Important Notice: New Procedure for any payable traffic citation received on or after January 1, 2011
New legislation, SB 560 (Chapter 195) and HB 829 (Chapter 196), was passed by the General Assembly during the 2010 legislative session that requires a person who receives a payable traffic citation to comply with the citation by doing
one of the following WITHIN 30 DAYS after receipt of the citation:
  Pay the full amount of the preset fine
Request a waiver hearing regarding sentencing and disposition instead of trial - Plead Guilty With an Explanation
NEW OPTION - Request a trial date at the date, time, and place established by the District Court by writ or trial notice
The District Court will no longer automatically set trial dates for payable citations issued on or after January 1, 2011. In order to receive a trial date or a waiver hearing date, you must complete and return your option form to:
District Court of MD
PO Box 6676
Annapolis, MD 21401
If you fail to comply with one of the three options WITHIN 30 DAYS after receipt of a payable traffic citation, the Motor Vehicle Administration will be notified and may take action to suspend your driver's license. Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense for which you could be incarcerated.
Traffic Citation Fact Sheet
Traffic Citations - Handwritten and Electronic Traffic citations in the State of MD are issued in one of two different ways - a handwritten version or the new electronic version. When you are charged with a payable traffic offense, the officer will give you two copies of the handwritten version of the traffic citation. If the citation was issued electronically, the officer prints you a copy from his patrol car.
There are two types of traffic violations in Maryland, "payable" and “must appear". “Must appear” violations, such as driving
while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving on a suspended
license are not covered in this fact sheet. Drivers who receive "Must Appear" citations or have payable citations included with a "Must Appear" citation, will continue to receive automatic trial date notices. For more information
about “must appear” traffic offenses, contact the District
Court location nearest you or the District Court Traffic Processing Center at
1-800-492-2656 or 410-260-1093.
Payable traffic violations for example, a speeding ticket or failing
to stop for a school bus, are those you may choose to plead “guilty” to
and pay a fine without appearing in court. You have a payable violation
when the officer checks the second box under “Notice to Appear” on
your handwritten citation or the "Payable Fine" box on the electronic version. Payable traffic violations are not punishable by jail
time.
Always read the Notice to Defendant information
carefully and make sure your name and address are correct. (See address change.)
You have three options when confronted with a payable traffic citation
(1) paying the fine, (2) pleading “guilty with
an explanation” and appearing for a waiver hearing or (3)requesting a trial date and appearing for trial. If you choose
not to pay the fine, you must request either a waiver hearing or a trial, at which you will be required to appear in person to
dispose of your case. If you do not respond WITHIN 30 DAYS to one of the three options, MVA will be notified and may take action to suspend your license. Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense for which you could be incarcerated.
To Access Your Citation Information Online
Information about your citation and its status can be found on the Judiciary’s online Case Search at: http://www.courts.state.md.us/courtrecords.html
Click: Case Search
Read: Terms and Conditions
Click: Checkbox to acknowledge agreement with the terms and conditions
Click: Continue
In Search Criteria
Enter: your last, first, middle name as shown on your driver’s license
or scroll down
In Search by Case Number
Enter: citation number in the Case Number field
Select: Case Type: Traffic > Court System: District Court Only
Click: Search
Click: Your case number when the Results screen appears to display your citation information
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Paying
the fine - Pleading "Guilty"
If you choose to plead guilty, by paying pay the fine noted on the front of your citation, the charge will become part of your driving record. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration(MVA) may assess points on your license. Having points on your license could increase your insurance premiums. The number of points assessed is determined by the MVA, not by the District Court. For information on the MVA,visit their website at: http://www.mva.maryland.gov/
There are several ways to pay the fine. Have your citation number
available to help expedite the process.
•To pay online, visit the Online Payment Website at: https://orders.paymentsolutions.lexisnexis.com/md/marylandcourt/
(A non-refundable convenience fee applies.)
• Visit the District Court location nearest you and pay the fine at the cashier’s office. If you choose to pay with a credit card, a service charge will be added to your fine.
• Mail your check or money order to the District Court of MD with the Return to Court copy in the envelope attached to the handwritten version of the traffic citation. If you received more than one citation you may place all citations in the same envelope. If you received a copy of an electronic traffic citation, cut on the dotted line and mail the Option Form to the address below. To ensure proper credit, please include the citation number on your payment.
District Court of MD
PO Box 6676
Annapolis, MD 21401
• Call the District Court’s Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system at 1-800-492-2656. The system will provide directions to court locations and other information. The IVR system also accepts credit card payments for traffic citations, through Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. Your credit card company will assess a service charge for each citation when you pay by phone.
If you want to request a trial date or a waiver hearing date, DO NOY PAY THE FINE. See the instructions for Requesting a Waiver Hearing or Requesting a Trial Date below.
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Requesting a Waiver Hearing
to Plead “Guilty with an Explanation”
If you choose to plead guilty and would like to request that your
fine be reduced or waived or that you be given probation rather than
a conviction, you must make your request WITHIN 30 DAYS of receipt of your citation. Check the "Request Waiver Hearing" option box on the Return to Court copy of the handwritten citation and envelope or the electronic version Option Form, sign, date and mail it to:
District Court of MD
PO Box 6676
Annapolis, MD 21401
The court will automatically schedule a hearing date before a judge.
This hearing is not a trial. The officer who ticketed you and any
witnesses will not be present.
The hearing presents
you with an opportunity to explain to
the judge why you committed the offense
and request that your fine be reduced
or waived or ask that you be given probation
rather than a conviction because of extenuating
circumstances. Lowering your fine is
at the discretion of the judge. There
is a possibility that your fine could
be increased, up to a maximum of $500.
