Traffic Tickets in Ohio

SUMMARY: Ohio Traffic Tickets

If you received an OH traffic ticket, you'll be dealing directly with the traffic court in the county where you received the ticket. Depending on your traffic violation, you may be able to plead guilty and pay your fine online or by mail without having to appear in court. To fight your ticket you must plead not guilty in court.

This page contains information about what to do if you receive a traffic ticket and who to contact for more information.

Traffic Ticket Fines and Penalties

The fines for traffic tickets in Ohio vary depending on your violation and county you received the ticket.

Your Ohio traffic ticket will show:

  • The amount you must pay.
  • The due date for responding.
  • Whether a court appearance is required.

For more information, go to our page about Traffic Ticket Fines & Penalties or contact the county court listed on your ticket.

Driving Record Points

If your traffic court finds you guilty of the violation, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) will likely add points to your OH driving record. The number of points assigned will depend on the type of violation.

For more information, visit our DMV Point System in Ohio page.

NOTE: If you accumulate too many points, your driver's license can be suspended.

Pay a Traffic Ticket in Ohio

Depending on your violation and which county you received your ticket, you may be able to pay your fine:

  • Online.
  • By mail.
    OR
  • In person.

Check your OH traffic ticket for accepted payment methods or contact the appropriate traffic court.

For more information, visit our Paying Traffic Tickets page.

NOTE: After paying your traffic ticket, your car insurance rates may increase.

Dismiss Driving Record Points

After pleading guilty and paying your fine, you may be able to dismiss traffic ticket points by completing a remedial driving course or classroom driver course. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Contact the traffic court in the county you received your traffic ticket to check whether is option is available to you. For more information, visit our point reduction (traffic school) page.

Fight an OH Traffic Ticket

If you don't believe you were guilty of the violation, you can plead “not guilty" and dispute your ticket in traffic court.

You may also have the option to reduce your charges or dismiss the ticket by completing traffic school.

Check your traffic ticket for instructions on how to contest your ticket and schedule a court hearing (if you don't already have a court date set). If you've lost your ticket, contact the relevant county court for instructions.

Go to our page about Fighting Traffic Tickets to learn more.

NOTE: If you appear in court in Ohio, you may wish to hire a traffic ticket attorney to help your case.

Lost Your Traffic Ticket?

If you lose your OH traffic ticket, contact the traffic court in the county where you were ticketed. Depending on the county, they may offer an online ticket search feature.

For more details, visit our Lost Traffic Tickets page.

Fines & Penalties for Commercial Drivers

If you're a commercial driver, you'll need to notify your employer within 30 days of receiving a traffic ticket. The penalty you'll receive will depend on your driving history.

For more details about how traffic violations can affect your commercial driver's license (CDL) in Ohio, visit our pages about Ticket Fines & Penalties and CDL Suspensions.

Don't Risk a Driver's License Suspension

Do you know how many points are on your driving record? Your driver's license can be suspended if you accumulate too many points. Order your driving record today and make sure it's accurate.

Ohio Traffic Tickets: FAQs

You can find more details about OH traffic tickets on our Traffic Ticket FAQ page. It contains information on topics including:

  • Dismissing your traffic ticket.
  • How traffic tickets affect your car insurance.
  • Hiring a traffic ticket attorney in Ohio.
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