From promoting a safe roadside environment to ensuring utmost traffic safety and awareness, the Florida Highway Patrol is the foremost law enforcement agency in Florida, United States. Established in 1939, the organization has always been proactive in curbing criminal activities on the state’s highways as well as investigating traffic crashes.
According to reports, the Florida Highway Patrol had made more than one million traffic stops and closely investigated over 300,000 traffic crashes (as of 2022). Additionally, assistance was also provided to more than one million stranded roadside motorists. However, if you have recently been pulled over for any traffic rule violation by a Florida Highway Patrol officer, then you should delay no further in paying the citation penalty. That is why we have created an easy-to-follow guide to lessen your worries.
5 Steps to Pay Fine Online
If you have received a Uniform Traffic Citation, then you will have 30 days to either pay for the ticket, take a driver improvement course, or contest it. If you fail to do any of the above-mentioned acts within 30 days, you will receive additional fines along with a temporary suspension from driving. To pay your fine online right away, simply follow the below-mentioned steps.
- Begin the payment process by visiting the official website here. On the landing page, you need to first select your county.
- Once you have done that, you will be redirected to a new website, where you will have the option to pay for your citation. To do that, click on “Pay Now”.
- In the next step, you need to select your county again, enter the citation number, state your vehicle licence plate number (for which the citation was issued), and your birth date. After that, hit “Continue”.
- The online system will then retrieve details about your citation automatically, and you will then have the option to elect or decline a driver improvement course. If you decide to take the course, then your citation fee will be reduced by 18 per cent.
- After that, proceed to enter your billing information and then pay for the same via your debit or credit card. Once done, do not forget to take a printout of the confirmation receipt for future reference.
Please note that if you do not elect for the driver improvement course within 30 days of the citation, you will no longer be eligible to opt for it. Also, an individual can opt for a driver improvement course only for a maximum of five times within his or her lifetime. Once you complete the course, a certificate of completion will be provided to you as well. Lastly, allow at least ten business days for the citation payment to be processed.
Know Other Ways to Pay Fine
Apart from paying the citation fee online, you can also decide to pay it offline by visiting the clerk’s office within the county in which the violation took place. To find the relevant clerk’s office today, follow the steps outlined below.
- Start the search process by visiting the official website here.
- On the landing page, look for the county where the violation took place. Proceed to click on it.
- A new web page will open where you will be presented with the address of the clerk’s office, the working hours, and the respective phone number(s).
- Proceed to note down the address of the office and head over to the location in person.
- After that, pay the citation fee on the spot and remember to take the payment receipt for future reference.
Types of Offenses or Penalties
The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to providing safety through proper enforcement of penalties or offences. Currently, the organisation uses a point-based system when issuing a citation to an offender, and the point earned will depend on the type of offence created.
For instance, driving recklessly will earn you 4 points, while careless driving will earn you 6 points. Earning 12 points within 12 months will temporarily suspend your driving privileges for 30 days while earning 18 points within 18 months will lead to a 3-month suspension. Lastly, earning 24 points within 36 months will lead to a one-year suspension. To learn about some of the most convicted offences, be sure to read the below-mentioned list carefully.
Reckless Driving: If an individual is driving a vehicle with a major disregard for the safety of people or property, then a 4-point infraction will be levied.
Crash: If an individual leaves a crash scene without giving information regarding damage that exceeds $50 or leaves the crashed vehicle unattended, then a 6-point infraction will be levied.
Speeding: Persons driving on the highway over the specified speed limit will receive a 3-point infraction for speeding.
Careless Driving: Even though careless driving is a little less offensive than reckless driving, a 3-point infraction will still be provided to the violating driver.
Bus/School Bus: Passing the entry or exit side of a bus or failing to stop for a school bus will lead to an infraction of 4 points.
Steady Red Signal: If an individual fails to stop at a steady red signal, then a 3-point infraction will be levied.
Child Restraint: Infants up to 3 years old must be kept in a separate carrier within the vehicle, while children aged 4-5 years old should be wearing seat belts. Failing to follow any of the above-mentioned rules will lead to a 3-point infraction.
