Pay Traffic Ticket in Colorado

Know Your Options

What it Means to Pay Your Traffic Ticket

Paying your traffic ticket is an admission of guilt and that you have agreed to waive your right to appear in court to challenge the charge.

Depending on the severity of the infraction, admitting guilt in the form of a payment means you have been convicted. Upon conviction, the court notifies the Motor Vehicle Division which means:

• You may be assessed points on your driving record; read more on Colorado’s Points System page
• You may see an increase in your car insurance premiums
• Possible loss of driving privileges due to an excessive number of points on your driving record
• Possible loss of job if maintaining a clean driving record is a job requirement

Be sure to read both sides of your ticket. On it you will find your court date, court location and fine amount. If you decide to pay without contesting the ticket, you must submit payment to the Motor Vehicle Division within 20 days. If you submit the fine payment after 20 days, it will be returned to you with instructions to contact the court.

Depending on the severity of your infraction, you may be required to appear in court. This should be clearly noted on your citation. If you’re unclear about this, contact the court listed on your ticket for clarification.

Colorado drivers younger than 18 must appear in court with parent or guardian. This too will be noted on your ticket.

Pay Your CO Traffic Ticket Online

Depending on your county, you may have the option to pay your traffic ticket online. If that's the case be sure you check out the last two sections on this page. they cover info on checking your driving record and saving money on your auto insurance. These are two places you want to pay attention to after getting a traffic ticket.

Pleading Guilty as a CDL Driver

If you’re convicted of a traffic violation (parking excluded) while holding a commercial driver’s license (CDL), you must, by law, notify your employer within 30 days. This applies to all vehicles, including your own car.

Pleading Not Guilty

You always have the right to plead not guilty and challenge your ticket in court. A strong defense could lead to the dismissal of some or all of the charges. Learn more in our Fighting Your Traffic Ticket section.

Determine Where You Got Your Traffic Ticket

Traffic tickets in Colorado are handled by county and municipality. So if you’re ticketed in Clear Creek county you must settle the ticket with Clear Creek county, even if you reside elsewhere across the state. The court contact information will be posted on your citation.

If you can’t find your citation and don’t remember in which county or town you were ticketed, find help in our Lost Traffic Ticket page or scroll down to the next section.

Visit the Proper County Web Site

If you’re unclear about the fine or court date posted on your ticket, visit the county’s website. You’ll find, at the very least, contact numbers to call to help with your questions. Since each county handles ticket procedures differently, be sure to visit the website for the county you were ticketed.

Pay Your CO Traffic Ticket

Payment options vary by county. Most of the information that you’ll need to pay your traffic ticket fine will be detailed on the citation. If you need more information, visit the county’s website.

Depending on the county you may have some or all of the following payment options:

• Pay online
• Pay by mail
• Pay in person
• Pay by phone

Get Points Removed From Your Driving Record

Colorado does not offer a point removal option. However, taking a driver improvement course will help refresh you on CO traffic laws that could prevent you from getting pulled over again. The other benefit is an auto insurance discount.

Check Your Driving Record

Periodically monitor your driving record for accuracy. This is especially important after receiving a traffic citation. Erroneously added points could adversely affect your car insurance rates. For more information on traffic violations and points visit our detailing Colorado’s point system.

Shop for Better Auto Insurance Rates

After paying your citation fine and examining your driving record, contact your auto insurance company about any possible rate hikes. Should your premiums jump when it comes time to renew, consider comparing auto insurance rates online.