Traffic Citations & Information

Important: A traffic payment is due in the Clerk's office by the compliance date (within 30 days of receipt of the citation). Payments received, regardless of postmark, or made after the compliance date will incur an additional $23.00 late fee.

Your Options for a Traffic Citation

Upon receipt of a traffic ticket for any violation where points may be assessed, you have 30 days from the date of issuance of the ticket to exercise one of three options:

• Option 1: Pay the Ticket
• Option 2: Traffic School Election
• Option 3: Request for No Points and No Court Appearance OR Request for Court Hearing
  
  

Option 1 - Pay the Ticket

Pay the Ticket​

Pay Online or by Phone within 30 days from the date of issuance of the ticket.

If you choose to pay the ticket, points are assessed against your Driver's License.

Option 2 - Go to Traffic School

Go to Traffic School (Driver's Improvement School)

• Points will not be assessed to license.
• The fine may ​be reduced
• If you are not eligible for this option, then choose Option 1 or 3.
  
  

Traffic School Election Form

If you choose the school option, you must sign the Traffic School Election Form and file it with the Clerk's office within 30 days of the date you received the ticket. Upon receipt of your DDC affidavit and payment you will be granted an extra 60 days to attend a driver improvement school in the State of Florida.

If the driver improvement course is timely completed and the completion certificate timely filed, no points will be assessed against your driver's license and the fine may be reduced, depending on the type of violation. To determine if the fine will be reduced for a particular violation, see the Table of Traffic Fines including Traffic School Reductions​

Important Facts

1. You may only elect this option five (5) times in a lifetime as of July 1, 2010.
2. At least one (1) year must have passed since you last elected to attend a Driver Improvement Course
   
   

Failure to timely complete the school course or timely submit your completion certificate or pay the fine will result in removal of the fee reduction, points being assessed, and suspension of your license and/or late fees being assessed.

• Traffic School Election Form
• State of Florida approved list of Driving and Education Course Schools
• Driver License Check

Option 3 - Plea Form to Request No Points & No Court Appearance OR Request a Hearing​

Plea Form to Request No Points & No Court Appearance OR Request a Hearing

Within 30 days of the date of the citation you can:

File a Plea Form for No Points and No Court Appearance

• A request to the Court for: No points on license & no court appearance.
• If the Court rejects this request, you will be notified of a hearing date and you will be required to attend. Please see the Plea Form for consequences for failure to appear in Court.

-or-

Request a Hearing – The Court may sentence you to any of the following:

• You will be required to appear in Court
• You may be sentenced to any of the following:
  • An adjudication (points on driving record) and/or
  • Suspension or revoking of license
  • Statutory court costs and fines
  • Civil penalties

To request a hearing, fill out the Deny the Citation as Charged and Request a Hearing form.

For a Plea Form, either access the form online: Plea Form for No Points and No Court Appearance or write to the Clerk at the mailing address or email address listed below. You can efile your request using these efiling instructions.

If you request a hearing, the penalty is not limited to the fine amount on your ticket. If the court determines that you committed the offense, the judge can impose a fine up to $1000, depending on the offense, and/or require you to attend driving school. You will be notified of the time and date of your hearing.

You may write the Clerk's Office at:

• Clerk of Court
• Traffic Bureau
• 201 E. University Avenue
• Gainesville, FL 32601
  

OR Email the Clerk's Traffic Bureau at:
traffic@alachuaclerk.org​
(note: court filings cannot be accepted by email)

To file your Court Election form electronically:
www.alachuacounty.us/depts/clerk/traffic%20citations/pages/filingoptions.aspx​

Proofs for Expired License, Registration, Etc. / Extension Requests for Payment

• On citations for expired or failed to display vehicle registration, insurance or driver’s license, you may show proof of compliance in the form of renewed vehicle registration, insurance or driver’s license along with the this affidavit within 30 days of issuance of the citation. Your ticket will be reduced and no points will be assessed against your driver’s license.
  Affidavit form: Civil Eligibility Verification and Plea of Nolo Contendere
  
  
• On citations for a registration and/or insurance violation where you are unable to provide valid proof of the registration and/or insurance, you may be able to submit this affidavit in lieu of the valid proof. If your situation is not listed in the affidavit, please contact the Clerk’s Office for further assistance.
  Affidavit form: Affidavit of Exemption From Proof Requirement
  
  
• If you are unable to pay your citation due to financial hardship, you may submit this Community Service Request along with the Community Service Application and the Court may grant community service in lieu of your fines and court costs.
  Form: Community Service Request

Other Traffic Citation Forms

For Other Traffic Citation Forms, see the Traffic Forms on the Forms Page