PROOF OF PAYMENT REQUIRED INSIDE FARE GATES & ONBOARD TRAINS STARTING JANUARY 1, 2018
The BART Board of Directors passed the proof of payment requirement on October 26, 2017, to deter fare evasion. The new ordinance took effect January 1, 2018. Any person inside the paid area of BART must be prepared to show a magnetic stripe ticket or Clipper card with valid fare. People who violate the ordinance will be issued a citation.
Juveniles who fail to show proof of payment in the paid area or on a train will be issued civil administrative citations for proof of payment violations. Adults who fail to show proof of payment in the paid area or on a train, upon a first or second violation within any 12-month period, will be issued a civil administrative citation. A third violation by an adult within any 12-month period will result in a criminal citation, issued by a police officer.
A Police Officer may also issue a criminal citation to any person who knowingly gives false information to a Police Officer or Fare Inspector engaged in the enforcement of this ordinance, or if the person otherwise obstructs the issuance of a proof of payment citation.
What are the penalties?
Civil citation fines are $75 for adults and $55 for minors. Community service options are available.
Criminal citation fines are not to exceed $250.
Why require proof of payment?
The Board of Directors took the action of passing the ordinance as part of a multipronged approach to reducing fare evasion, which includes education, better barriers between the free and paid areas of stations and better data collection in addition to increased enforcement.
Legal Authority
Administrative citations for Proof of Payment violations are issued under the authority of one of more of the following: BART Ordinance 2017-2, California Penal Code Section 640(g), California Public Utilities Code 99580.
Here is a copy of the Proof of Payment Ordinance passed by the BART Board of Directors:
BART Ordinance 2017-2
Citation Options
Citation Payments
You have 28 days from the date of the citation to do one of the following:
Pay the Total Amount Due on line at www.CitationProcessingCenter.com
OR
Pay the Total Amount Due via Phone at 800-969-6158
OR
Pay the Total Amount Due by mail, via money order, cashier’s check or personal check payable to BART (cash payments may not be made via mail). Please indicate the citation number on the check. Mail this form and the Total Amount Due to:
BART Police
c/o Citation Processing Center
PO Box 7275
Newport Beach, CA 92658-7275
Community Service in Lieu of Paying the Total Amount Due
Request Community Service Documents on line at www.CitationProcessingCenter.com
Register to perform community service by completing and submitting the applicable form.
Forms may be submitted by mail to:
BART Police
c/o Citation Processing Center
PO Box 7275
Newport Beach, CA 92658-7275
How to Appeal the Citation
On line at www.CitationProcessingCenter.com
OR
Submit an appeal request to:
BART Police
c/o Citation Processing Center
PO Box 7275
Newport Beach, CA 92658-7275
Consequences of Failure to Comply
If payment, community service waiver or an administrative hearing request is not received within 28 calendar days of the issuance of the citation, an additional late fee of $20.00 will be added to the amount. The recipient will then have 28 additional days to do one of the following:
- Pay the fine plus the late fee within 28 days
- Perform community service in lieu of paying the fine and late fee.
Unpaid fines may be subject to collections and/or submission to the Franchise Tax Board.