Know Your Options

What it Means to Pay Your CT Traffic Ticket

Paying your CT traffic ticket is the equivalent of pleading no contest or nolo contendere.

If you opt to pay your citation, note that:

• You can pay online or by mail if it’s a traffic infraction.
• Some traffic violations require a court appearance, regardless of a no contest plea.
• You won’t accumulate any driving record points.
• You might have to attend a court-ordered Operator Retraining Program.
• Your insurance company might increase your coverage rates.

Also, if you’re:

• Younger than 21, a DUI-related violation (for you, driving with a BAC of 0.02%} means a suspended license.
• 16 or 17 years old, you face license suspension for a variety of offenses, including violating a license restriction, speeding, and using a cell phone or texting device. Learn more at Ticket Fines and Penalties.

Responding to Your Ticket

Your CT traffic ticket has an “Answer Date” printed on it; generally, this is about halfway down the ticket on the right.

You must pay your ticket, or plead not guilty (see below) by this date; otherwise, your ticket automatically goes to court and:

• Your license is suspended.
• You must pay $60 in addition to your traffic ticket fine.
• You might have to pay $175 to have your license reinstated.

Pleading Guilty as a CT CDL Driver

Make sure you notify your employer within 30 days of receiving the citation; then, determine whether it’d be best for you to pay your fine or fight the ticket in court.

CDL drivers convicted of certain violations face more stringent penalties than just point accumulation and increased auto insurance rates; some lose their driving privileges and possibly their jobs.

CDL drivers can plead guilty and pay their fines like any other driver, but they must remember:

Before making a decision, check our Ticket Fines and Penalties section.

Plead Not Guilty

Fighting your ticket in court will take some work, but CT makes pleading not guilty and scheduling a hearing date easy.

If you believe you’re innocent, head over to Fighting Your Traffic Ticket to learn how to contest your charge.

Pay Your Connecticut Traffic Ticket Online

Pay your ticket online via the Infraction Ticket Processing system.

Before you get started, make sure you have your ticket handy; you’ll have to enter the number.

If the ticket doesn’t show up, wait three days and try again; it can take up to 30 days for the officer to send the ticket to the CIB and for the CIB to enter it in the system. If you don’t have three days to spare (per your answer date) or your ticket still doesn’t show up, find out how to pay by mail (below) or contact the CIB.

Pay Your Connecticut Traffic Ticket by Mail

You can pay by mail, too.

Write your ticket number on a check or money order made payable to the “Clerk of Superior Court.” Use the self-addressed envelope included with your ticket to mail it in.

If your ticket didn’t come with an envelope, or you’ve lost it, mail the payment to:

• Centralized Infractions Bureau

• PO Box 5044

• Hartford, CT 06102-5044

Get Points Removed from Your Driving Record

Although the infraction will show up on your driving record, the DMV doesn’t add points to your driving record if you plead no contest and pay the fine.

CT doesn’t have any voluntary point reduction options in place. Points disappear on their own 24 months after the date of the violation.

Check Your Driving Record

With no voluntary point reduction options in place, it’s especially important for CT drivers to check their driving records; otherwise, they won’t know when they’re at risk for point-related fines and penalties, like license suspension and reinstatement fees.

Be sure to check your driving record whenever you:

• You pay your fine. Your record should reflect no points when you do this.
• You plead not guilty but lose your case. The DMV will add points in this case.

Shop for Better Auto Insurance Rates

There are pros and cons to pleading no contest and paying your traffic ticket. One of the pros? You won’t get any driving record points. One of the cons? You can still experience increased auto insurance rates.

Talk with your provider about whether your rates will increase the next time you renew your policy and, if so, by how much. You might find comparing policy rates online will help you find more affordable rates.