Clerk & Comptroller, Palm Beach County

Traffic Tickets Main Page

Traffic Fines, Service Charges & Fees

Pay Traffic Tickets Online

Pay Tickets by Phone:
(561) 355-2523 or
888-760-9201 from South County or the Glades

NOTICE:
The Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller’s website provides only information, not legal advice. Specific guidance about a particular legal situation must be directed to a qualified attorney.

The Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller's website is for informational purposes only and is offered merely as a convenience service for our customers. We make no warranty or guarantee regarding the accuracy or reliability of the content on this site.  The Clerk & Comptroller’s office shall not be liable for errors or for any damages in connection with the use of the information appearing on this or other referenced websites.

FAQs: Traffic Tickets

PAYMENT OF TRAFFIC CITATIONS

Q How can I pay my ticket?
Q When do I have to pay my ticket?
Q What if I can't pay my ticket within 30 days?
Q How do I find out what I owe on my traffic ticket?

TRAFFIC SCHOOL/DRIVING INSTRUCTION INFORMATION

Q How do I know if I am eligible to attend traffic school?
Q Will I be assessed points on my driving record if I complete a driving school?
Q What steps are required if I elect to attend traffic school?
Q What if I do not complete the driving school course?

TRAFFIC FINES

Q How do I find out what I owe on my traffic ticket?

PLEADING “NOT GUILTY” TO A TRAFFIC CITATION

Q What are the steps to plea “Not Guilty” to my citation?
Q

What if I was given a ticket for driving:

NON-MOVING VIOLATIONS

Q What if I got a citation for improper/faulty equipment?

LICENSE/POINTS/DRIVING RECORDS

Q Can the Clerk & Comptroller's office advise me about points assessed against my license?
Q Can I reinstate my license at the Clerk & Comptroller’s office?
Q How can I obtain my driving record?

COURT DATES

Q Can I change my arraignment, pretrial or final hearing date? How can I request the change?

PAYMENT OF TRAFFIC CITATIONS

Q How can I pay my ticket?
A
  • By phone:
    Call (561) 355-2523 or 888-760-9201 with your Master Card or Visa charge cards only (no debit cards)
  • By mail:
    Mail your check or money order (made payable to Sharon R. Bock, Clerk & Comptroller) to the address below or to any of the branch locations listed below:

          Sharon R. Bock, Clerk & Comptroller
          P.O. Box 3544
          West Palm Beach, Florida 33402-3544

  • In person:
    You may pay your ticket at any of following locations. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays.

Palm Beach County Main Courthouse
205 N. Dixie Highway, Room 2.2300
West Palm Beach, FL 33401

Branch Locations:

North County Courthouse
3188 PGA Boulevard, Room 1210
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

West County Courthouse
38844 State Road 80
Belle Glade, FL 33430

Midwestern Communities Service Center
200 Civic Center Way, Suite 500
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

South County Courthouse
200 W. Atlantic Avenue, Room 150
Delray Beach, FL 33444

 
 
Q When do I have to pay my ticket?
A

Violations must be paid within 30 calendar days from the date the ticket was issued.

  • If your payment is not received within 30 days of the citation issue date, there is a $12 late fee.
  • If you do not contact the Clerk & Comptroller's office within 30 days from the citation issue date, a process will be started to suspend your license.
 
 
Q What if I can't pay my ticket within 30 days?
A You may request, in person or by mail, an extension prior to the due date. A $5.00 (per month) administrative fee plus a reasonable down payment is required at the time you request an extension. This may only occur twice.
 
 
Q How do I find out what I owe on my traffic ticket?
A Refer to Service Charges and Fees or call the Clerk & Comptroller’s office at (561) 355-2994.
 
 

TRAFFIC SCHOOL/DRIVING INSTRUCTION INFORMATION

Q How do I know if I am eligible to attend traffic school?
A

You are eligible to attend traffic school if:

  • You have not elected to attend traffic school within the past twelve (12) months.
  • You have not attended traffic school five (5) times during your lifetime.
  • You do not have a commercial driver’s license.

You are not eligible if you were issued a:

  • Child restraint violation
  • Criminal citation, such as DUI or speeding more than 30 mph over the speed limit, passing a school bus on the loading side and load dropping.
 
