It was just announced that the City of Chicago will be running an amnesty program for individuals who have old tickets. Normally, to deal with the unpaid tickets late would result in additional late-fees and penalties, but under the amnesty program, they will not be subject to the penalties.
However, this program is not going to last long and it is best to take advantage of it fast. The program begins Sunday, November 15, 2015 and will only run until December 31, 2015.
The tickets at issue in the amnesty program are parking and red light tickets, as well as tickets for back taxes and other outstanding administrative fees for things like building code violations from prior to 2012. However, if you are already paying a ticket through a debt payment plan, that is not eligible for the amnesty. This program is so important because unpaid tickets can make you subject to license suspensions, car boots, and seizures.
To learn more about the amnesty program and take advantage of it, you can visit http://www.cityofchicago.org/finance or call 311.
This is only the 4th time the City has offered such a program, the first starting in 2002, so it may not happen again soon. It is best to get out those old and unpaid tickets and take advantage of the program while you can.