Getting ticketed for a traffic violation or having your car towed can be inconvenient and expensive. If you’ve received a ticket in Florida, you may want to view the ticket information online or contest the ticket in court. Here’s how to find records of past tickets and license suspensions in Florida.
Check for Tickets Online
If you’ve received a traffic ticket in Florida recently, the easiest way to find ticket information is online. The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers offers an online case search that covers most counties in Florida.
To check for tickets online:
- Go to the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers website.
- Click on “Online Case Search” and select the county where you received the ticket.
- Enter your name and birth year, then click “Search.” This will bring up a list of cases associated with your name.
- Look through the case list for any traffic ticket cases. Expand the case details to view information like the violation type, date, and fine amount.
One limitation of the online search is that it may only cover the past few years. If you need to find older traffic tickets in Florida, you may have to contact the court clerk or check with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
Contact the Court Clerk
If your ticket does not show up in the online court search, the next step is to directly contact the clerk of court for the county where you received the ticket.
To get ticket records from the court clerk:
- Look up the website and contact information for the county clerk of court. Court clerk websites and contact info can be found at this link.
- Call or visit the court clerk’s office and request a copy or docket printout of any tickets under your name.
- Be ready to provide your identifying information like your name, birthdate, driver’s license number, and the approximate date and location of the ticket.
- There may be a small fee per page for ticket printouts (usually $1 per page).
By contacting the court clerk directly, you can get hard copies of any tickets issued in that county, even older tickets that may not be available online.
Check Your Driving Record
The Florida DHSMV also maintains driving records that include any tickets and license suspensions. To view your driving record:
- Complete a DHSMV Driver Record Request form.
- Pay a $8 fee for the full driving record or a $3 fee for a 3-year record.
- Mail the form and payment to the address on the form or submit it at a Florida DHSMV office.
- You’ll receive a copy of your official driving record in the mail within 1-2 weeks.
Your driving record includes all reported traffic tickets, convictions, penalties points, and license suspensions. It’s a comprehensive record from the DMV, but can take 1-2 weeks to receive.
Check with Local Courts
If you know the specific court or county where you received a ticket, you can also search directly on that local court’s website:
- Miami-Dade County: Use the Miami-Dade Clerk’s online case search.
- Broward County: Look up tickets on the Broward County Clerk site.
- Palm Beach County: Search for tickets on the Palm Beach Clerk & Comptroller site.
- Hillsborough County: Use the Hillsborough Clerk’s Public Records search.
- Orange County: View cases on the Orange County Clerk’s site.
- Pinellas County: Search court records on the Pinellas Clerk website.
Using your local county court clerk website allows you to quickly search for tickets just in that jurisdiction. But you’ll have to check each court clerk site individually to cover different counties.
Request a Title Search
In Florida, having your car towed or impounded for excessive unpaid tickets can lead to a suspension of your vehicle registration and title. If you think your car title and registration have been suspended by the DHSMV, you can request a title search to check.
To conduct a Florida title search:
- Complete the DHSMV Title Information Request form (Form HSMV 82994).
- Pay a $2.50 fee for the title search record.
- Mail in the form and fee or submit it at a DMV service center.
- You’ll receive a Vehicle Title Information letter by mail with the status of your car title registration.
This title search can help you resolve any outstanding issues if your registration has been revoked. You can use the results letter as proof to get your title reinstated.
Search by Citation Number
If you have the specific citation number from a Florida ticket, you may be able to look up the ticket details directly on the court clerk’s website:
- Miami-Dade: Use citation search on Clerk’s citations page.
- Broward County: Enter citation on Broward Clerk citation search.
- Hillsborough County: Search tickets by citation number on Hillsborough online records.
Having the exact ticket or ordinance violation number can help you quickly pull up details on that specific citation. But not all court clerks have online citation searches.
Request a Hearing to Dispute Tickets
If you find an error in a traffic ticket or want to dispute it, you can request a hearing in traffic court. Here is the process to contest a ticket in Florida:
- Check the hearing options on your ticket. You’ll need to request a hearing within a certain timeframe, often within 30 days of the ticket date.
- Submit a hearing request form to the court clerk.
- Include any evidence or explanation of why you are disputing the ticket.
- Attend your hearing and explain your case to the judge.
- The judge will then make a determination on the ticket’s validity.
Contesting a traffic ticket can potentially get the charges reduced or waived if you have a good argument or can prove mitigating circumstances. But you typically need to act fast to request a hearing within 30 days or less of the ticket date.
Check for Outstanding Fines
If you’ve had a ticket go unpaid for a long time, it may end up in collections or result in additional penalties. Here are some options to check for outstanding fines you may still owe:
- Search for unpaid ticket cases on the My Florida County website.
- Contact the court clerk to ask if you have any outstanding balances or failure to pay notices.
- Review your driving record from the DHSMV for license suspensions related to unpaid fines.
- Search your name on Florida’s Comprehensive Case Information System for collections cases.
Paying off old fines quickly can prevent further penalties like collections fees, license suspensions, and arrest warrants in some cases.
Explore Payment Plans
If you can’t afford to pay off traffic tickets in Florida immediately, most courts offer payment plans. Common options include:
- Extensions to pay fines out over several months.
- Community service hours in lieu of fines.
- Enrollment in traffic school to dismiss some ticket charges.
- Applying for hardship waivers if you lack income.
To apply for a reduced fine or payment plan, you’ll need to contact the specific court clerk’s office that handled your ticket case. Be ready to provide financial records to demonstrate hardship if applying for a waiver.
Reinstate a Suspended License
If your license was suspended over unpaid tickets or other violations, you’ll need to go through a reinstatement process with the DHSMV before you can legally drive again.
To reinstate a suspended Florida driver’s license:
- Pay any ticket fines you still owe to the court clerk.
- Pay a reinstatement fee to the DHSMV (typically around $45-150).
- File proof of insurance (an SR-22 form).
- Attend traffic school or complete other reinstatement requirements.
- Pass vision and hearing exams in some cases.
You’ll receive a Notice of Reinstatement from the DHSMV when your license suspension is cleared. Make sure to resolve any outstanding tickets or the suspension will be reinstated.
Find a Traffic Attorney
For help dealing with more complicated traffic ticket issues in Florida, consider consulting with a traffic lawyer. A traffic attorney can:
- Negotiate with the court for reduced charges or fines.
- Represent you in traffic court if you dispute a ticket.
- Guide you through the license reinstatement process.
- Help restore suspended registrations and titles.
- Resolve outstanding warrants related to unpaid tickets.
An experienced traffic lawyer is familiar with Florida traffic laws and court procedures. This can be useful when trying to clear up records from multiple jurisdictions. They may charge around $100-$300 to take on your traffic case.
Check License Status
As a final tip, keep in mind that you can always check the status of your Florida driver’s license online using the DHSMV’s license check service. This will show any suspensions, revocations, or other flags that may prevent you from driving legally.
Monitoring your license status regularly is a good way to stay aware of any issues stemming from tickets or fines you still need to resolve.
Conclusion
Dealing with traffic tickets and fines can be a headache, but ignoring them will only lead to greater problems down the road. Use online case searches, court clerks, and the DMV to keep track of any past tickets or outstanding requirements. With persistence and follow-through, you can maintain a clear driving record in Florida.