In the state of Texas, the equivalent of a traffic infraction is a traffic ticket. You have a short window of time to make the payment for the ticket before the grace period of 20 days runs out.
Making a payment online is invariably going to be the quickest and most convenient option. Follow along with me as I demonstrate how to make an online payment for a traffic citation issued in the state of Texas.
But first, let’s talk about who can pay a Texas traffic ticket online and who can’t.
Eligibility Criteria for Paying Texas Traffic Ticket Online
If you want to pay a Texas traffic ticket online, you must first satisfy the following conditions, which are listed below:
- Get familiar with your ticket number.
- Ticket not disposed of (maybe you served time, the ticket was dismissed, or the ticket was paid, or you completed a driving safety class, or you were granted a deferred adjudication).
- You need to have a current credit card, which can be any one of the following: American Express, MasterCard, Discover, or Visa.
- At the time the ticket was issued, they did not qualify as a minor.
- You have not posted the cash bond required for your case.
- Not currently being held in a prison.
- There was not a single request for enrollment in a driver education class.
- Both the commission of the offense and the scheduled court date are within the past two years.
How to Pay a Traffic Ticket Online in Texas?
The procedure for paying your Texas traffic ticket online is quite easy to understand and follow. Payments for traffic tickets can be made through a variety of different websites, each of which is hosted by a different county courthouse in the state of Texas. The City of Houston Municipal Courts is a good illustration of a county courthouse, which is something that may have been noted on your ticket. If you received a traffic ticket in Houston, Texas, how would you go about paying it online?
- First and foremost, you should go to the official website of the City of Houston Municipal Courts. Simply clicking on this link https://www.houstontx.gov/courts/ will take you straight to the site.
- The second step is to go to the area labeled “Popular City Pages” and then select the “Pay a Ticket” button.
- Click “Continue to Pay Fine” under the heading “Pay Your Fine Online” in the third step of the process.
- Move on to the next step, which is entering the necessary information into the Search Ticket form.
- In the final step, select “Go,” then continue through the rest of the steps to complete the payment.
A charge of $5 will be applied to each and every online traffic payment made using this system. Within the next twenty-four to seventy-two hours, an adjustment will be made to your account to reflect the payment.
Other Options for Paying Traffic Tickets in Texas
In addition to being able to pay your traffic ticket online, you also have the following alternatives available to you in the state of Texas:
You should keep in mind that we chose to hold our demonstrations in the most important city in Texas.
Via phone payment
By phoning 3-1-1 or calling 713.837.0311, you will be able to provide personal information such as your name, date of birth, and driver’s license number, as well as the number of your ticket. The fact that the payment for the fee is instantly reflected on the account is the finest feature of the phone payment option.
Through the mail
Checks, money orders, and credit cards are all valid forms of payment that can be used in the municipal courts. After that, you can send your money to the courthouse in this particular scenario;
City of Houston
Municipal Courts Department
P.O. Box 4996
Houston, Texas 77210-4996
In-person payments
You may make your payment at around six different sites spread throughout Houston, Texas. According to the official website of the Municipal Courts of Houston Texas, there are about six different locations in Houston where you may make payments in person for traffic tickets;
- The Herbert W. Gee Municipal Courthouse
- Acres Homes/North Command Station
- Southeast Command Station
- Clear Lake Substation
- Westside Command Station
- Kingwood Annex Court
Payment by Western Union
You may make the payment for your traffic ticket by using the “Quick Collect” service that is provided by Western Union. Show up at any of the Western Union locations in your area (you may find one by calling 1-800-325-6000), bringing the ticket notification and a completed Blue Quick collection form with you.
- Address to: City of Houston Municipal Courts
- Code City: Ticket, State: TX, Citation # (Number)
Western Union delivers the payment to the court in 24 hours.
You have options other than just paying the fine to get rid of the traffic ticket you received. You also have the option of contesting the traffic ticket.
Contesting a Traffic Ticket in Texas
In the state of Texas, you have the right to challenge the validity of a traffic ticket in court if you believe that it was issued in error. So, how do you do it?
- Take the ticket in hand and leave the scene immediately since you will not have sufficient time to contest it in court if you do so.
- If you have been requested to sign the ticket, you should do so as well. Take note that merely signing the document does not imply guilt.
