How to Pay Traffic Tickets in New York
Drivers who are unable to beat a traffic ticket in New York in court often choose the option to pay speeding tickets in NY or other types of citations in order to avoid lengthy court proceedings and additional court-set costs.
Also, motorists who fail to provide their traffic tickets payments by the deadline date, may incur additional penalties, which will lead to further fees and negative consequences against their driving records.
To learn about the process of paying driving fines in New York, read the following sections:
- How to pay a traffic ticket fine in New York
- New York traffic ticket attorneys
- Pleading not guilty in New York
- Dismissal of charges in New York
- Lost tickets in New York
How to Pay a Traffic Ticket Fine in New York
The methods available to pay driving tickets in New York generally vary based on whether the driver has received the traffic ticket in Rochester or the five New York City (NYC) boroughs or outside of these areas. Traffic fines issued within the NYC boroughs or Rochester are processed by the NY Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) of the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Drivers who are paying speeding tickets or other types of citations that were issued by the TVB can generally complete the procedure online, in person or by mail. The option to pay traffic ticket online in NY may be unavailable in areas which are not under the jurisdiction of the TVB.
Note: The TVB only processes non-criminal moving traffic violations. More serious offenses are handled by the criminal courts within these areas.
Paying a New York Ticket Online
To pay traffic fines online in New York City and Rochester, drivers will first have to access the ticket payment section of the NY DMV internet services website.
To initiate the process of paying traffic tickets online in NY, motorists will be required to enter their traffic ticket and driving license numbers. If you do not have your traffic citation number, then you can enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Note that you may also be asked to submit your full name, birth date and gender.
The system will accept your traffic tickets payment after you submit your credit card information.
Traffic tickets issued for more serious traffic violations in NY, such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) infractions cannot be paid via the internet.
Paying a New York Ticket by Mail and in Person
Drivers can pay traffic citations in New York by mail and in person regardless of whether or not they were issued a TVB traffic fine. Depending on the severity of the offense, however, you may be required to make a court appearance.
If you choose to provide your NY ticket violation payment of a TVB ticket by mail, fill out the corresponding sections of the citation, include the fee payment and mail the package to the TVB Plea Unit office in Albany. Drivers who decide to pay driving tickets in person, on the other hand, can do so through a nearby TVB office.
Note: If your traffic ticket payment is not due to the TVB, inquire with the corresponding court about the in-person and by-mail payment procedures.
New York Traffic Ticket Attorneys
If you are presenting a traffic ticket defense in New York, you have the right to be represented by a traffic citation attorney. Note that you can engage the services of an NY traffic ticket lawyer regardless of whether or not you were issued a TVB ticket.
Lawyers can even initiate the process of fighting traffic tickets in NY on behalf of their clients. By hiring a good traffic violation attorney, drivers can increase their chances to successfully dispute traffic tickets in court. In such cases, you will avoid a conviction on your driver’s record and an increase of your car insurance rates.
Depending on your circumstances, your traffic citation attorney may also help you obtain reduced fines and penalties, in the event that you fail to win your case. Your lawyer can also help you file an appeal if you are not satisfied with the judge’s decision.
To find an experienced traffic ticket attorney who can help you navigate these complex court procedures, you may conduct a fast and convenient search online.
Pleading Not Guilty in New York
The procedure to fight traffic tickets in New York varies based on whether you have received your traffic fine in the NYC boroughs or Rochester or outside of these areas.
Another factor that determines the steps in the process of fighting traffic citations in NY is whether or not you have been penalized with a non-criminal traffic violation. For example, drivers who were issued TVB tickets can plead “not guilty” and schedule a hearing via the internet, by phone and in person.
If your traffic ticket case is processed by another court or agency within the state, your options to submit a “not guilty” plea may be limited.
On the date of your traffic citation hearing, you and/or your lawyer will be granted an opportunity to present your NY traffic ticket defense, call on witnesses and submit any relevant evidence documents.
If the traffic violation charge is proven, the judge will find you guilty and he or she will set an adequate traffic fine. The conviction will also be reported on your driving transcript, which may lead to the revocation or suspension of your license to drive.
To avoid these penalties, it is essential to have proper legal representation. Fortunately, you may find a traffic ticket attorney easily online. To be instantly matched with the best attorney for your case, simply submit a picture of your ticket and input some routine details about the citation.
Depending on the type of offense that you have committed, you may also be granted the right to a pretrial hearing.
Dismissal of Charges in New York
Drivers may be able to dismiss traffic tickets in New York by completing an approved defensive driving course. However, this option is contingent on the type of traffic violation that was committed and the practices of the presiding court or agency.
Even if you are unable to dismiss traffic citations in this manner, you can still complete the traffic school program for purposes of reducing your total point count and your vehicle insurance premiums.
Note: If you were issued a traffic ticket in NY that contains incorrect information regarding the circumstances of the offense, you may also be eligible for a ticket dismissal.
Lost Tickets in New York
Motorists who lose their New York traffic tickets may be unable to settle the issue by the date displayed on the citation. To successfully provide the ticket violation payment or initiate the process to dispute traffic citations in NY in such cases, drivers will be required to retrieve their lost tickets.
The methods available to recover a lost citation vary based on the type of ticket that you were issued. If you received a TVB driving fine, for example, you can easily obtain a copy of your ticket via the DMV internet services portal. Drivers who were penalized with non-TVB tickets, on the other hand, will be required to contact the court that is handling the issue.