Online Traffic Ticket Search

Most drivers won’t be able to search for lost traffic tickets online. Some county websites and even bigger city websites, like Philadelphia’s Traffic Court site, might allow drivers to look for information like hearing dates, but typically, that’s all.

Fortunately, a quick phone call or two usually can produce the necessary information. Read on.

Determine Where You Got Your PA Traffic Ticket

More often than not, traffic tickets are handled on a county, magistrate court level; however, depending on the area the driver was cited and the officer, the ticket could be handled on a smaller town or city court level.

Figuring out who cited you or where you were when you were cited provides a starting point. Contact your county court and find out if your ticket has been reported. If it hasn’t, the clerk might be able to help you find the court where your ticket is located.

PennDOT can help, too. If your traffic ticket is active, a PennDOT representative can take your driver’s license number and provide you with information such as the county you were cited in, the court name and identification number, and your citation number.

Visit the County Website

If you’re able to narrow down the appropriate court, you can contact that court to find out information about requesting a copy of your lost ticket. Under normal circumstances, you’ll just have to provide some information like your name and driver’s license number.

Determine How You Will Plead

Once you have your ticket in hand (or at least have the necessary information), determine how you will plead:

• Guilty or no contest.
• Not guilty.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances (like a serious increase in driving record points), pleading guilty or no contest usually means paying your fine and any related surcharges and continuing on with life.

Pleading not guilty, however, requires a hearing.

Check our sections on Paying Your Traffic Ticket and Fighting Your Traffic Ticket for more information on these processes.