Three-Year Limitation Under Minn. Stat. §628.26
Parking violations in Minnesota are petty misdemeanors under Minn. Stat. §609.02 subd. 4a. The general statute of limitations for petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors under Minn. Stat. §628.26(k) is three years from the date of the violation. If the City attempts to collect or charge an old citation more than three years after the violation date — and no charging document was filed within that window — the action is time-barred. This commonly arises when old, ignored tickets resurface during DMV registration renewal years later. Demand proof that a charging document or payable was 'filed' (entered) within three years; if not, the citation cannot be enforced.
Legal basis
Minn. Stat. §628.26(k); §609.02 subd. 4a; §169.89 (parking penalties)
Sample appeal wording
[DATE] [CITY/COURT] Re: Citation #[NUMBER], Violation Date [DATE] This citation is barred by the three-year statute of limitations under Minn. Stat. §628.26(k), which governs petty misdemeanor and misdemeanor offenses. The alleged violation occurred on [DATE], more than three years before any prosecution or judgment. I demand production of: (1) the date the citation was filed/docketed; (2) any record of an entered judgment within the limitation period. In the absence of timely-filed charging documents, this matter is time-barred. I request dismissal and removal of any administrative hold on my vehicle registration. [NAME]
Replace [PARKING DATE], [NtK DATE] etc. with your own dates before sending.
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- Minn. Stat. §628.26
- Minn. Stat. §609.02 subd. 4a
- Minn. Stat. §169.89