Los Angeles generated close to $1 million by issuing parking tickets for street sweeping violations on days when cleaning crews did not operate, according to a new analysis. The city issued more than 12,500 such tickets over the past five years, collecting approximately $910,000 in fines.

The analysis, conducted by LA Material, compared the city's traffic citation data with street sweeping schedules and routes. It found that drivers were ticketed for street sweeping violations even in neighborhoods where cleaning services were not scheduled for that particular week. This occurred despite parking restriction signs remaining in place.

Budget cuts in 2021 led to a reduction in street cleaning services, with many areas in the city being serviced every other week instead of weekly. Typically, street sweepers visit neighborhoods either the first and third week of the month or the second and fourth week. The "off week" rule means drivers should not receive a ticket on weeks when no sweeping takes place.

A statement from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LA DOT) to the LA Times indicated that the department follows the Bureau of Street Services (BSS) schedule and does not issue citations when service is not scheduled. However, the statement also noted that "discrepancies can occur when scheduled routes are canceled without prior notice."

The LA DOT prepares a bi-weekly list to identify and cancel erroneous street sweeping citations. The department stated that if a ticket has already been paid, its Parking Violations Bureau contacts the recipient by mail with instructions for reimbursement. When questioned about the erroneous tickets, LA DOT asserted that it "proactively dismisses any street sweeping issues issued in error."

The report from LA Material did not provide specific numbers on how many incorrect tickets were canceled or how many drivers who paid mistakenly were reimbursed. The LA DOT told the outlet that the number of mistakenly issued tickets is declining, citing around 2,000 such tickets in 2025, with the "vast majority" being voided.

The California Post reached out to the city for further information on the matter.