Pay Traffic Ticket in Hawaii

Know Your Options

What it Means to Pay Your HI Traffic Ticket

Paying your HI traffic ticket means admitting guilt, and when you choose this option:

• Usually you can pay the ticket online and avoid a court appearance. (Only drivers who can’t pay online or who have citations that indicate they must appear in court will need to visit their district courts.)
• The violation will show up on your traffic abstract (or driving history), which is available to potential employers and insurance agencies.
• You might end up paying more for auto insurance the next time you renew your policy. This depends on your carrier, your current policy, and your driving history.

Note that if:

• You’re a teenager with a provisional license, you face a six-month license revocation for your first traffic violation conviction, and a one-year revocation for your second conviction.
• You’re charged with a “traffic crime” (as opposed to a “traffic infraction”) you must appear in court. Generally this is printed on the ticket.

Your traffic ticket should include a date by which you must respond to your ticket. Failing to meet this deadline puts you at risk for an arrest warrant and license suspension or revocation. If your ticket doesn’t include this information, contact your district’s Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) or your district court.

Plead Guilty as a HI CDL Driver

CDL drivers can plead guilty and pay the same as other drivers, but they must also:

• Notify their employers within 30 days of receiving the traffic violation, and possibly their local driver licensing office if the ticket was received in another state.
• Be aware that pleading guilty, which is the same as admitting guilty or receiving a guilty verdict, can bring stiffer penalties than just a mark on their driving abstracts and increased auto insurance.

Refer to our Traffic Ticket Fines and Penalties page for more details.

Plead Not Guilty or Explain Your Situation

Understand that you don’t have to plead guilty and pay your fine outright; if you believe you’re innocent of the charge, or you know you’re guilty but believe you committed the offense for a justifiable reason, you can make your case in court.

The officer who tickets you should provide an answer envelope with your ticket. On this envelope, you’ll find three options. Generally, the first option is for those drivers who want to plead guilty and pay; the second and third options are for drivers who want to contest their tickets or who admit guilt but want a chance to explain their actions.

Head over to our Fighting Your Traffic Ticket section to learn more.

Pay Your Hawaii Traffic Ticket Online

You can pay your traffic ticket online using the eTraffic Hawaii system, as long as:

• It’s been fewer than 21 days since you received the ticket.
• You’re not charged with a “traffic crime” that requires a court appearance, or your ticket doesn’t state you must appear in court.
• You haven’t already appeared in court and been ordered to pay.
• The officer has entered the citation into the system. They have 10 days to do so, and it can take up to 13 days to appear
• You have your citation number. Check Lost HI Traffic Ticket if you’ve misplaced your citation.

If you don’t have the means to pay online or would like other options, continue reading.

Determine Where You Got Your Traffic Ticket

You’ll handle your HI traffic ticket with the district court for the area in which you received the citation. Check your ticket for the name of your court.

Our Lost HI Traffic Ticket section can help you retrieve information from a missing citation, but if you have your ticket in hand and still can’t find the details, contact the TVB.

Visit the Proper County Website

Once you know which district court is handling your ticket, you can visit the court’s website.

Most of the websites offer a portal to pay the ticket online; if you still don’t want to (or can’t) do that, find the court’s telephone number or physical address so you can speak with a clerk about other payment options.

Pay Traffic Ticket

The officer who ticketed you should have given you an answer form or envelope. This document provides information about how to mail in your payment or make a payment by phone―providing both the exact mailing address and telephone number.

However, officers are human, too, and sometimes forget. If this happens, or if you’ve misplaced your envelope, you can contact your court for assistance.

When you speak with a court clerk, find out:

• Whether you can pay in person, by mail, or over the telephone to that court directly, or if you need to use a central address or telephone number.
• Which payment methods are acceptable for which payment option. For example, will the clerk accept a personal check? Which credit cards are accepted over the phone?

NOTE: Even if you’re required to appear in court, these questions are beneficial; if you’re found guilty, you’ll be required to pay your fines.

Get Points Removed from Your Driving Record

Hawaii no longer implements a point system, but the state does keep tabs on your driving habits with what’s called a driving abstract (or, driving record). Everyone from auto insurance providers to potential employers can take a peek at these abstracts.

Refer to our Driving Records section to learn how to get a copy of yours.

Shop for Better Auto Insurance Rates

Sometimes, auto insurance companies penalize policyholders for receiving traffic violations. Too many violations (or even one serious violation) could cause a hike in your rates or knock you out of coverage altogether.

Protect yourself against a rate increase or lapse in coverage by comparing insurance quotes online.