When you elect this option, you agree to pay the civil penalty as stated on your ticket.
Payment of the civil penalty is considered a conviction and points will be assessed to your driver’s license, if applicable.
If you elect the option to pay the civil penalty you will not be allowed to elect the school option at a later date.
Charges That Require Additional Documentation
If you received a ticket for one of the following violations and are unable to provide the Clerk with proof that the item was valid at the time of the violation, you must:
- Failure to carry/exhibit a driver’s license or expired license
Provide proof that the driver’s license is now valid in addition to payment of the civil penalty.
- Failure to carry/exhibit a registration or expired registration
Provide proof that the registration is now valid or complete, sign and have notarized an Affidavit of Non-Ownership in addition to payment of the civil penalty.
- For failure to carry/exhibit valid insurance
Provide proof that the insurance is now valid or complete, sign and have notarized an Affidavit of Non-Ownership in addition to payment of the civil penalty.
Proof of insurance can be in the form of an insurance card, policy declarations page or certificate of insurance.
If you are unable to provide proof of insurance and the vehicle is registered to you, a court appearance is required - see Ticket That Requires a Court Appearance.
Faulty Equipment Affidavit of Compliance (unsafe equipment)
If charged with F.S. 316.610, driving with unsafe equipment, or F.S. 316.2935, faulty emissions, you may, within 30 calendar days from the date the ticket was issued:
- Have the defect corrected
- Pay a $4.00 fee to the police or sheriff’s office to certify the defect was corrected with an Affidavit of Compliance (the affidavit is listed under Option 6 on the ticket)
- Provide the Clerk’s Office with the signed Affidavit of Compliance along with the $94.00 fee
Traffic Ticket Payment Options
- Online with my eClerk
- By mail
- In person at any of our locations
- At any Amscot location
When you elect this option, you agree to
pay the civil penalty and complete traffic school.
Traffic School Guidelines and Requirements
- If you have an out-of-state driver’s license, please contact your state's DMV to see if you are eligible to take the driving school option if applicable before electing this option.
- If you hold a Commercial Driver’s license (CDL), you are not eligible for this option
- Florida law allows this election once in a 12-month period and no more than five times in your lifetime
- You must indicate the election of this option in writing at the time of payment.
If you qualify for and successfully complete traffic school, adjudication will be withheld on your driving record and points will not be assessed.
When electing this option and upon payment of the traffic penalty, your case will be extended for 90 calendar days. Within the 90-day period, you must:
- Contact a Florida-certified school of your choice
- Complete the 4-hour basic driving class
- Submit the traffic school completion certificate to the Clerk’s Office online, by mail or in person. Failure to provide the Clerk’s office with a traffic school completion certificate may result in additional penalties such as fees, a disposition of guilty, points assessed against your license and suspension of your license.
Certain Traffic School Requirements
- Completion of a driver improvement course is required if you are cited by a law enforcement officer for running a red light or passing a stopped school bus, even if you do not make this election.
- The traffic school election for child restraint charges stipulates that you have never received a child restraint ticket in the past. At the time of payment, the Child Passenger Restraint Affidavit must be signed, notarized and filed with the Clerk. You may only elect this option in person or by mail.
If you have been granted the payment plan option, you must do one of the following to establish a monthly account:
Fees
There is a $25.00 administrative setup fee applied to each payment plan.
If the payment is not received on or before the due date, there is a $10.00 late fee assessed to each case that is delinquent.
Forms of Payment
- Cash (in person only)
- Personal check, money order or cashier's check (payable to the Orange County Clerk of Courts)
- MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express (a $3.99 surcharge will apply)
The above information refers only to the Clerk's forms of payment. Please contact Amscot and the collection agencies directly for their forms of payment.
For restitution payments, only cash, cashier’s check or money orders are accepted.
Payment Plan Extensions
If you find you are unable to make payments as scheduled, you may email Court Compliance by visiting our
Contact Us page or send a letter to the Criminal Division requesting an extension. For criminal cases, mail to:
Orange County Clerk of Courts
425 N. Orange Ave.
Suite 410
Orlando, FL 32801
You may also come to Suite 410 of the Orange County Courthouse.
If you wish to contest a charge that does not require a court appearance, you can do one of the following:
- Go to any Orange County Courthouse to make your request in person
OR
- Complete a signed Not Guilty Plea form and submit by mail or online. You will be notified by mail of your hearing date, time and location.
Hearing requests may not be made by telephone.
Please note: a late fee will be assessed if this election is not made by the due date. The late fee must be paid to avoid suspension of driver's license.
If you request a hearing and the Judge/Hearing Officer determines that you have committed the offense, he/she may impose a penalty of up to $500.00, plus court costs and/or require the completion of a driver improvement course. Points may be assessed.
For cases involving speeding in a school zone, construction zone or speeds of 50 mph over the limit, the Judge/Hearing Officer may impose a penalty of up to $1,000.00, plus court costs and/or require the completion of a driver improvement course. Points may be assessed.
If it is determined that no infraction has been committed, no cost or penalty shall be imposed.
