Washington drivers who receive a traffic ticket will find directions for what to do next on the citation itself. You'll usually be given instructions for pleading guilty and paying the fine, or appearing in court at a designated time and place to plead not-guilty.

Because traffic tickets are handled by the court in the jurisdiction where you were cited, any fines you pay will be to that court, not to the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL). However, the DOL is notified of your tickets and, if you're convicted, the infraction will appear on your driving record. The DOL also has the authority to suspend your license if you're cited too many times.

The DOL can also suspend your license for not paying the fines for traffic tickets you've received. For questions about paying up and avoiding a suspension, you can write to the following address for more information:

• Department of Licensing

• Driver Responsibility

• P.O. Box 9030

• Olympia, WA 98507-9030

You may also contact the DOL in person at a Driver Services Office, by phone at (360) 902-3900, or by e-mail at drivers@dol.wa.gov. The DOL will then send you the details of any unresolved citations and give you contact information for the appropriate courts so you can pay the tickets.

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