Lost Traffic Ticket in Texas

If the TX Highway Patrol issued your traffic ticket, you can search for your lost ticket online at the Department of Public Safety (DPS) website. If you were ticketed by a sheriff or local police officer, you'll need to contact the appropriate traffic court for details about your lost traffic ticket.

Search for a Lost Traffic Ticket in Texas

How you search for your lost TX traffic ticket depends on who issued the ticket.

You can search online if an officer of the TX Highway Patrol issued the ticket; you must contact the presiding traffic court if you received the ticket from an officer of the sheriff's department or other local police department.

Online Traffic Ticket Search

If the TX Highway Patrol issued your ticket, you can search for the citation online by providing some basic personal information.

NOTE: You need certain types of information specific to your traffic ticket in order to respond by your deadline—as well as decide how to respond. If the online search doesn't provide all the information you need, contact the Highway Patrol.

Contact Presiding Traffic Court

Contact the presiding traffic court if you received your ticket from an officer of a sheriff's department or local police department. Your “presiding" traffic court is the one that handles traffic tickets in the area where you received the citation.

The Texas Judicial Branch provides a map of all courts by county; choose the county in which you were ticketed. Generally, your traffic court will depend on the severity of your violation, but a good place to start is with the lowest court; work your way up from there until you find the court handling your ticket.

Details About Your TX Traffic Ticket

As mentioned above, there are certain details specific to YOUR traffic ticket you need so you can:

  • Decide how to plead to your violation.
  • Plead to the traffic ticket on time.

Such details include:

  • Whether you must appear in court.
    • Ask about this first, because if you do have to appear you must do so before you can plead to your ticket.
    • Find out the court address and room and the date and time to appear.
  • Your deadline to plead.
    • This applies whether you plan to plead “guilty" or “no contest" and pay your fine or plead "not guilty" and set up a hearing.
  • Your citation's specific details, including:
    • The violation and citation number.
    • When and where you received the ticket.
    • Who pulled you over (the officer's name and number) and whether he or she is with the TX Highway Patrol or a sheriff's or local police department.
  • Your TX traffic ticket's payment information:
    • Your total amount owed (this includes your ticket fine and any applicable fees and surcharges).
    • Accepted payment options and methods.

Fight or Pay Traffic Ticket in Texas

You can:

  • Plead "guilty" or "no contest" and pay your TX traffic ticket.
    • You also must deal with all other penalties associated with the violation.
      OR
    • Plead "not guilty" and schedule a hearing date to challenge your violation.
    Learn more about the processes that go with paying your ticket and fighting your ticket.
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