Rescheduling or Canceling a Hearing
- If you are unable to appear for the scheduled hearing, you may request the hearing be rescheduled at least 10 days prior to the hearing by submitting a signed written letter online, in person or by mail.
- If you are unable to appear and are not requesting the hearing be rescheduled, you may submit an Affidavit of Defense in lieu of appearing in court. You will be notified by mail of the court’s decision.
- To cancel a hearing that you requested, you must submit a signed written letter online, in person or by mail. You must pay the original civil penalty plus a $15.00 cancellation fee if applicable. The request and payment must be received at least 24 hours prior to the hearing in person or 7 days prior if by mail. If you are eligible, you may elect the 4-hour traffic school option at the time of cancellation - see Pay My Ticket and Attend Traffic School.
You must make this election within 30 calendar days of receiving your traffic ticket.
If you hold a Commercial Driver’s license (CDL), you are not eligible for this option.
If you received a ticket for one of the following violations, you may elect to enter a plea of no contest:
- Failure to possess a valid driver’s license
- Expired driver’s license (6 months or less)
- Failure to possess a valid registration
- Expired tag (6 months or less)
- No proof of insurance (F.S. 316.646(1)-A)
- Driving on a suspended license without knowledge
If your driver’s license, vehicle registration or insurance was not valid at the time the ticket was issued, but was corrected within 30 calendar days of receiving your ticket, you may qualify for this option.
You may only make this election once in a 12-month period, and no more than three times in your lifetime. Adjudication will be withheld.
Enter a Plea of No Contest
- Pay a penalty of either $96.75 (for driver’s license and registration charges) or $78.90 (for insurance charges)
- Provide proof at the time of payment that the item was corrected, either online, by mail or in person. Payment made online will result in a 30-day extension in order to provide proof of the valid driver’s license, vehicle registration or insurance to the Clerk.
If your driver’s license, vehicle registration or insurance was valid at the time the ticket was issued - see Received a Ticket That May be Dismissed.
If you are unable to pay your traffic ticket fine in the required time, you have the option to request an extension. You must request the extension within 30 calendar days of receiving a ticket to avoid additional late fees and possible suspension of your driver’s license.
If you are past your traffic ticket due date, you cannot request an extension.
There is a $4.00 fee for each 30-day extension, with a maximum of two extensions allowed.
Traffic ticket extensions may be obtained:
- Online at my eClerk
- At any Amscot or location
- In person at any of our locations
At the time the request for an extension is made, you must indicate whether you:
- Plan to pay the traffic ticket
OR
- Plan to pay the traffic ticket and elect the traffic school option
Issuance of Notice of Violation
When a red light camera violation occurs, a Notice of Violation is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. The resulting penalty of $158.00 or a submission of an affidavit must be mailed and postmarked on or before the due date to avoid issuance of a traffic ticket.
This Notice of Violation must be resolved with the city or county that issued the notice. It cannot be resolved through the Orange County Clerk of Courts.
Failure to Resolve Notice of Violation
If you fail to resolve the Notice of Violation by the due date, a traffic ticket will be issued with a higher fee of $262.00. The registered owner will receive the ticket by mail. This traffic ticket must be resolved through the Clerk’s Office.
A red light camera traffic ticket can be resolved in one of the following ways:
- Pay the penalty of $262.00 - points will not be assessed
- Request an extension to pay the $262.00 - see Extension to pay my traffic ticket
- Enter a plea of not guilty - see Plead not guilty and request a hearing
Denying Responsibility
If you were not the driver at the time of the offense, you can attempt to resolve the traffic ticket by:
Acknowledging Responsibility
If you were the driver at the time of the offense, you can attempt to resolve the traffic ticket by:
The above affidavits must be received by the Clerk's Office on or before the due date in order to be accepted. The Court will determine whether the affidavit will be accepted.
If the red light camera ticket is not resolved by the due date, a notice of suspension will be issued and late fees will be assessed.
Issuance of Toll Infraction
A traffic ticket is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle as a result of a vehicle passing a toll without payment.
Under OPTION A on the ticket, a $25.00 fine plus the unpaid toll amount is indicated, along with the due date for payment.
The ticket must be resolved through The Orlando/Orange County Expressway Authority or the Department of Transportation by the due date indicated under OPTION A on the ticket. It cannot be resolved through the Orange County Clerk of Court.
Failure to Resolve Toll Infraction
If you fail to resolve the ticket by the due date given under OPTION A, the ticket must be resolved under OPTION B. At this point, the ticket is filed with the Clerk’s Office and must be resolved there. The penalty is increased to $134.00, plus the unpaid toll amount.
A toll ticket filed with the Clerk’s Office can be resolved in one of the following ways:
- Pay the $134.00 penalty plus the unpaid toll amount by the due date indicated - points will not be assessed unless you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
- Request an extension to pay the penalty by the due date indicated - see Request Extension to Pay Traffic Ticket
- Enter a Plea of Not Guilty (OPTION C on the ticket) - see Plead Not Guilty and Request a Hearing
If one of the options above is not elected by the due date indicated on your ticket, a notice of suspension will be issued and late fees will be assessed. In addition, the penalty is increased to $262.00 plus the unpaid toll amount.
