Financial Management

Administrative Citations

Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 9.65 provides for the issuance of administrative citations for Long Beach Municipal Code violations. The administrative citation program and the establishment of appropriate fines are intended to act as a reasonable deterrent in preventing Municipal Code violations. 

Fine Schedule 

Each day a violation exists constitutes a separate and distinct offense. Fines are imposed as follows. A $100 fine will be imposed for the initial violation. A $200 fine will be imposed for each instance of a second violation of the same code section committed within one year from the date of the initial violation. A $500 fine will be imposed for any subsequent violation of the same code section committed within one year from the date of the initial violation. 

Consequence of Failure to Pay the Fine 

Failure to pay fine(s) within the specified time period may result in a 25% late charge, imposition of a special assessment and/or lien against the real property on which the violation occurred, filing of a claim with the small claims court for recovery of the fine and all costs associated with such filing, suspension and/or revocation of any City permits, business licenses, or land use approvals, or any legal remedy available to the City to collect such money. 

Rights of Appeal 

A Cited Party may appeal administrative citations and imposed levies. For cited code violations, the appeal must be requested within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of service of the Citation. In order to appeal, a completed Request for Hearing Form together with a deposit in the total amount of outstanding fine(s), late charges, and/or levies must be submitted to the appropriate bureau that issued the citation (see below). Requesting an appeal does not relieve the Cited Party from the requirement to correct all code violations as specified. 

Generally, the only relevant evidence considered for appeal is whether the violations(s) existed on the date and time the Administrative Citation was issued, whether the Cited Party is the Responsible Person who caused or maintained the violation(s), and whether imposed levies resulting from failure of a Responsible Person to correct the violations, were reasonably calculated based upon abatement costs incurred by the City. If an appeal is denied, the entire deposit shall be retained by the City as payment in full of outstanding fines, late fees, and/or levies. 

If an appeal is upheld, the entire deposit shall be refunded to the Cited Party within thirty (30) business days from the date of the written appeal decision. Failure to properly file a written appeal within the appropriate time frame shall constitute a waiver of the Cited Party's right to appeal and seek judicial review. 

How to Pay Your Fine 

The amount of your fine is indicated on the front of this citation. You are required to pay your fine in full by the Correction Date noted on the citation. Please mail in your payment with the attached payment remittance slip to the bureau indicated on the citation. Payment may be made by personal check, cashier's check, or money order payable to the City of Long Beach. Please write your citation number on your check or money order. Payment of the fine shall not excuse the failure to correct the violation nor shall it bar further enforcement action by the City of Long Beach.

Appeal Hardship Waiver 

Any person who intends to appeal the administrative citation and who is financially unable to make the advance deposit may request an advance deposit hardship waiver by completing a Request for Appeal Hardship Waiver. The deposit waiver request form shall be filed together with the appeal.

The Director of Financial Management shall issue a written determination listing the reasons for his/her determination to issue or not issue the hardship waiver. The written determination shall be final. If the Director of Financial Management declines to issue a waiver, the cited party shall remit the full deposit to the City within ten (10) calendar days of the date of that decision or thirty (30) calendar days from the date the administrative citation is served or deemed to have been served, whichever is later.

Submit payments and appeals to:

Department of Financial Management
Business License Division
411 West Ocean Blvd. 6th Floor
Long Beach CA 90802 

Request for Hearing Forms are also available from the Business License Division located at the 2nd Floor Permit Center of City Hall.