A civil traffic infraction is a non-criminal charge that can usually be disposed of by the payment of a civil penalty. A court appearance is required when the violation involves serious bodily injury, fatality, or leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle.

Charges include pedestrian violations, bicycle violations, Non-moving violations such as; not wearing your seat belt, not carrying your driver’s license, registration, or insurance card, expired registration less than 6 months, or expired driver’s license less than 4 months, moving violations such as; speeding, running a red light or stop sign, careless driving, child restraint violations, or failing to maintain a single lane, and parking citations.

You have 3 basic options. The Clerk’s office must receive your option with payment, when applicable, within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the officer issued the citation. Once you choose an option, you cannot change your mind. Please click on the option below for more information:

• Pay the civil penalty
• Elect Defensive Driving School
• Elect a court hearing

If you choose to pay the civil penalty, you are admitting guilt and FLHSMV will assess points on your driving record for moving violations. For Driver License, Registration, or Insurance violations, proof of compliance is also required. See Driver’s License, Registration, and Insurance Citations for more information on these violations. The Clerk’s office must receive payment and proof of compliance within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the officer issued the citation.

You may make payment in person, by mail, online at https://monroeclerkpay.com/ , or by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through our IVR service at (888) 982-4439. If paying by mail, please remember that the Clerk’s office must receive the payment within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the officer issued the citation. We are not responsible for lost or delayed mail. 

Payment can be made with checks or money orders drawn on a United States Bank.

NOTE: ONCE YOU HAVE PAID IN FULL, YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR OPTION TO A SCHOOL ELECTION.

You may elect defensive driving school on any non-mandatory case that has points assessed. These are typically your moving violations, such as, speeding, running a red light, failing to maintain a single lane, and child restraint.

If you elect the defensive driving school option, adjudication is withheld, you must pay the discounted amount of the citation, and DHSMV will not assess points against your driving record.

You are eligible to elect the defensive driving school once every 12 months and eight times in your lifetime.

To elect this option, you can affirm online at or fill out the Traffic School Affidavit Form, which is available at www.monroe-clerk.com,  and pay the fine amount within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the officer issued the citation. The forms are available from the Clerk’s office or online in English or Spanish. 

You must attend a defensive driving course that is Florida certified or Florida approved. 

Once you have completed the school, you must return the school completion certificate to the Clerk’s office within ninety (90) days from the date you paid the school election fine.

It is your responsibility to enroll in a traffic school. For information concerning traffic school enrollment, locations, and fees, please contact a traffic school. 

NOTE: ONCE YOU ELECT SCHOOL, YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR ELECTION.

You can enter a written plea of not guilty and request a court hearing. The Clerk’s office must receive your request in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the officer issued the citation.

If you appear in court, you will waive your right to pay the civil penalty amount. The Judge can fine you up to $1,000.00 in some cases. The Judge can also order you to attend driver improvement school and/or pay a penalty. If you fail to attend the requested hearing, it will result in a driver’s license suspension.

If it is impossible or impractical for you to appear in court in person, you can elect a court hearing by mail. The Clerk’s office will give you an Affidavit of Defense to complete. This form must be notarized. The Judge will read the affidavit in the courtroom. The officer and any witnesses will testify, and the Judge will render a verdict. The Clerk’s office will notify you by mail of the disposition of your citation.

If you fail to appear for your court hearing, the Judge can hear your case without you being present. The Clerk’s office will notify you of the Judge’s decision.

If you were cited for Expired DL, Failure to Carry/Display DL, Driving While License Suspended, Failure to Carry/Display Registration, Expired Registration, or No Proof of Insurance, you may elect to show proof of compliance to the Clerk of Court within thirty (30) days of the citation issue date and sign an affidavit of compliance to receive a reduced fine. 

NOTE: YOU CANNOT HAVE A CDL LICENSE 

IN ORDER TO ELECT THIS OPTION, YOU MUST ALSO COMPLETE THE “PROOF OF COMPLIANCE” form. This form is available on our website under “Forms”.