 
Q Will I be assessed points on my driving record if I complete a driving school? 
A No points will be assessed if you complete traffic school.
 
 
Q What steps are required if I elect to attend traffic school?
A
  1. You must pay the fees for your violation within 30 days.
  2. You must complete traffic school certified by the state of Florida within 90 days. Traffic school information can be found in the local telephone yellow pages under “Traffic Schools” or “Driving Instructions”.
  3. Or, you may take an online course or rent a traffic school video and complete the questions.
  4. You must complete traffic school within 90 days from the date you paid the citation.

If you attend traffic school outside of Palm Beach County, you must send a copy of the certificate verifying that you have completed the school.
 
 
Q What if I do not complete the driving school course?
A

If you fail to complete the course within 90 days of your election to attend traffic school and do not pay the fine:

  • Your driver’s license will be suspended.
  • You will incur additional costs.
  • Points will be assessed on your record.

Your license will not be suspended if you pay the remaining balance of your fine and an additional $15.00 fee. However, points will be assessed on your record.
 
 

TRAFFIC FINES

Q How do I find out what I owe on my traffic ticket?
A Refer to Service Charges & Fees or call the Clerk & Comptroller’s office at (561) 355-2994.
 
 

PLEADING “NOT GUILTY” TO A TRAFFIC CITATION

Q What are the steps to plea “Not Guilty” to my citation?
A
  1. You must notify the Clerk & Comptroller's office, in person or in writing, within 30 days of the citation issue date that you are contesting the violations. Your citation number and your correct mailing address should be provided.
  1. You must attend a mandatory pretrial hearing either in person or via a video conference, where you will have the opportunity to speak to the hearing officer.  No witnesses or law enforcement officers will be present.
  1. If your case is not resolved after the pretrial hearing, a trial will be set for a later date. You will either sign for the court date after the pretrial hearing or you will receive the notice of the trial date by mail. You will be assigned a location for your trial.
  1. If you have not received a notice of trial within 30 days, you should call the Clerk & Comptroller’s office at (561) 355-2994 or (561) 355-2996.
 
 
Q

What if I was given a ticket for driving:

  • Without a drivers license?
  • With an expired tag/no proof of registration?
  • With no proof of insurance?
A

If your driver’s license, tag, registration or insurance was not valid prior to the date of the ticket, you must pay a fee and provide documentation. See Service Charges & Fees for the current amount.

If you can prove that you had the appropriate documentation before you were ticketed, you may mail in or personally pay $7.50 with a copy of your appropriate documentation.
 
 

NON-MOVING VIOLATIONS

Q What if I got a citation for improper/faulty equipment?
A

You were cited and are responsible for the citation, even if you do not own the vehicle that you were driving.

You may:

  • Pay the full penalty for a non-moving violation (see Service Charges & Fees for amount).
  • Fix the improper/faulty equipment, get the ticket signed by a police officer, and pay the reduced penalty (see Service Charges & Fees for amount).
  • Plead not guilty.
 
 

LICENSE/POINTS/DRIVING RECORDS

Q Can the Clerk & Comptroller's office advise me about points assessed against my license?
A No. You must address these concerns by contacting the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles at (850)-922-9000.
 
 
Q Can I reinstate my license at the Clerk & Comptroller’s office?
A

You may be eligible if you have corrected following violations:

  • Failure to appear in court
  • Failure to attend driving school
  • Failure to pay your fine and late fees
The reinstatement fee (see Service Charges & Fees for the amount) can only be paid by cash or credit card.
 
 
Q How can I obtain my driving record?
A You may receive a three (3) year or a complete history driving record for a fee at any Clerk & Comptroller’s office location.
 
 

COURT DATES

Q Can I change my arraignment, pretrial or final hearing date? How can I request the change?
A
  • Arraignments: You may change the arraignment one time by filing a motion for continuance to schedule a new date, prior to the court date, by mail or in person.
  • Pretrial or Final Hearing: You may change the pretrial hearings and trial (known as the final hearing) each one time, by filing a motion for continuance to schedule a new date. For pretrials, you may request a reschedule up until the day before the hearing. For trials, you must give two weeks notice, excluding the actual court date, by mail or in person.