When it comes to enforcing all traffic laws in the state of Texas, United States, there’s no better organization than the Texas Highway Patrol. From mitigating instances of reckless driving and speeding to drunk driving, conducting vehicle inspections, and ensuring regulation compliance, the organization has been instrumental in establishing strict law and order within the state.
Originally founded in 1929, the Texas Highway Patrol employs over 2,800 sworn troopers and has 13 regional offices, ensuring that there is a sufficient workforce throughout Texas. And during moments of statewide emergencies and critical events, it is the troopers who first respond. Having said that, if you have recently been on the wrong side of the traffic law and the Texas Highway Patrol has fined you with a citation, then you can use our step-by-step guide to pay it.
Follow Our Steps to Pay Online
If you have a citation issued in the last 24 months and want to pay the same online, then you can do so by following the recommended steps provided below.
- Start the citation search by heading over to the official website here.
- The primary step involves entering your “DL#,” or driver’s license number. Ensure that you use the same information for which you received the citation.
- Once done, enter your full name and birth date, and then click on “Search”.
- The online system will then search its internal database and provide you with a copy of your citation receipt.
- After that, you can decide to pay for your citation online, preferably via your debit or credit card.
- Lastly, do not forget to save or take a printout of the payment receipt for future reference.
Keep in mind that it can take up to 7 business days for traffic tickets to get cleared from the system. So, ensure that you make the payment early so that the ticket does not affect your driving eligibility.
Know Other Ways to Pay
In addition to the above-mentioned steps, you can also pay for outstanding citation through these options given below.
Pay via FTA (Failure To Appear) Website
- Begin the payment process by visiting the official website here.
- On the landing page, enter your 8-digit “Texas Driver License” along with your date of birth. Once done, hit “Submit”.
- The online system will then search its database and reinstate your unpaid traffic ticket.
- After that, simply proceed to pay the fine online and keep a copy of the paid confirmation receipt for future reference.
Pay via OmniBase Phone Support
- First, you need to get in touch with the Texas Department of Public Safety customer support at (800) 686-0570. Phone lines are open 24×7.
- Once you are on the line with a customer care representative, provide your driving license number and date of birth so that the live agent can retrieve your citation information.
- After retrieval, you can decide to pay for the same by providing your debit card or credit card information.
- Once done, proceed to check your ticket status here, as successful ticket payments will be listed under “Closed Violations”.
Different Types of Offenses or Penalties
The Texas Highway Patrol enforces a variety of traffic laws and regulations that help keep random traffic offences and offenders in check. Some of the most noteworthy types of offences or penalties have been listed below.
Habitual Violator (Departmental Suspension): An individual is considered to be a habitual violator if the person is convicted of four moving violations within 12 months or seven moving violations within 24 months. Moving violations include speeding, reckless driving, driving without a license, driving without insurance, etc. The reinstatement fee is $100, and suspension can last up to one year.
Repeat Offender (Revocation): If an individual is convicted of DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) two or more times within 10 years, the person’s driving license will be revoked and will be asked by the court to complete a 32-hour repeat offender course. Only after completing the course will the license be reinstated.
Out-Of-State Conviction (Departmental Suspension): If the Texas Department of Public Safety receives a notice of conviction and suspension from another state, then the convicted person’s license will be suspended and will only be reinstated on the payment of a $100 fine. Also, suspension can last up to a year.
Disqualified Commercial Vehicle License (Disqualification): If an individual operates a commercial vehicle on a highway while his or her commercial driving license is disqualified, he or she will be disqualified from driving any vehicle for up to 1 year or the term of the original disqualification.
Refused Test For Alcohol (Disqualification): If any individual refuses to provide a specimen(s) of breath, blood, or urine to determine the concentration of alcohol inside his or her body while driving a vehicle, he or she will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for up to 1 year.
Driving While Intoxicated (Mandatory Suspension): If an individual is convicted of DWI, then his or her driving license will be suspended for up to 2 years and will be levied a $100 fine.
Driving While License Invalid (Mandatory Suspension): If an individual is convicted for driving while his or her license is suspended, cancelled, or revoked, he or she will receive a suspension for a maximum of 2 years with a $100 fine.
