Pay Traffic Ticket in Maine

SUMMARY: How to Pay a Maine Traffic Ticket

If you received a traffic ticket in Maine, you can pay it either online, by mail, by phone, or in person.

Below, we've provided information about what it means to pay your traffic ticket, the methods you can use, how the ticket can affect your driving record and car insurance, and more.

Continue reading this page to learn how to pay your traffic ticket in Maine.

NOTE: If you want to fight your charge, visit our Fight Traffic Tickets page.

Pay Ticket
(Plead Guilty or No Contest)

Learn more below.

Fight Ticket
(Plead Not Guilty)

  • Contest traffic ticket before judge.
  • Possibly hire a traffic ticket attorney for legal guidance.
  • Possibly lose option to plea bargain for lesser penalties.
  • No penalties if found not guilty, but must pay court/attorney fees.
  • Pay fine, court and attorney fees if found guilty.

Learn more about
Fighting Your Traffic Ticket »

Responding to Your ME Traffic Ticket

Generally, paying your traffic ticket fine outright means you're pleading “guilty" or “no contest" to the violation.

By pleading “guilty" or “no contest" and paying your fine, it's possible that you could:

  • Avoid a court appearance and pay your traffic ticket online, by mail, or in person.
  • Accumulate both a violation and related demerit points on your driving record.
  • Have your driver's license suspended or revoked, depending on the type of violation and the number of points on your record.
  • See an increase in your car insurance rates.
  • Enroll in and complete a state-approved driving school for ticket dismissal.

You must pay your fine within the amount of time printed on the ticket; if you don't, your license will be suspended, at which point you must:

  • You must pay the Maine Violations Bureau a $50 late fee for each violation on the ticket.
    • The late fee is in addition to the traffic ticket fine.
  • You must pay the Maine BMV the applicable reinstatement fee for each offense that led to your license suspension.

Tickets & CDL Drivers

As a Maine commercial driver, you can plead “guilty" or “no contest" basically the same as a driver with a regular passenger driver's license; however, note that:

  • You must notify your employer and the BMV within 30 days of a violation conviction.
  • Your consequences could be much more severe than a regular driver, and could even affect your career.

Refer to the Maine Commercial Driver License Manual for more details on getting a traffic ticket as a commercial driver.

How to Pay Your ME Traffic Ticket

Depending on your situation, you can pay your traffic ticket online, by phone, by mail, or in person.

NOTE: You will need your traffic ticket information to pay your fine. If you've misplaced your ticket, contact the appropriate court or refer to our guide to Lost Traffic Tickets in Maine for help retrieving the necessary information.

Online

Maine works with ODYSSEY Traffic Ticket System to accept traffic ticket online payments. Simply provide your traffic ticket number and follow the system's prompts from there.

NOTE: It can take up to 10 days for your traffic ticket to show up in the system. If your violation doesn't show up, you can attempt again at a later day or choose another form of payment to avoid missing your deadline.

By Mail

Usually, Maine traffic tickets come with a self-addressed envelope; if yours didn't or you misplaced it, you can use your own envelope and address it to:

Violations Bureau
P.O. Box 480
Lewiston, ME 04243

You must make your payment using a personal check or money order.

In Person

You can pay your traffic ticket fine at any Maine state courthouse clerk’s window. 

Currently, you can make in-person payments using cash, a credit card, or a check or money order.

Traffic School & ME Tickets

Depending on your violation, driving history, and court, you might be eligible to attend a state-approved driving school to alleviate some of the penalties from your ME traffic ticket. Talk with your judge about this option, as having violations and demerit points on your driving record can negatively affect your driving privileges and even life factors such as employment.

Check Your Driving Record

After you've paid your Maine traffic ticket, the ME Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is notified and your driving record will be updated.

NOTE: It may take a few days for the Maine BMV to receive notification.

Be sure to check your driving record to make sure it reflects the correct amount of demerit points associated with your violation, or that your ticket was dismissed and your record didn't accumulate points (if you were given that option). Your driving record will also tell you how close you are to having your ME driver's license suspended.

Car Insurance Rates

Sometimes, car insurance companies raise their customers' rates after a traffic violation.

If you choose to plead “guilty" or “no contest," or fight the ticket and are found guilty, talk with your provider about a possible premium increase. If you're facing higher premiums, compare auto insurance quotes to see if you can find more affordable rates.

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