Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a civil infraction traffic citation?
• When must my traffic citation be paid?
• Where can I pay my citation?
• How do I pay my citation by mail?
• How do I pay my citation in person?
• How do I pay my citation online?
• What information do I need to know to pay via MyFloridaCounty.com?
• If my citation was outside Hernando County, may I pay the fine in Hernando County?
• What options are available when I pay my citation?
• Who may elect to attend driver improvement school?
• What are the benefits of attending driver improvement school?
• How much does it cost to attend school?
• How to do I begin the enrollment process?
• How do I pick a school?
• What steps do I take after I complete the driver improvement school?
• What happens if I do not attend the driver improvement school I elected?
• How many times may I elect to attend a driver improvement school?
• How many points can be assessed against my driver's license?
• Why has my case been sent to a collection agency?
• What are the procedures for receiving a reduced fine with "proof?"
• Where can I obtain a driving record history?
• Who may I contact for more information about my traffic citation, school or court date?

What is a civil infraction traffic citation?
Under Florida statutes, a civil infraction traffic ticket is a non-criminal violation that can usually be disposed of by payment of the civil penalty (fine) or election to attend traffic school. These violations are typically broken down into three categories: moving, non-moving or pedestrian. A moving violation normally assesses points against the driver's license while non-moving violations do not. Examples of Moving Violations are careless driving; fail to yield at a stop sign, etc. Examples of Non-Moving Violations are no seat belt, improper parking, etc.; and pedestrian violations include jaywalking.

When must my traffic citation be paid?
Payment of a traffic citation must be received in the Clerk's Office within thirty (30) calendar days of the citation issue date. Remember that if you are mailing your payment, it must be received in the Clerk's office by the 30th day. Payments received after the 30th day will be considered delinquent and will be subjected to a late fee and/or a suspension of your driver's license.

Where can I pay my citation?
If your traffic citation was issued in Hernando County you have three options for paying: by mail, in person or online.

How do I pay my citation by mail?
Send a personal check to the Clerk of Court, a money order or cashier's check using the envelope provided by the officer and mailing to:

Hernando County Clerk of Courts
Traffic Department Rm 217
20 N Main St
Brooksville, FL 34601

Mail early to avoid late fees and possible suspension of your driver license.

How do I pay my citation in person?
Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday in the Traffic Department on the second floor of the Hernando County Judicial Center (personal checks, cashier's checks, money orders, cash or credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted).

(Note: There is a third party convenience fee (not received by the Clerk of Court) of $5.00 per credit card payment.)

How do I pay my citation online?
You can now pay civil traffic citations and/or elect to attend a driver improvement course online and pay with your CREDIT CARD (a small Service Charge will be added) over the web www.myfloridacounty.com.

What information do I need to know to pay via MyFloridaCounty.com?
MyFloridaCounty.com will only accept VISA or MasterCard credit/debit cards.
Payment can only be made on Traffic Infraction citations.
Citations must be within 30 calendar days of the citation issue date.
The user MAY elect to attend driver's improvement school by using this service.

The user CANNOT use this service for the following citations or requirements:

• A mandatory court appearance
• Proof of vehicle registration required
• Proof of insurance required
• Proof of driver's license required
• Faulty equipment
• 30 days past due from the citation date

Users must validate any 2 of the 3 citation search fields:

• Citation Number
• Driver's License Number (no dashes)
• Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy format)

It may take anywhere from 3 to 14 business days from the date of your citation was issued until it is available in the Online Traffic Citation Payment System (TCPS.) The steps involved in processing your citation for availability on the TCPS are as follows:

1. Officer submits citation to the Clerk's Office. (This may take up to 10 days from the citation issue date.)
2. Clerk's Office enters ticket into system. (This may take up to 2 business days from the date the citation is received by the Clerk's Office.)
3. Citation uploaded from Clerk's Office to MyFloridaCounty.com. (This may take up to 2 business days from the date citation was entered into the Clerk's system.)

If my citation was issued outside Hernando County, may I pay the fine in Hernando County?
No. The Clerk in Hernando County can accept payment for traffic citations issued only in Hernando County. If your citation was issued outside of Hernando County, contact the Clerk in the county of issue. All citations issued in Hernando County must be paid in Hernando County. To find a list of websites for Florida Clerks of Courts, refer to our Links page.

What options are available when I pay my citation?
If you have received a traffic citation in Hernando County, you have thirty (30) calendar days from the date the ticket was issued to choose one of the following three (3) options to resolve the ticket.

Option 1: Pay The Citation
Payment for a Traffic Infraction citation is due within 30 calendar days of the citation issue date. Your case will be satisfied upon payment. The charge will be entered on your driving record as a conviction. Points will be assessed as applicable. Please note: if you select this option you will not be allowed to elect the school option later or ask for a court date.

Option 2: Plead Not Guilty
If you choose Option 2, to plead not guilty, you may go to Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court, 20 N Main St, Rm 217, Brooksville, FL, and make your request for a hearing in writing to the Clerk within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the ticket was received. You will be notified in writing of your court date. Or you can fill out and send to the Clerk's Office a Court Election Form (download here) requesting a court date. You will be notified of your court date. No court dates will be set by telephone. If you are unable to appear in person for your court date you Must file an Affidavit of Defense (download here) in lieu of your personal appearance. NO CONTINUANCES WILL BE ALLOWED.

