Traffic General Information
To obtain information on a Traffic citation, search our online records.
Approved Traffic Courses by the State of Florida
Criminal Traffic Violations - All criminal traffic citations (DUI, Driving w/licensed suspended knowingly, etc) require a court appearance. If you received a criminal traffic citation, you must appear in County Court on the date and time given to you on your citation to plead to the charges. For additional information, please visit our Criminal section.
I received a civil traffic infraction, when must my ticket be paid?
Payment of a traffic citation must be received in the Clerk’s Office within thirty (30) calendar days of the citation issue date. Remember that if you are mailing your payment, it must be received in the Clerk’s office by the 30th day. Payments received after the 30th day will be considered delinquent and will be subjected to a late fee and/or a suspension of your driver’s license.
Where can I pay my citation?
If your traffic citation was issued in Hernando County you have three options for paying:
- By mail in the form of a personal check made payable to Don Barbee, Clerk of Court, money order, or cashier’s check to:
- Hernando County Clerk of Courts
Traffic Department Rm 217
20N. Main Street
Brooksville, FL 34601
- Hernando County Clerk of Courts
- In person to the address above by personal check, cashier’s check, money order, cash or credit card; or,
- Online at www.myfloridacounty.com. You may not pay online for the following citations or requirements:
- A mandatory court appearance
- Proof of vehicle registration required
- Proof of insurance required
- Proof of driver’s license required
- Faulty equipment
- 30 days past due from the citation date
What options are available when I pay my citation?
- Pay the Citation
- Payment for a Traffic Infraction citation is due within 30 calendar days of the citation issue date. Your case will be satisfied upon payment. The charge will be entered on your driving record as a conviction. Points will be assessed as applicable.
- Elect to Attend Driver Improvement School
- Holders of a CDL license cannot elect DDS.
- Effective 10/1/06 – Unlawful speed over 30 mph cannot elect DDS – It is a mandatory court appearance.
- Check eligibility to elect driver improvement course via DHSMV.
- If you choose Option 3, to attend driver improvement school, you must pay the fine and fill out an affidavit to elect school and file it with the Clerk’s Office within thirty (30) calendar days of the date you received the ticket. You will be granted an extra ninety (90) days to attend a Driver Improvement School in the State of Florida and no points will be assessed against your driver’s license. Failure to attend Driver Improvement School will result in the report for suspension of your license and the assessment of late fees. You must present or mail a Certificate of Completion to the Clerk’s Office within the 90-day period.
- You can attend any Florida State-approved course. Check in the yellow pages of your telephone directory under “Driver Instruction”, “Traffic Schools” or go to: http://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/bdis.html.
- Plead Not Guilty – Request a Court Hearing
- To plead “Not Guilty” to a charge, you must complete an Affidavit of Defense form available in the Clerk’s office or you may mail a notarized statement saying you wish to plead “Not Guilty”, enclosing a copy of your citation. If you are unable to appear in person for the hearing, you must post an appearance bond in the amount of $150 at the time you request the hearing and complete a notarized statement of defense. You will be notified of a court appearance date by mail. If you wish to have the points withheld (without a court hearing) please fill out the Plea of No Contest (Infraction) form or a Plea of No Contest (Infraction with Crash) form and submit to our office.
- If you would like to request a continuance for your hearing, please submit a Request for Continuance to our office.
Where can I obtain a driving record history?
Printouts of a three-year driving record or a complete driving record are available from the Clerk’s Office. The cost for a three-year driving history printout is $14.25 and the cost for the complete driving record is $16.25. The records may be purchased in the Traffic Department at the Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court, 20 N Main St, Rm 217, Brooksville, FL 34601.
How can I receive a reduced fine with “proof”?
If you receive a non-criminal citation for not carrying a valid license, registration or insurance and your license, registration or insurance was actually valid on the date you received the citation, you can choose to provide that proof to the Clerk’s office who will dismiss the citation for a $10.00 administrative fee.
If you receive a criminal citation for certain charges relating to valid license, registration or insurance, you may be able to present a valid or re-instated license, registration or insurance to the Clerk’s office before your scheduled court date, plead nolo contendre, sign an Affidavit, (See Forms) and receive a withheld adjudication. The fee for this option is $236.50. This election can be made only once in twelve (12) months and three (3) times in a lifetime.
How many points can be assessed against my driver’s license?
Points are assessed for the following violations:
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