen at plate renewal time?

Thanks for the response(s).

-Avatar

As long as your name on license, and regisration, you are liable for those parking tickets.

Thanks for the reply Charles.

I don't think I asked the question exactly proper.

What I'm really trying to figure out is, if I do not pay these tickets, will my family member (donee) who now owns the vehicle (but did not at the time of the offences) be able to renew the license plate this year without paying my balance?

In Ontario, an owner of a vehicle who has unpaid parking tickets will not be able to renew their license plates until those tickets are paid. Hence, not being able to drive on the highway legally (expired plates).

Would it be ethically fair for a law to make a donee of a vehicle pay for the wrong-doings of the donor?

-Avatar

[AndyK]

I don't know how Canadian laws work, but in most of your 50 southern neighbors, you can't "gift" a vehicle and the tags to someone else. You have to sign the title document to them AND they have to apply for new tags.

Otherwise, any infractions related to the vehicle (parking, red-light camera) would be assessed against the owner of record: YOU. Once the government records the transfer, you are off the hook for any future violations.

So, at least down here, the new owner of the car can register it without any impact of the outstanding tickets. However, you are still on the hook for them because they happened before you transferred the title.

Finally, if you don't pay the tickets, they will ripen with age. After they get old enough, you are likely to see a warrant issued for your arrest.

But, that's just how things work in Maryland. Canada may be much more enlightened.