Find Fort Lauderdale Traffic Tickets
Traffic ticket records for Fort Lauderdale are processed by the Broward County Clerk of Courts. Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County and has a population near 180,000. The Broward Clerk's main office is right in downtown Fort Lauderdale, which makes handling a ticket convenient for city residents. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Broward Sheriff's Office, and Florida Highway Patrol all write citations in the city. You have 30 days from the date on your ticket to pay, elect traffic school, or request a hearing.
Fort Lauderdale Quick Facts
Broward County Clerk Manages Fort Lauderdale Citations
All traffic ticket records in Fort Lauderdale go through the Broward County Clerk of Courts. The Clerk's office, led by Brenda D. Forman, handles every citation written in the city. Fort Lauderdale has the main Broward Clerk office downtown, so residents have direct access to the Traffic Central division. Under Florida Statute 318.14, you must respond to any traffic citation within 30 calendar days of the date it was issued.
The Broward Clerk runs four traffic service locations across the county. Traffic Central is in the main courthouse building at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale. It is on the first floor, West Building, Room 01130. This is the largest of the four offices and handles the highest volume of cases. For Fort Lauderdale residents, it is the most convenient option. The other three branches are in Hollywood, Deerfield Beach, and Plantation.
Broward Clerk Traffic Division Contact
| Office | Broward County Clerk of Courts, Traffic Central |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 SE 6th St, West Building, Room 01130 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 |
| Phone | (954) 831-6565 |
| TrafficeClerk@browardclerk.org | |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM |
| Website | browardclerk.org |
Walk-in service at Traffic Central is first come, first served. The downtown location gets busy, especially on Mondays and early in the month. Bring your citation and photo ID. Payment plans require an in-person visit. The $25 per-case processing fee applies to all plans. You cannot set up a payment plan by phone, mail, or online.
Fort Lauderdale Police Department
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is the main agency writing traffic citations in the city. Headquarters is at 1300 West Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. The non-emergency line is (954) 764-4357. FLPD officers patrol heavily along Broward Boulevard, Sunrise Boulevard, US 1, and A1A along the beach. The department uses the standard Florida Uniform Traffic Citation.
Once the officer writes a ticket, it goes to the Broward Clerk. It typically takes 5 to 10 business days for new citations to show up in the Clerk's system. If you search right away and find nothing, wait a few days and try again. The Broward Sheriff's Office and FHP also write tickets in Fort Lauderdale, particularly on I-95, I-595, and the Florida Turnpike. All citations from every agency go to the same Broward Clerk office.
Visit the city website at fortlauderdale.gov for local police services, parking info, and community programs.
Paying Fort Lauderdale Traffic Tickets
Paying a Fort Lauderdale traffic ticket is a guilty plea. Points go on your driving record for moving violations. Under Florida Statute 318.18, a basic moving violation has a $60 base fine before surcharges and court costs. Nonmoving violations carry a $30 base fine. Speeding fines scale with how fast you were going: $25 for 6 to 9 mph over, $100 for 10 to 14 mph over, $150 for 15 to 19 over, $175 for 20 to 29 over, and $250 for 30 mph or more over. School and construction zones double the base fine.
Online payment is available through the Broward Clerk website or the PayFLClerk statewide portal. The PayIt app also works for Broward tickets. A processing fee applies to all credit and debit card payments. Cash payments at any AMSCOT location in Florida go to the Clerk with no service fee. Mail a check or money order to P.O. Box 14610, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302-4610. Do not send cash by mail.
In person, the Traffic Central office in downtown Fort Lauderdale handles same-day payments. Cash, checks, money orders, and cards are all accepted.
Traffic School for Fort Lauderdale Drivers
A Basic Driver Improvement course keeps points off your license and reduces the fine by 18%. This is a solid option for most Fort Lauderdale drivers with eligible tickets. Contact the Broward Clerk within 30 days of your citation to elect traffic school. Pay the reduced fine plus a $7.00 affidavit fee. Complete the course within 90 days.
CDL holders cannot use this option. Tickets for 30 mph or more over the speed limit do not qualify. You can elect traffic school up to five times in your lifetime. It is limited to once per 12-month stretch. After you finish the course, send the original completion certificate to the Broward Clerk. Some online schools say they will submit it for you, but do not count on it. If the Clerk does not get the certificate in time, you face full fines, a late fee, license points, and possible suspension. Find approved schools at flhsmv.gov.
Contesting a Fort Lauderdale Citation
You can fight any traffic ticket issued in Fort Lauderdale. Tell the Broward Clerk within 30 days that you want a court hearing. Do this in person at Traffic Central, by phone, by mail, or by email at TrafficeClerk@browardclerk.org. The court may impose fines up to $500 if you lose, or up to $1,000 for school and construction zone violations.
The conditional plea of no contest is another route. This works for eligible civil traffic citations that did not involve a crash. No hearing is needed. No points go on your license, and adjudication is withheld. Submit the plea by email or mail to the Clerk. This option saves time and avoids points, but you still pay the fine.
License Suspension Risks
Ignoring a Fort Lauderdale ticket gets expensive fast. Under Florida Statute 318.15, missing the 30-day deadline adds a $16 late fee. After 180 days of no response, the Broward Clerk reports you to the FLHSMV. Your license gets suspended.
Clearing a suspension means paying every fine, late fee, and court cost. Then you pay a $60 reinstatement fee to the FLHSMV through the MyDMV portal. The suspension shows on your driving record for seven years. Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense. It can lead to arrest and more fines. Do not let it get to that point. Handle your citation before the deadline.
Searching Fort Lauderdale Traffic Records
The Broward Clerk has an online case search system on their website. You can look up tickets by citation number, name, or case number. The system shows the status of your case, amounts owed, court dates, and any pending actions. Results include the issuing agency, violation type, and location of the traffic stop.
The PayFLClerk statewide portal also works for Broward County lookups. Use your citation number for the fastest result. If you lost your ticket, call the Broward Clerk at (954) 831-6565. Give them your name and date of birth and they can find it in the system.
The FLHSMV traffic citations page provides statewide information on traffic ticket processing, driving records, and license suspension procedures in Florida.
The Broward County Clerk's Traffic and Misdemeanor Division handles all traffic citations for Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward County.
Broward County Traffic Records
Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County. The Broward County Clerk of Courts handles every traffic citation issued in the city and throughout the county. For full details on all four service locations, fee schedules, and court procedures, see the county page.
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