If you are cited for operating a motor vehicle in an unsafe condition (F.S. 316.610) or not properly equipped (F.S. 316.610 or 316.2935), you may have the defect corrected, then contact your local county/city law enforcement agency to have the correction certified by completing the “Faulty Equipment Affidavit of Compliance” that is printed on your citation.  

The following charges require a mandatory court hearing:

• Leaving a child in an unattended vehicle
• An accident involving a serious personal injury
• An accident involving a fatality

These “penalty amounts” can and often do change as a result of the Florida Legislature enactment of laws. If you want to know the exact amount that you owe on a citation, contact the Traffic Department or visit the service counter at one of our office locations.

The officer who wrote and served you with your citation usually indicates a fine amount on the back of the citation. Occasionally, the officer might write the wrong fine amount. This error is not grounds to have the citation dismissed or the correct fine amount altered. Should this error occur, you will be charged the amount mandated by current law.

It is your right to contest the citation in court before a judge. Should you choose to exercise this right, the Court will determine the fine and fee amounts, which could be up to $1000.00.

If eligible, you can request a one time thirty (30) day extension to pay your fine or complete traffic school. There is a $16 fee for this request. Your request must be made before the original due date. Should you need more than the allowed thirty (30) days, you can write the Judge/Traffic Magistrate/Hearing Officer to request more time. 

Meeting court requirements or paying fines does not automatically reinstate your driver’s license. Your driving privilege will remain suspended until FLHSMV receives and processes the required clearance documents. The court will either give you paper documents or send them electronically to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

A D-6 clearance form confirms all court requirements have been met and must be submitted to FLHSMV for reinstatement.

If eligible, the Monroe County Clerk’s Office can reinstate your driver’s license for a $60 fee. Please call 305-292-3553 for assistance.

The FLHSMV may require you to furnish them a letter from the Clerk’s office reflecting any violations or charges you have incurred or had disposed of in the last 30 days. The Clerk’s office will charge you $7.00 for this service.

For your convenience, the Clerk’s office has several branch locations. You can make payment in person at one of the satellite locations.

If you have changed your address and you have a pending case, it is imperative that you notify the court, in writing, of your new address so that you receive all future notices and correspondence.

Please include the following information in your correspondence:

• Your change of address
• Your full name
• Your date of birth
• Your telephone number
• Your case or ticket number

You may pay with cash, money order, or a personal check drawn on a United States bank if paying in person. You can also make the payment online at www.monroeclerkpay.com or over the phone using our IVR system. The phone number to call is 888-982-4439. 

The Clerk’s office must receive payment within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the officer issues the citation.

If the Clerk’s office does not receive payment within thirty (30) calendar days or your completion certificate within ninety (90) days from the payment date, we will notify DHSMV of your failure to pay. DHSMV will begin the process of suspending your driving privilege.

The Clerk’s office will not suspend your driving privilege for failing to pay for a parking ticket. However, the Tax Collectors’ Office may not let you renew your registration if you have certain outstanding parking tickets.

No. Monroe County can only accept payments on citations issued in Monroe County.

No. You must pay your city parking ticket at Key West City Hall, located at 1300 White Street, Key West, Florida

No. The citation will show on your full driving record but will show adjudication withheld. This means no points will be assessed. The citation will not show on your 3-year driving record.

No. Once you pay your citation, you have made your one election for that violation. If you wish to attend school, you must make that election at the time you pay the citation.

It is up to the individual insurance company as to whether going to school will keep your rates down. It is best to contact your insurance company if you are unsure.

To find a list of Defensive Driving Schools, look in your local yellow pages under Driving Instruction. Some school brochures are also available in the Clerk’s office lobby. You can also find a list of Approved BDI Court Providers through the FLHSMV website. https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/education-courses/driver-improvement-schools/basic-driver-improvement-bdi-find-approved-listing-bdi-course-providers/

No. You must send your completion certificate to the Clerk’s office. We must receive the completion certificate within ninety (90) days of the date you elected driving school.

For your convenience, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle has provided information regarding appropriate driver improvement courses and approved schools on their website.