Boots, Barnacles and other immobilization devices are designed to temporarily prevent the operation of a vehicle until a citation issue can be resolved. If your car has been immobilized, we want to help you get back on the road! Please see the instructions below or contact us.
VEHICLES SUBJECT TO IMMOBILIZATION
- Only a vehicle which has accumulated two (2) or more unpaid parking citations which are at least 10 days old during the past five years may be immobilized. A notice letter is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle, and they have eight days to pay before they are at risk of immobilization.
- Immobilization shall consist of either a wheel lock, designated in this policy as a “boot” by impounding the vehicle, a barnacle device affixed to the windshield, or by towing.
- Any immobilized vehicle immobilized remaining in place for 24 hours without full payment of outstanding fines or in the process of making payment shall be towed and held for payment by the designated towing contractor.
- Any vehicle for which the outstanding fines and penalties exceed $750 shall be immobilized and may be towed immediately after 4:30 p.m. on the same day of immobilization and held for payment by the designated towing contractor.
- Fee for all immobilizations is $90.
REMOVING IMMOBILIZATION DEVICES
- If a vehicle has a boot, please call our office at 859-231-7275 during business hours, which are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., to make your payment. Once the payment is processed, a staff member will remove the boot.
- If the vehicle has a Barnacle, please follow the directions on the sticker affixed to the vehicle. Once payment is made, you will receive a 4-digit code to enter on the Barnacle keypad; this releases the Barnacle.. After it is released, it must be returned to the barnacle drop box located inside the Victorian Square Garage (350 W. Short Street).
WHAT IS A BARNACLE?
Barnacles are a plastic panel that can be secured to a vehicles windshield to render it temporarily inoperable. It is an upgrade to the standard vehicle boot. Barnacles provide drivers with the ability to pay citations over the phone and receive a code to remove the barnacle themselves, eliminating the need to wait on an officer to respond and remove a boot.