Philadelphia Street Cleaning program with each ticket is $31. Drivers were issued more than $4.6 million in 2025, and more than a quarter were still unpaid months later.
Each ticket is $31. Together they came to more than $4.6 million, and more than a quarter were still unpaid months later.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority issued 151,392 street-cleaning violations during the 2025 season (PPA via The Philadelphia Inquirer).
At $31 each, that is more than $4.6 million in fines (Axios).
As of April 2026, 42,150 of those tickets, nearly 28%, were unpaid, more than $1.3 million outstanding. Unpaid tickets can add penalties of up to $65.
The 2026 program runs in 14 neighborhoods, Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., through Thursday, Oct. 29.
A street-cleaning ticket in Philadelphia costs $31, one of the smaller fines the Philadelphia Parking Authority writes. Last season it wrote 151,392 of them.
That count, from PPA spokesperson Martin O’Rourke via The Philadelphia Inquirer, covers the city’s 2025 Mechanical Street Cleaning Program, which ran from spring to fall. At $31 per violation, Axios put the total above $4.6 million in fines.
Not all of it was paid. As of April 2026, 42,150 tickets, nearly 28%, were outstanding, worth more than $1.3 million. The city had collected more than $3.2 million; the rest were partially paid or canceled. Drivers who do not pay or contest within a few weeks can face added penalties of up to $65, the Inquirer reported. That is more than double the original fine.
The 2025 total was 5,851 tickets lower than 2024, but 55% higher than 2022. The program debuted in 2019 and has since grown to more blocks.
How the 2026 program works
Dates. Cleaning runs Monday, April 6 through Thursday, October 29, 2026. Ticketing began Monday, April 20, on blocks with posted signs.
Days and times. Monday to Thursday, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Blocks get staggered two-hour no-parking windows: 9–11 a.m., 11 a.m.–1 p.m., or 1–3 p.m. There is no service on City-observed holidays.
Where. 14 neighborhoods chosen through the city’s Litter Index: Frankford, Germantown, Kensington, Logan, Nicetown, North Central, Paschall, Point Breeze, Port Richmond, South Philly, Southwest Philly, Strawberry Mansion, West Fairhill and West Philly. Several of these areas expanded their boundaries this year.
Why. Mechanical brooms can only clean the curb line if cars are gone. The city says the program cuts litter and keeps debris out of the stormwater system.
The real cost is the deadline
A $31 ticket is easy to absorb once. The pattern is what costs money: a weekly window that is easy to forget after a late shift, a ticket tucked under a wiper and lost, a payment deadline that passes quietly. With nearly 28% of last season’s tickets still unpaid in April, the harder problem for many drivers is not the sweeper. It is the deadline that follows it.
How to avoid a ticket for the rest of the season
Read the sign on your block for your cleaning day and your two-hour window.
Track the brooms on the city’s SweepPHL map at streetsmartphl.phila.gov, which shows cleaning activity in real time.
Set a recurring reminder for your window through Thursday, Oct. 29.
If you are ticketed, pay or dispute it with the PPA before the deadline to avoid added penalties.
The fix. DriveDocket reminds you before ticket deadlines come due, so a $31 ticket stays a $31 ticket. Its $50 Fine Guarantee covers up to $50 (terms apply).
Frequently asked questions
How much is a street-cleaning ticket in Philadelphia?
$31 per violation, issued by the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
When does Philadelphia street cleaning end in 2026?
Thursday, October 29, 2026. The season began April 6, with ticketing from April 20.
What days and times does Philadelphia clean streets?
Monday to Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., in staggered two-hour windows by block. The posted sign on your block sets your window.
Which Philadelphia neighborhoods have street cleaning?
Fourteen: Frankford, Germantown, Kensington, Logan, Nicetown, North Central, Paschall, Point Breeze, Port Richmond, South Philly, Southwest Philly, Strawberry Mansion, West Fairhill and West Philly.
What happens if I do not pay a street-cleaning ticket?
Drivers who do not pay or contest within a few weeks can face added penalties of up to $65.
How do I know when the sweeper is coming?
Check the posted sign on your block, and follow the brooms on the city’s SweepPHL map at streetsmartphl.phila.gov.
Does street cleaning happen on holidays?
No. There is no service on City-observed holidays.
Sources
The Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 April 2026: 151,392 violations, unpaid tickets, collections, penalties, year-over-year change.
Axios Philadelphia, 29 April 2026: more than $4.6 million in fines.
City of Philadelphia — Mechanical Street Cleaning schedule: 2026 dates, hours, enforcement start, holidays.
City of Philadelphia — 2026 program announcement: 14 Litter Index neighborhoods.
PhillyVoice, 6 April 2026: neighborhood list, staggered windows, SweepPHL map.
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