I paid the meter — the receipt just wasn't showing
On the ticket this prints as: FAIL TO DSPLY MUNI METER RECPT or FAIL TO DISP. MUNI METER RECPT
Issued when no muni-meter receipt is visible on the dashboard: it fell, flipped over, blew off the dash when the door closed, or the agent walked past a second before you returned with it.
36.5%
of contested cases are dismissed outright — and 75.3% end dismissed or reduced. From 5,144,402 decided hearings in the city's own records.
Is it worth fighting?
This is one of the most-dismissed tickets in New York — the city's own hearing records show roughly half of contested cases end with no fine. Hearing officers routinely accept the receipt itself as proof: it is timestamped, it names the meter, and it shows you paid.
What actually wins
You bought a receipt covering the time of the ticket — produce it (or the transaction on your card statement / parking app history)
The receipt was in the vehicle but face-down or fallen — NYC practice widely accepts a valid receipt produced at hearing
The meter was broken and would not issue a receipt (photograph the screen/error)
The ticket's own details are defective — wrong plate, wrong location, missing required elements
Evidence to gather
The muni-meter receipt (both sides)
Card/app payment record with timestamp
Photo of where it lay in the vehicle
Photo of a broken meter if relevant
Fighting it is free. New York lets you dispute online, by mail, or in person — no fee, no lawyer required, decision from a hearing officer. Start at nyc.gov → Dispute a ticket. Check the response deadline printed on your ticket, and answer before it to avoid late penalties.