Pay Traffic Ticket in Ohio

SUMMARY: How to Pay an Ohio Traffic Ticket

Depending on the nature of your violation and where you received your traffic ticket, you may be able to pay your fine online, by mail, or in person. Refer to your OH traffic ticket or contact the appropriate traffic court for specific instructions.

On this page, you'll find all the information you need about paying a traffic ticket fine in Ohio.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)

  • Pay the fine.
  • Option to plea bargain penalties.
  • Incur points on your driving record (could lead to license suspension/revocation).
  • Possibly incur increase on auto insurance rates.
  • Possibly have points reduced by attending a remedial driving school.

Learn more by reading below.

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Contest traffic ticket via trial.
  • Choose to represent yourself or hire an attorney.
  • Possibly lose option to plea bargain for lesser penalties.
  • No penalties if found not guilty, but must pay court/attorney fees.

Learn more about
Fighting Your Traffic Ticket »

Pleading Guilty to Your OH Ticket

Paying your OH traffic ticket is an admission of guilt. This means:

Be sure to pay your traffic ticket by the deadline printed on the citation; otherwise, you're at risk for license suspension and a bench warrant for your arrest.

Pleading Guilty as a CDL Driver

Depending on the violation, CDL holders could face stiffer penalties than those assessed to other drivers. For example:

  • CDL holders must notify their employers within 30 days of any non-parking traffic violation convictions, regardless of the type of vehicle they were driving or where they received the ticket. You must also report any out of jurisdiction traffic violations to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles within 30 days.
  • Some violations lead to temporary suspension or permanent revocation of the driver's CDL, which can seriously impact income and employment opportunities.

For more information about how OH traffic tickets affect CDL drivers, refer to the Ohio Commercial Driver License Manual.

How to Pay Your OH Traffic Ticket

Each Ohio court has different traffic ticket payment options. Most allow payment by mail or in person, while other traffic courts also offer the option to pay online. Check your OH traffic citation for payment instructions.

NOTE: You will need your traffic ticket to pay your fine. If you've misplaced yours, refer to our lost traffic tickets guide for instructions on how to retrieve the information.

Online

Some traffic courts are equipped to receive online payments. Your citation should state whether paying your traffic ticket online is an option. Generally, these websites are specific to the court handling your ticket.

For further clarification, contact the court listed on your traffic ticket.

By Mail

To pay your OH traffic ticket by mail, send the following to the traffic court address printed on your citation:

  • Your completed OH traffic ticket.
  • A court-accepted form of payment.
  • Your up-to-date proof of insurance (if the citation is marked as such).

For further clarification, contact the traffic court handling your ticket.

In Person

Refer to your citation for the traffic court address where you'll pay your fine in person.

Bring with you:

  • The completed traffic ticket.
  • A form of payment accepted by the court.
  • A valid proof of insurance (if the citation is marked that you must).

If your traffic ticket isn't clear, or you need to know days and hours of operation (some courts offer drop boxes for closed hours), call the court for details.

Traffic School & OH Traffic Tickets

Depending on your court, the nature of your violation, and your driving history, you might be eligible to complete a state-approved remedial driving instruction course for ticket dismissal, reduced charges, and/or to keep points from being applied to your driving record.

Depending on the traffic offense, you may be eligible for a credit of 2 points by completing said remedial driver course. You also might be required to complete this driving school to satisfy your traffic violation's consequences.

Ask your judge about these possibilities or requirements.

Check Your Driving Record

Because your driving record affects your driving privileges, it's important to check your record after you handle your traffic ticket—whether you pleaded “guilty" or fought the ticket in court.

When you check your driving record, make sure:

  • The traffic ticket doesn't appear IF the judge let you complete a remedial driving instruction course for ticket dismissal.
    • If you completed the driving school for reduced charges, make sure only the reduced charges appear.
    • This applies to all driving record points associated with the reduced charges, if any.
  • The only traffic violation that appears is the one you pled “guilty" to or were found guilty of in court.
    • The same applies to driving record points associated with that violation.
    • Check that your number of points doesn't have you close to license suspension.

Find out how to check your driving record and which division to contact if you find any errors.

Tickets & OH Car Insurance Rates

Generally, traffic violations go hand-in-hand with increased car insurance rates.

Depending on your coverage provider, you might be able to avoid increased rates by completing a defensive driving course and avoiding additional points on your record, but if you're facing more expensive costs, consider comparing auto insurance rates online to look for more affordable coverage.

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