Pay Traffic Ticket in New Jersey

Know Your Options

What it Means to Pay Your NJ Traffic Ticket

Paying your NJ traffic ticket outright is the equivalent of admitting guilt; you plead guilty and send your money to the appropriate municipal court.

Any other related fines, surcharges, and penalties depend on the driver and the violation.

• Unless your ticket states otherwise, you can pay your fine online.
• Pleading guilty and paying the fine means accumulating points on your driving record.
• Most drivers can enroll in state-approved defensive driving courses to reduce accumulated points.
• Generally, auto insurance providers increase rates after a violation, but some offer discounts for defensive driving and driver improvement courses.

Note that:

• Drivers younger than 21 face stiffer penalties for certain violations, like DUI convictions.
• Your traffic ticket will state whether a court appearance is required.

The front of your NJ traffic ticket includes a court date and time under the “Notice to Appear” section. You must pay your traffic ticket fine by this date; if you don’t, you’ll receive a “Failure to Appear” notice with further instructions and information about consequences. Consequences can include but aren’t limited to an arrest warrant and license suspension.

NOTE: The “Notice to Appear” section doesn’t mean your appearance in court is mandatory; the only time you’re required to appear in court is when the box labeled “Court Appearance Required” is marked.

Pleading Guilty as a NJ CDL Driver

CDL drivers must notify their employers within 30 days of receiving a traffic citation.

As a CDL driver, you can plead guilty and pay your fine like any other driver; however, for CDL drivers, pleading guilty to certain offenses means license suspension and sometimes outright cancellation.

Check our Traffic Ticket Fines and Penalties page for more information.

Plead Not Guilty

New Jersey makes it easy to plead guilty and pay traffic tickets online, and for some drivers this is the most convenient option.

However, if you believe you’re innocent or were unfairly cited, you can contest the ticket and fight it out in court. Learn more at Fighting Your Traffic Ticket.

Pay Your New Jersey Traffic Ticket Online

Using NJMCdirect, all drivers can pay their traffic ticket fines online.

Before beginning the process, make sure:

• You have your traffic ticket available. You must enter the court identification number, the ticket prefix, and the ticket number.
• You have your license plate number available.
• You have a VISA or MasterCard (or a debit or bank card with the VISA or MasterCard logo).
• You agree to pay the convenience fee (based on the fine amount).
• Your citation doesn’t state you must appear in court. This information is in red on the front of your ticket, near the bottom.

If you’re unable to pay online, read on.

Other NJ Traffic Ticket Payment Options

New Jersey allows drivers to pay traffic ticket fines in person or by mail to the appropriate municipal courts.

In Person

Courts can vary on the payment methods they accept, so be sure to contact your court about acceptable payment methods before you head out to pay your fine in person.

By Mail

NJ municipal courts accept personal checks and money orders. Send either form of payment to the address listed at the top right of the citation. Make the check or money order payable to the appropriate municipal court, and be sure to include the complaint number (printed on the ticket).

Get Points Removed from Your Driving Record

Pleading guilty means accumulating driving record points, but you can offset these points by completing a state-approved defensive driving course. You can enroll once every five years for a two-point reduction.

Visit Point Reduction to learn more about reducing your driving record points.

Check Your Driving Record

Keep tabs on your driving record to make sure:

• You received only the applicable number of points after pleading guilty.
• The defensive driving course you completed removed two points from your record.

We can help you order your driving record today.

Shop for Better Auto Insurance Rates

It’s likely your auto insurance provider will increase your rates for a violation. You’ll see this increase once it’s time to renew your policy.

To avoid any surprises, contact your agent and find out:

• What, if any, kind of increase you can expect.
• Whether your provider will give you a discount for taking a defensive driving course.

If you find out your rates will increase and your provider won’t offer a discount, start comparing policy rates online to find a more affordable plan.