Getting a traffic ticket in North Carolina can be a serious ordeal. Not only will it affect your driving record, but it will also impact your wallet. In addition to fines and court costs, insurance companies have their own points systems, separate from the DMV's. So your insurance rates could skyrocket for common violations like speeding.

Court visits are a personal inconvenience, and depending on the violation, your privilege to drive may be suspended or revoked.

Traffic tickets or citations are orders for you to appear in court on a certain date and time. They are given so that law enforcement does not have to take you into immediate custody. When you receive a traffic ticket, the law enforcement officer will cite the motor vehicle statute(s) that you allegedly violated. Many offenses are waivable, meaning you can plead guilty, pay your fines, and waive your court appearance.

If you pay the fine, you are admitting that you are guilty and the system can add points against your driving record. If you want to contest the charges, by yourself or with a lawyer's help, you can do so by appearing in court.

More serious offenses are non-waivable. If any or all of your charges are non-waivable, you will have to go to court, whether you are pleading guilty or not guilty. There is no choice to enter a guilty plea and pay a fine. Your appearance in court is mandatory, and if you fail to appear, a judge can order that you be arrested.

The courts that handle traffic citations vary by county. For example, some counties have their own traffic courts while others are handled by district courts. The court you are summoned to will be in the county where the alleged offense occurred. When you plead guilty and pay a traffic ticket, you can pay it to the clerk of whichever court is listed on your citation. Otherwise, that is the court where you will have to appear.

For more information, visit the informative FAQ prepared by the NC Court System.

Also see more information about traffic tickets on Paying Your Traffic Ticket on this site.