If your license is suspended for any reason other than a traffic ticket, you must contact the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
Examples of suspensions for reasons other than traffic tickets include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to maintain insurance
- Failure to pay child support
- Excessive points
- Habitual traffic offender
An Order of Suspension is sent from the DHSMV when notified by the Clerk’s Office that you have failed to meet court requirements. Those requirements may include:
- Failure to pay the penalty by the due date
- Failure to complete traffic school by the due date
- Failure to provide proof of obtaining a license, registration or insurance when required
- Failure to appear in court as required
If your license is suspended due to an Orange County, FL traffic ticket and:
You possess a Florida driver’s license
Upon resolution of your ticket, the Clerk’s Office will submit your clearance electronically to the DHSMV within 2-3 business days.
You possess an out-of-state driver’s license
Upon resolution of your ticket, your clearance letter, which must be submitted to your licensing state, will be mailed to you within 2-3 business days. You must provide the Clerk’s Office with your current mailing address in order to receive the clearance letter.
If you satisfy the court’s requirements before the suspension date printed on your Order of Suspension, you will not be required to pay any additional fees to the DHSMV.
If you satisfy the court’s requirements on or after the suspension date printed on your Order of Suspension, you will be required to pay a $60.00 fee to reinstatement your driver’s license.
The $60.00 reinstatement fee is payable in person only at any of our 6 locations.
If you are charged with a Criminal Traffic offense, you must appear on or before the date provided by the officer, bonding agency or within 10 calendar days from the date your ticket was issued.
Criminal Traffic charges include, but are not limited to:
| DUI |
Leaving the scene of an accident |
| Driving on a suspended license with knowledge |
No motor vehicle registration |
| Driving without a valid license |
Reckless driving |
Certain non-criminal charges also require a court appearance. These charges include, but are not limited to:
| Any ticket that indicates serious bodily injury or fatality |
Leaving child unattended in vehicle with motor running |
| Any speeding ticket 30 MPH or more over the speed limit |
Load dropping from back of vehicle or littering over 15 pounds |
| Passing a stopped school bus on the exit side |
No proof of insurance charges if you own the vehicle and cannot provide proof of insurance |
You must report to the court location indicated on the front of your ticket or on your bond paperwork.
Check-in time for arraignment court is 7:30 a.m. and you must check in with the Clerk’s Office in Room 410 before going to the courtroom.
Failure to report on time disqualifies you from attending court that day. This failure to appear may result in a late fee or the suspension of your driver’s license.
In addition, a warrant for your arrest could be issued for failure to appear on a Criminal Traffic offense.
Arraignment Court Schedule
| Downtown Courthouse – Suite 410 |
Tues, Wed and Thurs at 7:30 a.m. |
| Ocoee branch |
Wednesday only at 7:30 a.m. |
| Apopka branch |
Thursday only at 7:30 a.m. |
| Winter Park branch |
Friday only at 7:30 a.m. |
If you have not paid a traffic ticket or a court ordered fine by the due date, your outstanding balance will be sent to one of three collection agencies. Per F.S. 28.246(6), the collection agencies are authorized to collect a fee of up to 25% in addition to the amount due the court.
Note: The balance due indicated on our my eClerk website does not include the collection agency fee.
In order to resolve the outstanding balance, you must contact the appropriate collection agency:
You may visit the Orange County Courthouse, suite 410, to meet with a collection agency representative in person.
Partial payments or payment plans are only available at the Orange County Courthouse, through the collection agency assigned to your case.
If there are other court-ordered conditions that must be met in addition to the financial balance, you may need to contact the Clerk's Office for further information. Examples include traffic school and community service.
When you elect this option, you agree to pay the $10.00 dismissal fee and to provide proof that the driver’s license, vehicle registration or insurance was valid at the time the ticket was issued.
The dismissal option is available if you were cited for:
- Expired driver’s license (6 months or less)
- Failure to possess a valid vehicle registration
- Failure to possess a valid driver’s license
- Expired tag (6 months or less)
- No proof of insurance (F.S. 316.646(1)-A)
This option is not available for a charge of failure to have a current address on your license.
If you qualify for this option, you may pay the $10.00 dismissal fee:
- Online with my eClerk*
- By mail
- In person at any of our locations
*No proof of insurance violations cannot be paid online.
Proof of Valid Item
Proof that the driver’s license, vehicle registration or insurance was valid must be produced at the time payment is made online*, in person or by mail. Payment of the $10.00 dismissal fee online results in a 30-day extension to deliver proof of the valid item to the Clerk’s Office.
Failure to provide the valid item to the clerk by the due date given will result in additional penalties and the suspension of your license.
Item Not Valid When the Ticket was Issued
If the driver’s license or vehicle registration was not valid at the time the ticket was issued, but was corrected within 30 calendar days of receiving the ticket, you may file an
Affidavit of No Contest - see Plead no contest.
No Proof of Insurance Violations
No proof of insurance violations are eligible for the dismissal option. However, the following exceptions apply:
- No proof of insurance violations cannot be paid online
- Proof of valid insurance must be submitted at the time of payment - 30-day extensions are not permitted for these violations