Pay Traffic Ticket in Florida

SUMMARY: How to Pay a Florida Traffic Ticket

Depending on your traffic violation, you may be able to pay your FL traffic ticket fine online, by mail, by phone, or in person.

Refer to your traffic ticket or contact the Florida traffic court handling your case for more details.

Continue reading this page to learn how to pay your traffic ticket in Florida.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)

  • Pay the fine.
  • Incur points on your driving record (which could lead to license suspension or revocation).
  • Experience an increase in auto insurance rates.
  • If applicable, enroll and complete a Basic Driver Improvement Course to avoid points and an insurance increase.

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Contest the ticket during a hearing.
  • Hire an attorney or represent yourself during the hearing. (Either option will require some prep time.)
  • Forfeit the possibility of a plea bargain or incurring lesser charges.
  • Suffer no penalties if found not guilty (except any applicable court/attorney fees).
  • Appeal the guilty verdict (if applicable).

Learn more about
Fighting Your Traffic Ticket »

Responding to a Florida Traffic Ticket

In Florida, you must give a response for your traffic ticket within 30 days of receiving it. To respond, you'll need to either:

  • Plead guilty or no contest and pay the traffic fines.
    OR
  • Fight your traffic ticket in court.
    • Follow the directions on the back of your FL traffic ticket to schedule your court date.

How to Pay Your FL Traffic Ticket

If you decide to admit to the charges brought against you or plead “no contest", you'll need to pay the associated traffic fines and points will be added to your driving record.

The available payment methods will depend on which FL county you received the traffic citation in. You may be able to pay:

  • Online.
  • By mail.
  • In person.

For specifics on how you can go about paying your Florida traffic ticket, reference the county court clerk where you received your citation.

Penalties for Failure to Pay or Appear

If you fail to pay or respond to your Florida traffic ticket your license will be suspended indefinitely.

To remedy to situation, you'll need to:

  • Contact the traffic court in the FL county where you received your traffic ticket.
    • You'll have to EITHER:
      • Pay your traffic ticket.
        OR
      • Set up a court date.
  • Satisfy the requirements set out by the traffic court.
  • Go to your local Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) driver licensing office and provide:
    • Written proof that you've done what the FL traffic court required of you.
    • Driver's license reinstatement fee of $60.

Remove FL Driving Record Points

Traffic ticket convictions result in points on your Florida driving record; however, under most circumstances, you may be able to enroll in a state-approved Basic Driver Improvement Course to reduce or avoid this, which can help you avoid a driver's license suspension or revocation.

NOTE: If you want to use the Basic Driver Improvement Course option, you must notify the court within 30 days of receiving the traffic ticket, but prior to actually attending the course. Also, you must pay an election fee to that Florida county.

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