How to Pay Traffic Tickets in Washington
If you decide to pay your traffic ticket in Washington, you automatically waive your right to a court hearing and admit your responsibility for the committed offense. Failure to submit your WA ticket violation payment as required may result in adverse effects on your driving record, and even a suspension of your Washington state driver’s license.
If you are not able to settle your case by paying driving fines, you may request a contested hearing to fight your traffic summons in court. Regardless of whether you decide to pay your traffic fine fees or dispute the issue through the court system, you must initiate either procedure within 15 days. Learn how to pay a traffic ticket in Washington in the following sections:
- How to pay a traffic ticket fine in Washington
- Washington traffic ticket attorneys
- Pleading not guilty in Washington
- Dismissal of charges in Washington
- Lost tickets in Washington
How to Pay a Traffic Ticket Fine in Washington
Motorists must submit their traffic tickets payment in WA within 15 days, unless they want to face harsh penalties imposed by the corresponding court and/or the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL).
Ticket violation payment methods depend on the corresponding WA traffic violation court in the county where drivers received their summons. In general, motorists may initiate the procedure of paying speeding tickets or other types of citations via the internet, by mail, by phone or in person.
Paying a Washington Ticket Online
Paying traffic tickets online in Washington is usually the most convenient way to answer to a traffic summons. Prior to making a traffic fines online payment, however, you must check whether the court handling your case offers such option.
Your WA traffic citation may also include detailed information about methods to pay and acceptable payment forms. When paying a speeding ticket or other citation via the internet, motorists are generally required to locate the provider and enter their case/ticket number. In addition to the base fines, a convenience fee may apply as well, depending on the corresponding court.
Paying a Washington Ticket via Other Methods
If the Washington traffic violation court handling your case does not offer an online provider for ticket payments, you may be able to finalize your transactions via other methods.
Most courts allow motorists to pay driving tickets via mail or by phone, unless the issued summons requires them to appear in person. Note that certain courts offer time payment plans to drivers unable to provide their full amount owed. Consult your ticket or contact the presiding court to inquire about available payment options.
Since paying driving fines in WA indicates that you plead guilty to the committed offense, your traffic violation will be recorded on your driving transcript, which may result in further penalties.
Washington Traffic Ticket Attorneys
Motorists with a Washington traffic fine may decide to request a mitigation hearing or a contested hearing to either reduce their fines or challenge the ticket in court. Hiring a traffic ticket attorney increases drivers’ chances to win their case or have their costs lowered.
An experienced WA traffic citation lawyer may help you avoid any negative changes on your driving report, as well as reduce your charges and related fines.
You can find a lawyer locally by calling law firms and requesting information about their attorneys. However, this requires a significant amount of work. A more convenient option may be to search for an attorney online by submitting an image of your ticket and answering a few quick questions about the citation.
Pleading Not Guilty in Washington
Fighting traffic tickets in Washington is a procedure which is generally initiated by drivers who believe they were wrongfully cited.
The steps to fight traffic citations may differ depending on the corresponding court. To begin the process of contesting a traffic ticket in WA, you are generally required to enter a plea of “not guilty” and request a contested hearing.
Once this step is completed, the presiding court may schedule a pre-hearing conference for the purposes of reaching a solution without going to trial. Drivers who received a Washington traffic fine can also decide to proceed directly to trial.
A lawyer can be an invaluable resource in this case, as he or she can help guide defendants through the court process. You can find a traffic ticket lawyer easily and conveniently online. Motorists will need to present a strong traffic ticket defense to win their case, and avoid any financial repercussions or negative consequences on their licensure.
Dismissal of Charges in Washington
If you wish to avoid the procedures of fighting traffic tickets in WA or paying the allotted fines, you may qualify for ticket dismissal. One option to dismiss traffic citations is by reporting any errors contained within your traffic summons. Inspect your Washington traffic fine carefully and see whether you can dismiss your ticket due to incorrect information.
Though another widely-used method to dismiss charges is participating in a defensive driving course, traffic courts in Washington may not offer such option to motorists. Completing an authorized traffic school course may, however, be utilized by drivers who want to defer their citations, if eligible for the procedure.
Lost Tickets in Washington
Drivers with a lost WA traffic ticket will need to retrieve the necessary information in order to answer to their summons timely and properly.
To find lost traffic citation information, motorists will need to contact their corresponding municipal or district court in due time. Important ticket details usually include the citation number, as well as the date and amount due.