Pay Traffic Ticket in Illinois

SUMMARY: How to Pay an Illinois Traffic Ticket

Depending on the county court, you may be able to pay your IL ticket fine online, by mail, or in person.

For specific instructions on ticket payment, you'll need to refer to your IL traffic ticket or contact the traffic court directly.

On this page, you'll find all the information you need about paying Illinois traffic ticket fines.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)

  • Pay the fine.
  • Potential option to plea bargain and lesser penalties.
  • Potential option to attend traffic school to avoid the conviction.
  • Incur points on your driving record (could lead to license suspension/revocation).
  • Possibly incur increase on auto insurance rates.

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Contest traffic ticket at a hearing.
  • Hire an attorney or represent yourself.
  • Possibly lose option to plea bargain for lesser penalties
  • No penalties if found guilty, but must pay court/attorney fees.
  • Possibility to attend traffic school to avoid incurring a violation and points on your driving record.

Learn more about
Fighting Your Traffic Ticket »

Responding to Your IL Ticket

Simply put, paying your IL traffic ticket fine means you're pleading “guilty" to the charge. Illinois requires you to post bond in the form of cash, a bond card, or your IL driver's license.

Depending on the violation and other circumstances (such as location), you'll be given two options for paying your IL traffic ticket. Generally, the ticket will notify you of whether you:

  • Can pay the traffic ticket without making a court appearance.
    OR
  • Must appear in court to pay your fine.

As long as you pay the fine, your bond will be returned; if you don't pay and/or make your court appearance, you'll lose your bond and your driver's license will be suspended.

If you choose to plead "guilty" and pay your IL traffic ticket:

  • Your judge might offer the option of pleading to a lesser offense and penalties, OR allow you to attend traffic school in lieu of receiving a traffic conviction.
  • You might be able to pay your traffic ticket online (see below).
  • You'll receive points on your Illinois driving record. Check the Illinois point system for more information.
  • You might experience an increase in auto insurance rates.

    Your IL traffic citation will include information on how long you have to respond to your ticket; contact your traffic court for specific details.

    CDL Drivers

    Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have a few extra things to consider:

    • After an IL traffic ticket conviction, commercial drivers must report the violation to their employers within 30 days.
    • Penalties are usually much steeper than just fines, driving record points, and increased auto insurance rates.

    For more information consult the Illinois Commercial Driver's License Study Guide.

    How to Pay Your IL Traffic Ticket

    Some drivers can pay their traffic tickets online; others may pay in person, by mail, or by phone depending on the court.

    Pay Your IL Traffic Ticket Online

    Some drivers can pay their traffic tickets online via the state's E-Pay system. Most likely, this will be printed on your traffic ticket if this is an option for you, but the E-Pay website makes it easy to search the government entity in charge of your ticket and find out if you can pay online.

    Other Ticket Payment Options

    Typically, Illinois traffic tickets include information about acceptable payment forms and methods. Naturally, it varies by county (i.e., some may allow over-the-phone payments; others require payments by mail or in person). Check your IL traffic ticket for this information, and if you can't find it, contact your county's court.

    NOTE: Your IL traffic ticket might state that you're required to appear in court―even if all you want to do is plead "guilty" and pay your ticket. The Illinois traffic court system rarely grants continuances, so if you absolutely can't make your court date, it's advisable to seek assistance from a traffic ticket lawyer; otherwise, you face losing your bond and have your driver's license suspended.

    Remove Driving Record Points

    Depending on your situation, your judge might give you the opportunity to complete a state-approved traffic school for ticket dismissal. Ask your judge about this possibility.

    At the least, completing traffic school can sometimes help you lower points the ticket adds to your driving record and maybe even qualify you for a discount on car insurance rates.

    Check Your Illinois Driving Record

    It's important to check your driving record to make sure:

    • It only reflects the traffic ticket to which you pleaded or were found guilty (if you fought and lost the case).
    • It doesn't show the traffic ticket IF your ticket was dismissed OR you fought and won the case.
    • It only reflects the number of points associated with your traffic ticket(s).
      • Those points should not appear if you completed a traffic school for the purpose of lowering or deleting those points.

    An inaccurate driving record can affect your car insurance rates and even future employment. We'll help you check your driving record today.

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