Got a Traffic Ticket in Tampa, FL? Here’s What To Do Next
A plain-English guide for Tampa (Hillsborough County) drivers: where to pay, whether to fight it, whether traffic school can save your record, and when a lawyer is worth it.
The 30-second answer
You usually have four options: pay the fine, contest it yourself, take traffic school, or hire a lawyer. The right choice depends on whether it’s a moving violation and whether you have a good-driving record to protect.
👉 Use the free decision tool below — it tells you which option fits your ticket.
1Where do I pay the ticket?
Never pay through a random site. Use the court’s official portal:
🔗 Hillsborough Clerk of Court - pay a traffic ticket (online 24/7, phone, mail, in person)
Your ticket names the court handling your case. If you’re not sure which court, use the official finder:
🔗 Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts - Traffic Department
Tampa / Hillsborough County details, verified against the Clerk of Courts
- Your ticket is a county case, collected by the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts (Victor D. Crist) for the 13th Judicial Circuit - Traffic Department. A Tampa police or sheriff's officer writes the ticket, but the Clerk handles payment, the school election and hearings.
- Two clocks run at once. You have 30 calendar days to tell the Clerk how you want to resolve the ticket (pay, elect school, or request a hearing). After that your only option is to pay and take the points. Separately you have 60 calendar days to actually pay and finish every requirement.
- No extension is available. The Clerk already built a 30-day extension into the 60-day figure, so it will not grant another one. If you cannot comply within 60 days, the move is to request a court hearing, not to let it lapse - late payment raises the penalty and can suspend your licence.
- Look your ticket up or pay it on the Clerk's own pages: look up a ticket and paying for tickets. Pay online 24/7 or by phone 24/7 at 813-276-8100 (have your ticket and Florida licence/ID ready).
- Other ways to pay: by mail with a personal check, cashier's check or money order to Clerk of the Circuit Court - Traffic, PO Box 3360, Tampa FL 33601-3360 (include a copy of the ticket), or in cash at Amscot locations and at Clerk offices Monday-Friday. Credit cards carry a 3.5% transaction fee.
- Only the driver's own credit card can pay a driver's ticket, and the billing ZIP must match, or the charge fails and a hold is placed on the funds for up to 10 business days.
- The school election is the big lever. It keeps the ticket off your record, stops points and blocks an insurance increase - but the completion certificate from the school must reach the Clerk within 60 calendar days of the issue date, with no extension. See the Clerk's traffic school page.
- To contest it instead, request a court hearing through the Clerk within the 30-day window. A city of Tampa ticket and a Hillsborough County ticket both land here - the issuing agency does not change the court.
2How much will it cost?
The fine comes from Florida's statewide penalty schedule plus county surcharges and is printed on your citation. Paying the civil penalty is an admission of guilt and the DMV will assess points for a moving violation.
Don’t just look at the fine. For a moving violation, the real cost is the fine plus the insurance increase, which can last up to three years. Florida adds 3, 4 or 6 points per moving violation and suspends at 12 points in 12 months, 18 in 18, or 24 in 36. Points stay on your record three years - which is why the school election matters more than the fine.
3Should I fight it, or just pay?
| Option | Best when | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Just pay | It’s a non-moving / fix-it ticket, or you don’t mind the point | Just the fine |
| Contest it yourself | The officer’s account is wrong, or the sign/light was unclear | Free (your time) |
| Traffic school | You’re eligible and want to keep the point off your record | Fine + small course fee |
| Hire a lawyer | A moving violation + a record you can’t afford to damage | $250-$500 typical for a simple moving violation |
Free decision tool: what should you do?
Answer three questions. There is nothing to type — no name, no citation number. We only record which options people choose (anonymously, so we know which cities and questions need work); the recommendation itself is calculated in your browser.
4Can traffic school save my record?
Florida lets you elect a 4-hour Basic Driver Improvement course. If you pay for it and complete it, adjudication is withheld and the DMV assesses no points, and your insurer cannot raise your rate or cancel you. Hillsborough allows the election once in a 12-month period and no more than five times in your lifetime; a CDL or commercial-vehicle ticket cannot use it.
🔗 Check the official list of approved schools: https://www.hillsclerk.com/trafficschool
How traffic school works in every state we cover →
5Do I need a lawyer?
For a simple moving violation a lawyer typically costs $250-$500 typical for a simple moving violation. It’s usually worth it when the insurance increase, or your job (CDL, company car), outweighs that fee.
6Do I have to show up in court?
It depends on the ticket. Many moving violations can be handled online or by mail; others require a court date. Check the court named on your ticket before the deadline — missing a deadline can add penalties or suspend your license.
Other Florida cities we cover
Common questions
Will paying the ticket raise my insurance?
For a moving violation, usually yes — often for up to three years. Non-moving and parking tickets usually don’t.
What if I just ignore it?
Don’t. Unpaid tickets can lead to extra fines, a suspended license, or a warrant. Every option above is better than ignoring it.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is general information to help you understand your options. For advice about your specific case, talk to a licensed attorney in Florida.
Tell us what’s missing for Tampa and we’ll add it — email privacy@ticketsimplified.com.
⚠️ Items still to verify for Tampa: the exact deadline on your citation (Hillsborough gives 60 calendar days to pay, from the issue date); whether your violation is eligible for the Basic Driver Improvement election; the payable amount and any county surcharge printed on your citation. Last checked 2026-10-12.