Residents have until Dec. 31 to pay past due fines or fees without late charges and penalties
The City of New Orleans recently announced the success of the first two months of the Amnesty Late Fee Forgiveness Program, which provides residents with an opportunity to pay fines without late penalties or additional fees.
The program launched on Oct. 1 and will be available until Dec. 31. Past-due accounts for brake tags, parking and photo safety tickets, sales and hotel/motel taxes, code enforcement violations and library fees are all covered under the program. Additionally, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) will waive certain late fees for eligible residential customers.
“Our Amnesty Program has once again allowed us to meet our residents where they are and help them clean the slate on past due accounts for City services before the end of the year,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Providing this type of relief now is critical as we continue to feel the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as inflation. My administration is happy to announce the successes this program has already seen in its first two months, both saving our residents money and bringing in revenue for the City. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this program while it is available as we help make the City of New Orleans a better place to live, work and do business.”
The Amnesty Program is designed to allow residents to pay delinquent balances owed for City services without the constraint of growing late charges or additional fees. It also allows the City to put dollars received as a result of the program into services for residents.
The participating departments reported that approximately $2.3 million in payments have been collected, calculating over $285,000 in late fees forgiven since the start of the program. The City anticipates releasing finalized numbers once the Amnesty Program has ended on Dec. 31.
To utilize the Amnesty Program, visit https://nola.gov/amnesty-late-fee-forgiveness-program/. For questions related to the program, residents can call the information hotline at (504) 658-2019 or dial 311.
