Drivers who receive traffic tickets in Maryland will be required to settle the matter within 30 days of receiving the citation in order to avoid paying late fees and incurring driving license suspensions. Motorists can either complete the process of paying the ticket or they can prepare a defense if they believe they are innocent of the offense.

Note that, certain types of traffic tickets in MD are marked as “must appear”. Drivers who receive this type of citation can only resolve the issue by appearing in court. Learn how to fight speeding tickets and other types of summons, as well as how to pay your fees, in the following sections.

Fighting a Maryland Ticket

Drivers who decide to fight traffic tickets in Maryland can initiate the process by checking the “Request a Trial” box on their citation and mailing it to the state District Court Traffic Processing Center. After receiving a request to dispute traffic tickets in MD, the District Court will schedule your trial date. During the trial, both you and the officer who issued the fine will be granted an opportunity to present the corresponding testimonies.

If you are found guilty, you will be required to provide your payment, as well as any additional court costs. The Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) may also assess demerit points on your Maryland driving record. Drivers who successfully beat a traffic ticket in Maryland, on the other hand, will suffer no adverse effects and their tickets will be dismissed.

Note: Motorists who were found guilty of a traffic violation in MD have the right to appeal the judge’s decision within 30 days of their trial dates. You should consult an MD traffic attorney to assist you in organizing a proper defense.

Paying a Maryland Ticket

The process to pay driving tickets in Maryland can be completed via several methods. Paying online is the fastest method of providing due payment. If you are unable to pay online via the internet, you can still complete the procedure by phone, by mail or in person through the corresponding court. The MVA has recently installed Uniform Traffic Citation Payment Kiosks at its locations throughout the state, which offer drivers the option of providing their payments during a visit to an MVA office.

Note: Drivers can pay their penalties during a waiver hearing for purposes of obtaining a reduced traffic fine.

Lost Tickets in Maryland

Regardless of whether you are contesting a traffic ticket in Maryland or pleading guilty and providing your traffic tickets payments, you must have the information contained within the citation at your disposal. Therefore, drivers who lose their traffic citations may encounter certain difficulties when handling their ticket issues. The most convenient method of retrieving the information from a lost ticket is to utilize the state Online Case Records Search engine.

After entering your full name and choosing several additional search options, the system will provide you with the results. After obtaining your MD traffic ticket data, you can fill out the Lost or Missing Citation Option Form, available through the state District Court’s website, and mail it to the address listed on the form in order to settle your citation issue.

Maryland Fines and Penalties

Drivers who are unable to dismiss traffic tickets in MD through the corresponding court will be required to pay the traffic fine associated with the ticket. The due amount of a ticket violation payment in MD generally varies based on the severity of the committed violation.

More serious offenses incur larger fines. Review several examples of ticket fines resulting from traffic infractions in MD:

• Exceeding the posted speed by 10 to 19 mph: $90
• Negligent driving: $140
• Willfully disobeying an order given by a police officer: $290
• Possessing more than one license to drive at any one time: $530

Note: In addition to paying driving fines in MD, as well as other court costs, drivers may also be subject to additional penalties as well. For instance, certain more serious offenses, such as a DUI, may also result in jail sentences of varying durations.

Points in Maryland

Convictions of traffic violations in Maryland generally result in the accumulation of demerit points on the Maryland driver’s record of the motorist that committed the infraction. Even drivers who choose to pay traffic citations in MD can accrue driving points since by paying the fine, they are admitting their guilt.

Note that not all violation convictions result in negative points. Review several offenses penalized by traffic tickets in MD and their corresponding point penalties in the following list:

• Failure to stop before a red light: 2 points
• Driving a motor vehicle while under suspension: 3 points
• Knowingly releasing control of your vehicle to an unlicensed individual: 5 points
• Failure to stop after an accident involving property damages: 8 points
• Failure to immediately stop your vehicle at the scene of an accident involving bodily injury: 12 points

Note: Point penalties are assessed on MD driving transcripts even if the offense was committed in a jurisdiction outside of Maryland.

How Tickets Affect a Maryland Drivers License

Apart from paying driving fines in Maryland, drivers who receive traffic citations are also at risk of certain adverse actions against their driving credentials. For instance, since convictions of MD traffic violations result in the accumulation of points, motorists who commit several offenses may accrue an excess of points that result in the suspension or revocation of their driving privileges.

The severity of the penalty depends on the total number of points accumulated within a period of two years. Drivers who receive driving fines that result in a total sum of 12 points, for instance,  are at risk of a driver’s license revocation. Certain offenses may even lead to immediate MVA penalties.

Note: Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to avoid a point-related driving license suspension by attending an approved MD defensive driving program.

Maryland Car Insurance Fines and Violations

Maryland traffic tickets may also be incurred for failure to maintain the proper Maryland car insurance coverage within the state. Drivers may receive traffic citations in MD if they fail to present a valid proof of insurance upon request from a police officer as well. For instance, you will receive a $140 traffic fine if you do not provide your liability insurance policy information after a collision resulting in the bodily injury of individuals.

Note: Since convictions of traffic violations in MD are an indicator of an unsafe driving behavior, drivers who commit multiple offenses may also be subject to an increase of their car insurance premiums.

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