Administrative Citations and Appeals

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About Administrative Citations

Redwood City desires to maintain a safe and pleasant living and working environment, but violations of the Municipal Code occasionally occur. The primary goal of the City is to have residents and other responsible parties voluntarily comply with Code requirements. The Administrative Citation process is a tool available if voluntary compliance is not possible or has not occurred.

Administrative Citations allow the city to handle these infractions in a civil manner, not through the criminal process. Administrative Citations can be issued by both the Redwood City Police Department and the Code Enforcement division. A citation may be served either by personal delivery to the responsible party or by certified mail through the U.S. Postal Service.

The amount of the administrative fines and fees is listed on the Administrative Citation and must be paid to the City of Redwood City within thirty (30) days of the date of the citation.

About the Fines

Unless otherwise specified in the Municipal Code, the fines are as follows:

$100 - for the first offense
$200 - For the second offense of the same code section that is committed within 12 months of the first offense
$500 – for the third or subsequent offense of the same code sections that is committed within 12 months of the first offense

Each day the violation continues is a separate and distinct offense and subject to additional citations and/or fines.

Payment of a fine does not excuse a cited person from correcting the violation for which they were cited.

A penalty of 10% and interest of .83% per month will be assessed for any balance due past 30 days of the date of issuance. If any fines remain unpaid after 90 days, the City may begin proceedings to collect any past due fines and/or late payment charges by use of all available legal means.

How to Pay Your Fine

Administrative Citations may be paid with by a personal check, cashier’s check or money order by mail or in person:

Payment in Person(City Hall)	Payment By Mail
City of Redwood City Revenue Services Counter 1017 Middlefield Road Redwood City, CA 94063	Administrative Citation City of Redwood City P.O. Box 3355 Redwood City, CA 94064-3355

City Hall is open Monday through Thursday, 10am-4pm, and closed on weekends and holidays. You may drop also the payment in the “City Payments” drop box at the doors to City Hall.

Make checks payable to the City of Redwood City. Please enclose the Administrative Citation with your payment and write the citation number on your check.

Right to Appeal A Citation

The person who receives the citation (“the contesting party”) has the right to appeal the citation at an administrative hearing. A hearing provides the opportunity to bring an unresolved issue before a Hearing Officer to present information for deliberation and a final decision. The decision of the Hearing Officer is final and conclusive. For more information, please see “Appeals & The Administrative Hearing Process.”

How to Appeal A Citation

To appeal an administrative citation, complete a Request for Hearing Form and submit it to the City Clerk within ten (10) days from the date of the citation, with proof of payment of of the deposit of the fine amount. If the contesting party is financially unable to deposit the fine amount, but wishes to contest the citation, an Advance Deposit Hardship Waiver Request Form must also be filed with the Finance Director, along with the Request for Hearing Form. A copy of these forms can be found below.

Forms & Documents

Appeals & The Administrative Hearing Process

Administrative Hearings

An administrative hearing provides the opportunity to bring an unresolved issue before a Hearing Officer to present information for deliberation and a final decision. The hearing is informal, without strict rules of evidence. The contesting party will have the opportunity to testify, present evidence, call witnesses and to question witnesses concerning the violation. The contesting party may appear personally or through an attorney.

Following the conclusion of the hearing, a written decision will be issued by the Hearing Officer that will either uphold or dismiss the citation.

If the citation is upheld, the fine is forfeited.
If the citation is upheld and the contesting party had been granted an advance deposit waiver, the hearing officer will outline a payment schedule for the fine in the decision.
If the citation is dismissed, the fine will be refunded.

Scheduling the Hearing

Once a Request for Hearing Form and deposit is received, the City Clerk will schedule the hearing for at least 15 days from, but no longer than 60 days from the date the Request for Hearing Form is filed. The contesting party will receive a notice of the hearing date at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. The contesting party may request one continuance, in writing to the City Clerk, up to 24 hours before the hearing.

The Hearing Process

The contesting party may submit any relevant documents and may call as many witnesses as are reasonably needed to substantiate their case.

The Hearing Officer will begin the hearing.
The contesting party – i.e. the person who received the citation or their attorney – will be asked if the code violations existed at the time that the administrative citation was issued.
The contesting party will have an opportunity to present his or her testimony or evidence.
The Hearing Officer may hear rebuttal testimony presented by the City and its Enforcement Officer, if applicable.
The contesting party will be asked if there is any further evidence or testimony they would like to present prior to the Hearing Officer closing the hearing.

Within 14 days of the hearing, the Hearing Officer will make findings and issue a written decision regarding a) the existence of the violation; and b) the extent of compliance with order. All decisions will be provided to the contesting party in writing within 10 days of issuance.

If the violation is upheld, the contesting party forfeits the fine. If the violation is dismissed, the contesting party will be refunded the deposit of the fine.

The decision of the Hearing Officer is final and conclusive, subject only to judicial review as allowed by law.

Advance Deposit Hardship Waiver

If you are financially unable to make the advance deposit of the fine as required, you may file a request for an Advance Deposit Hardship Waiver. Eligibility is based on household income. The decision to waive the advance deposit requirement is made by the Finance Director.

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant’s gross household income must not exceed San Mateo County’s 50% area median income limits. Through June 30, 2026, this level is:

People in Household	Income Level
1	$67,700
2	$77,400
3	$87,050
4	$96,700
5	$104,450
6	$112,200
7	$119,950
8	$127,650
For each additional person, add:	$7,660

Proof of Income

Applicants must provide required proof of income documentation with the application. You must send copies of documents for each household member receiving income or aid. Acceptable forms of proof of income include:

Type of Income		Copies of Documents Accepted:
1	Wages, Salaries, Tips, Commissions	Two most recent check stubs or W2 or IRS Form 1040
2	Pensions, Social Security, SSP, SSDI, Disability Payments, Workers Compensation, Unemployment Benefits, VA Benefits, Foster Care Benefits	Award letter(s) or two most recent check stubs or the most recent bank statement (to show direct deposit)
3	School Grants, Scholarships, Other Aid	Award letter(s) or two most recent check stubs
4	Child and/or Spousal Support	Court Documents or two most recent check stubs
5	Rental and/or Royalty Income	IRS Form 1040 for prior year and Schedule E for rental income
6	Profit from Self-Employment	IRS Form 1040 for prior year and Schedule C
7	Interest and/or Dividends	IRS Form 1040 for prior year or IRS Form 1099 or three bank statements

Contact Information

To contact Code Enforcement, call 650-780-7350
To contact the Police Department, call 650-780-7100
To contact Revenue Services, call 650-780-7210
To contact the City Clerk, call (650) 780-7220