No free parking: Boston app to help pay tickets

Boston residents now have the opportunity to pay parking tickets with their smartphone as part of a new partnership between the city and TicketZen, a Boston-based technology startup, the city announced Tuesday.

For the next three months, all parking citations in the Hub City will give violators instructions on how to pay the ticket with TicketZen, which uses a smartphone’s camera to scan a barcode on the ticket and connect the user’s payment details with the city’s payment network.

“The City of Boston continues to innovate around customer service,” Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said in a statement. “Implementing new technology that makes the unpleasant chore of paying a parking ticket more efficient and effective, makes life in the city easier. I’m pleased that we were able to partner with a local tech company to get this app done.”

The app is expected to provide a user experience that navigating the city’s parking ticket payment site from a mobile phone. City officials also hope it will help residents make timely payments and allow them to avoid additional fees and fines that are added if a ticket goes unpaid for more than 21 days.

During the pilot period, the TicketZen service will be provided at no cost to Boston users beyond the standard credit card processing fee associated with the city’s payment portal.

The program begins immediately and is available for Apple and Android devices.

TicketZen is local to the area having grown out of Boston-based mobile development company Terrible Labs.