- Then, if you are sure that you are not guilty or if you suspect that you are not guilty, you should disclose this to the police so that it can be recorded on the officer’s dashboard camera or body cam that is worn on his uniform.
Take note that the information presented above is meant to prepare you for how to proceed with things in the event that a police officer stops you and gives you a ticket.
Keep in mind that you should avoid getting into an argument with the police officer since it might lead to a more dangerous situation.
Let’s fast forward to the real defense; you need a lawyer who specializes in traffic defense
In the event that you are unable to afford one, you should seek the aid of the Texas Legal Members. These people are protected by a Texas legal protection plan, and you may contribute to it even if you don’t want to pay anything out of pocket.
There are specific advantages to enlisting the assistance of an attorney while dealing with a traffic ticket. These advantages include the following:
- A lawyer can find flaws in a ticket and then use those flaws as leverage to fend off the problem.
- A lawyer may uncover anything uncommon to use as a defense against the ticket just by reading through the officer’s notes.
- Your attorney can acquire the video clip from the body cam and use it to build a case for you. It’s possible that you won’t be able to take advantage of this permission.
Important to keep in mind: As you get ready to deal with your traffic ticket in court, even if you don’t plan to hire a lawyer, you should seek advice in order to have an understanding of the ramifications that come with receiving any kind of traffic citation.
A note of warning: Some traffic offenses in Texas not only result in a monetary punishment but also in the accumulation of driving points on your record.
Texas Traffic Violations Points System
In Texas, you will receive points for the majority of the moving offenses that you commit. Your chances of having your driver’s license revoked for a certain amount of time increase in proportion to the number of these points that you have accumulated.
In the following paragraphs, I will walk you through the several point systems that Texas uses for traffic offenses so that you may have a first-hand understanding of what each system implies for your driving record.
The Texas Department of Public Safety uses a simple point system for driving infractions. The following is the breakdown of how points are allotted:
- First and foremost, movement offenses result in a loss of two points.
- Second, movement infractions that lead to an accident will result in a total of three points being assessed.
If you have a total of six points accumulated over a period of three years, you will be subject to paying fees. The premiums you have to pay go up whenever you reach a new point threshold.
For instance, a driver’s license can be suspended for either four moving offenses in a 12-month period or seven driving violations in a 24-month period.
Another kind of surcharge is known as the conviction-based surcharge, and it operates in the same way. In this case, you will not be awarded points; rather, you will be required to pay a fee once every year for a period of three years in a row. The following are some examples of surcharges that are based on a conviction:
- Driving under the influence is punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars per year for a period of three years. If you are discovered after the fact, the price jumps up to a staggering $1,500 each year.
- Driving when your license is expired will result in a charge of $250 each year for the next three years. Using an invalid insurance cover is subject to the same consequences.
The fact that you have received a traffic ticket demonstrates that you should be aware of the information that it contains, as demonstrated by the previous charges. But what happens if you misplace a parking or speeding ticket?
What to Do If You Lose Your Traffic Ticket in Texas?
The response is that you need to check your ticket online and ensure that all of the information that you have regarding the ticket that was issued is accurate. The following steps need to be taken in order to verify the validity of your Texas traffic ticket:
- First and foremost, visit the official website of the Ticket Search Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Simply clicking on this link will take you straight to the site.
- The second step is to fill in the necessary information, which includes your driver’s license or identification number, your date of birth, and your three identifiers.
- Last but not least, select “Search” from the drop-down menu, and then go to your open ticket.
After acquiring this knowledge, the next step is to process your payments while keeping the Citation # (Number) in mind at all times. One option is to have money orders and cheques hand-delivered to the recipient, in addition to mailing them.
If you pay off your Texas traffic fines in a timely manner, you will be protected from any further penalties that may be imposed by the county court that is listed on your traffic citation. You should now be familiar with how to make an online payment for a traffic ticket issued in the state of Texas.
In addition, there are additional considerations to take into account, such as whether or not one is eligible to pay traffic tickets or fines online, as well as other payment methods.
In addition, information on how to contest a traffic citation in Texas, the Texas points system, and how to check your ticket online in the event that you misplace it is provided.
The only thing left for you to do is pay the Texas traffic ticket you received online, and you can immediately begin removing some of the stress from your driving record. For any help contact us.