Option 3: Elect to Attend Driver Improvement School
If you choose Option 3, to attend driver improvement school, you must pay the fine and fill out an affidavit to elect school and file it with the Clerk's Office within thirty (30) calendar days of the date you received the ticket. You will be granted an extra ninety (90) days to attend a Driver Improvement School in the State of Florida and no points will be assessed against your driver's license. Failure to attend Driver Improvement School will result in the report for suspension of your license and the assessment of late fees. You must present or mail a Certificate of Completion to the Clerk's Office within the 90-day period.

Who may elect to attend driver improvement school?
A person charged with a moving or non-moving traffic violation may be eligible to attend driver improvement school. A person charged with a violation involving driver licenses, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, accidents or leaving a child under the age of 6 unattended in a vehicle is not eligible. Persons holding a CDL license are not eligible to attend driver improvement school.

What are the benefits of attending driver improvement school?
There are two benefits. One, no points will be assessed against your driver's license. Two, attending driver improvement school to satisfy the violation will be entered on your driver history record as an "adjudication withheld."

How much does it cost to attend school?
School costs vary, depending on the school you attend. You must pay the civil penalty for the offense, the costs for the driver improvement school, plus a $7.00 affidavit fee.

How to do I begin the enrollment process?
You may visit the Hernando County Clerk's Office to make your election, or your election may be made by mailing in the form Elect Traffic School (download here). Send your citation, personal check (if drawn on a Florida institution), cashier's check or money order to Clerk of the Courts, 20 N Main St, Brooksville, FL 34601. Your payment must be accompanied with a signed and notarized affidavit and received by the Traffic Division within thirty (30) calendar days of the date you received the ticket. You must enroll, attend and complete an approved school course within 90 calendar days from the date you signed the affidavit. You will be required to pay for the course at the time you enroll with the school.

How do I pick a school?
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle's (DHSMV) maintains a listing of the approved driver improvement schools on their website, http://hsmc.state.fl.us/ You may also check the Yellow Pages in your local telephone book.

What steps do I take after I complete the driver improvement school?
You must present proof of completion of the driver improvement school to the Hernando County Clerk's Office within 90 calendar days of the date you elected the option.

What happens if I do not attend the driver improvement school I elected?
If you elect to attend school, you must complete the course and submit your completion certificate to the Hernando County Clerk's Office within 90 calendar days of your election. If you fail to turn in your school certificate within this time period additional late fees will be assessed, your license may be suspended and points will be assessed against your driver's license.

How many times may I elect to attend a driver improvement school?
You may make an election to attend school to satisfy an eligible traffic violation one time in a 12-month period, but no more than five (5) times in a lifetime (Effective 7/1/10). If you elect to attend, but fail to satisfy the requirements, the election will still count toward the 5 allowed.

How many points can be assessed against my driver's license?
Upon payment of a civil infraction or an adjudication of guilt by the court on either an infraction or a criminal case, the following points will be assessed to your license:

Non-Moving Violation - 0 points
Moving Violation (non-speeding, no accident) - 3 points

Moving Violation (non-speeding, resulting in an accident) - 4 points
Speeding less than 15 miles over the speed limit - 3 points

Speeding 15 miles or more over the speed limit - 4 points
Speeding resulting in an accident - 6 points

Passing a stopped school bus - 4 points
Reckless Driving - 4 points

Leaving the scene of an accident with damage - 6 points

Why has my case been sent to a collection agency?
A case could be in a collection agency status for the following reason: A case has been delinquent for failing to pay fine and/or costs for more than 60 days.

What are the procedures for receiving a reduced fine with "proof?"

IMPROPER OR FAULTY EQUIPMENT
For a violation of improper or faulty equipment, if the person committing the violation corrects the defect and obtains proof of such timely repair by an affidavit of compliance executed by the law enforcement agency within 30 days from the date upon which the traffic citation was issued, and pays $4 to the law enforcement agency, thereby completing the affidavit of compliance, then upon presentation of said affidavit by the defendant to the clerk within the 30-day time period set forth under F.S.. 318.14(4), the fine must be reduced to $91.00.

DRIVER'S LICENSE NOT CARRIED, NO PROOF OF INSURANCE, FAIL TO DISPLAY REGISTRATION
To be eligible for a dismissal on one of the charges listed above, you must provide documentation proving that your license was valid, your insurance policy was valid, or your car registration was current at the time you received your citation. Documentation must be provided within 30 days to the Clerk's Office. You will be required to pay a $10.00 dismissal fee.

Where can I obtain a driving record history?
Printouts of a three-year driving record are available from the Clerk's Office. The records are generated from the Department of Highway and Motor Vehicles database. The cost for a driving history printout is $8.00 for the first page of the record, plus $1.00 for each additional page. The records may be purchased in the Traffic Department at the Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court, 20 N Main St, Rm 217, Brooksville, FL 34601.

Who may I contact for more information about my traffic citation, school or court date?
You may contact Traffic Division, of the Hernando County Clerk of Court for additional information. The telephone number for the Traffic Division is 352-540-6388. The address is Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court, 20 N Main St, Rm 217, Brooksville, FL 34601.