Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller

Welcome to the Traffic Division!

Welcome to the Traffic Division!

Looking for information on a traffic citation? Search our online records.

Please note: the information on this page only applies to civil traffic citations (also known as traffic tickets or infractions). All criminal traffic citations (DUI, Driving w/license suspended knowingly, etc) require a court appearance.

I Received a Civil Traffic Infraction, What Are My Options?

Any of the options below must be elected within (30) calendar days from the date of the citation.  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.

  • PAY THE TICKET:  If you elect to pay the ticket, you might be eligible to attend traffic school to keep the points from being assessed against your license.  See below for more information on attending traffic school.
  • WRITTEN PLEA OF NOT GUILTY:  If you decide to fight the ticket in court, you must complete a Written Plea of Not Guilty form. If you are unable to access the form, you may mail a statement stating that you wish to plead “Not Guilty”,  enclosing a copy of your citation.   You will be assigned a court date in the near future and notified by mail.
  • AFFIDAVIT OF DEFENSE IN LIEU OF APPEARANCE: If you are unable to appear in person and want to fight the ticket, you must complete an Affidavit of Defense, located on our forms page, and post an appearance bond in the amount of $150 at the time you file your defense. Your affidavit and defense must be notarized.  The Judge will make a decision based on your statement of defense and the testimony of the issuing officer.  You will be notified of the Judge’s decision after the hearing.  You will receive a notice of the hearing date by mail.
  • MOTION TO CONTINUE: If you would like to request a continuance for your hearing, please submit a Request for Continuance to our office at least five (5) business days prior to your court date.
  • PLEA NO CONTEST:  If you wish to request that the judge withhold the points (without a court hearing) you may complete the Plea of No Contest (Infraction) form or a Plea of No Contest (Infraction with Crash) form along with the full price of your citation to our office within 30 days of the citation.  We will send your plea and driving history to the judge who will make a decision without a court hearing. The Judge’s decision and your driving record will be sent to you by mail.

Where Can I Pay The Ticket?

If your traffic citation was issued in Hernando County you have three options for paying (If you want to attend traffic school, don’t forget to elect school at the time you are paying):
  1. ONLINE (Click here for more information)
  2. CALL 1-888-604-7888, Reference PLC a001jt (Click here for more information)
  3. MAIL – personal check made payable to Doug Chorvat Jr., Clerk of Court, money order, or cashier’s check to: (don’t forget to include the affidavit and $7 if you are electing traffic school) Hernando County Clerk of Court Traffic Department Rm 136 20 N. Main Street Brooksville, FL 34601
  4. IN PERSON at either of our locations by personal check, cashier’s check, money order, cash, or credit card (credit card payments are assessed a 3.5% processing fee).

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.

Where Can I Obtain A Driving Record History?

Driving histories may be purchased at either of our locations. 3 year driving history = $14.25; 10 year driving history = $16.25.

Attending Traffic School In Florida

Attending traffic school allows you to avoid points being added to your driving history.

Florida law allows you to elect traffic school once in a 12 month period and 5 times in your life.

Check your eligibility to elect school HERE. (CDL license holders are not eligible for traffic school)

If you want to attend traffic school, you MUST elect that option at the time you pay the ticket. Once you pay the ticket without electing traffic school that option is no longer available.

Electing to attend traffic school requires you to complete an affidavit (this can be done online or in person) and a $7.00 affidavit fee is added to your total payment. You must pay the ticket at the time you elect traffic school.

Here is a list of Basic Driver Improvement Courses.

You have 90 days to get the school completed and get us a copy of the certificate.

REMEMBER, regardless of what the traffic school tells you, it is your responsibility to get us a copy of your completion certificate. Failure to get us the certificate within 90 days can lead to the points being put back on your license and ultimately the suspension of your driver’s license.

Civil Traffic Penalty Schedule

Violation

Civil Traffic Penalty Violation Fees
ViolationFeeFee with School Election
Pedestrian/bicycle Violation$62.50Not eligible
Litter Law 403.413.(4)$161.50Not eligible
Non-Moving Violation$114Not eligible
ATV$109Not eligible
Leaking Load (316.520(1)) and Non-moving Violation
– Court Appearance Required
Mandatory Court AppearanceNot Applicable
Moving Violation$164$160.20
DWLS/R (Unknowingly)$161$157.20
Failure to Yield to Emergency Vehicle$164 or $134* Price is determined by subsection used by Law Enforcement.$160.20 (*No discount when the fee is $134)
Run Red Light/Disregard Sign$262No discount
Child Restraint$164$160.20

Speeding Violations

Civil Traffic Penalty Speeding Violation Fees
Speeding ViolationsFeeFee with School Election
01 – 09 mph over limit$129$131.50
10 – 14 mph over limit$204193.00
15 – 19 mph over limit$254$234.00
20 – 29 mph over limit$279$254.50
30 – + mph over limitMandatory Court AppearanceNot Applicable

Speed Violations on Construction and School Zone

Civil Traffic Penalty Speeding Violations on Constructions and School Zone Fees
Speed Construction/School ZoneFeeFee with School Election
01 – 09 mph over limit$154$152.00
10 – 14 mph over limit$304$275.00
15 – 19 mph over limit$404$357.00
20 – 29 mph over limit$454$398.00
30 – + mph over limitMandatory Court Appearance Not Applicable
Failure to stop for School Bus/RR Crossing$369No discount
Failure to stop for RR Crossing$204No discount
Parking handicapped zone$179Not eligible

How Many Point Can Be Assessed Against My Driver's License?

Points are assessed by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for the following violations:
Points Assessed to Driver’s License by Violation
Violation Fee
Moving Violation 3
Moving Violation with Accident 4
Ran Red Light 3
Speeding 1 to 15 MPH over the limit 3
Speeding 16 or more MPH over the limit 4
Speeding Violation with Accident 6