If the judge renders a guilty verdict,
you have the right to an appeal. There
are non-refundable court costs for filing
an appeal. (A "probation before
judgment" cannot be appealed.)
Call the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System at
1-800-492-2656 for information about trial dates, court locations, and directions.
From all areas, including out-of-state, call: 1-800-492-2656
TTY users call 1-800-925-9690 or
use the Maryland Relay Services at 1-800-735-2258 or 711
If you need more information, please contact a clerk at the District Court
of Maryland location nearest you.
Requesting a Trial Date and Appearing for Trial
WITHIN 30 DAYS of receipt of your citation, check the "Request a Trial" option box on the Return to Court copy and envelope, or the electronic version Option Form, sign, date, and mail it to:
District Court of MD
PO Box 6676
Annapolis, MD 21401
It may take several
weeks for a trial date to be scheduled. If you do not receive a trial
date within six weeks, contact the District Court in the county in
which you received the ticket.
At your trial, the officer who issued your ticket will testify, and
you will have an opportunity to present your side of the case. After
hearing both sides, the judge will render a decision. You have the
right to an appeal within 30 days of your trial date, if you are
found guilty. There are non-refundable court costs for filing an
appeal.
If your address
changes after you receive your ticket
but before you receive notice of your
trial/hearing date, notify the Court immediately
by sending a letter to the Court in the
jurisdiction where you received the ticket.
The post office will not forward Court
mail, and updating your address with
MVA does not update your address with
the Court. (The District Court is unable
to conduct official court business through
e-mail.)
If you have lost or misplaced your citation use the option form provided here. Follow the instructions for completing the form, select your option, print, date, sign, and return the form to the Traffic Processing Center within 30 days after receipt of the citation. Use the Judiciary's Online Case Search to access information such as citation number, fine amount, date of the violation, and county in which you received the citation in order to have your payment or request applied correctly.
If you have witnesses that can support your case, you are responsible
for alerting them to the date, time, and location of your trial.
You have the right to retain legal counsel for the proceeding. If
after receiving a trial notice you decide you would rather pay the
citation than appear for trial, you may pay the fine at any time
up to your trial/hearing date to avoid trial.
If you wish to request a change
in the trial date, submit your request in writing to the court where your trial or hearing will be heard with an explanation of the circumstances
that require the change and include any supporting documentation. Your request is not automatically
granted; it is up to a judge to determine whether
to change your trial date.
If you fail to
appear for trial, the MVA will
be notified and will take action to suspend
your license. Driving on a suspended
license is a criminal offense for which
you can receive jail time.
Call the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System at
1-800-492-2656 for information about trial dates, court locations, and directions.
From all areas, including out-of-state, call: 1-800-492-2656
TTY users call 1-800-925-9690 or use the Maryland Relay Services at 1-800-735-2258 or 711
If you need more information, please contact a clerk at the District Court
of Maryland location nearest you.
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Certified Records
The Motor Vehicle Authority handles driving records. However, to
obtain certified records of traffic citations, copies of tickets,
charging documents, etc. contact:
District Court Traffic Processing Center at:
Telephone:
1 800-492-2656 or 410 260-1093
Red Light and Speed Monitoring Citations
How
and where do I file a complaint against
red light or speed monitoring traffic cameras?
The
red light and speed monitoring cameras are installed and/or operated at the
expense and direction of the locality
or municipality or, if on a state highway, by the Department of State Police. Complaints about the
location or operation of these cameras
should be sent to the address on the
citation. In most cases this is the address
of the police agency.
Will I be assessed points if found guilty of a red light or speed monitoring camera citation?
As
stated on the red light and speed monitoring citations: "Payment
of the penalty amount for the violation
will not result in points and cannot
be used to increase your insurance rates."
How do these red light and speed monitoring cameras work?
Various
vendors manufacture the cameras used
in red light and speed monitoring traffic programs. For information
on how these cameras operate, contact
the local police department in the municipality where
the camera is located
Pleas
What are the different pleas?
In District Court cases you may plead "guilty" or "not
guilty." There is no plea of "innocent."
A guilty plea results in the charge becoming a part of your record. In the case of a traffic ticket, The Maryland Motor
Vehicle Administration (MVA) may assess points on your license.
In traffic cases, you may plead "guilty
with an explanation" and appear
for a hearing. The hearing presents you
with an opportunity to explain to the
judge why you committed the offense and
request that your fine be reduced or
waived or ask that you be given probation
rather than a conviction because of extenuating
circumstances. Lowering your fine is
at the discretion of the judge. There
is a possibility that your fine could
be increased, up to a maximum of $500.
If the judge renders a guilty verdict,
you have the right to an appeal. There
are non-refundable court costs for filing
an appeal.
If you wish to plead "not guilty," you
must request and appear for a trial where the officer and any witnesses will be present.
Verdicts
When a verdict is rendered— either by a jury or judge—the
actual decision is either “guilty” or “not guilty.” There
is no finding of “innocent.” However, a defendant, if
found "not guilty", can be described as having been acquitted.
If there is a finding of "not guilty", it simply reflects
the fact that the prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Common resolutions of cases other than by findings of "not
guilty" and "guilty" include:
Nolle Pros. The State opts to end the prosecution and
dismisses the charge.
Stet. A suspension of the prosecution. The State may
reopen the case without the need for the defendant
to be recharged. A case may be reopened because
of the defendant’s arrest on additional
charges or his/her failure to live up to some
agreed-to-condition within a reasonable time
after the entry of the stet.
PBJ-Probation before judgment. This is a common resolution
in many District Court trials. The defendant
is found guilty or pleads guilty. However, the
final entry of judgment is technically suspended.
This gives the defendant an opportunity to request
expungement of his record upon successful completion
of the conditions or probation.
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