Bay County Traffic Ticket Records
Bay County traffic ticket records are handled by the Clerk of Court and Comptroller in Panama City. Located in the Florida Panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico, Bay County has a population of about 185,000 and sees heavy traffic during tourist season along US-98 and the beaches. Clerk Bill Kinsaul oversees the traffic department, which processes civil and criminal traffic citations for the entire county. Whether you got a speeding ticket on the way to Panama City Beach or a red light citation in Lynn Haven, the Bay County Clerk's office is where you go to pay, contest, or look up your traffic ticket records.
Bay County Quick Facts
Bay County Traffic Department
The Bay County Clerk of Court runs a dedicated traffic department out of the courthouse on East 4th Street in Panama City. Room 110 on the first floor is where you go for in-person traffic ticket business. The staff there can look up citations, take payments, set up court hearings, and help with traffic school forms. Bay County's traffic department is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit.
After an officer writes a traffic ticket in Bay County, allow about 5 days for the citation to make it to the clerk's system. The officer has to turn the ticket over to the clerk, and that takes a bit of time. Once it is in the system, you can access your Bay County traffic ticket records online or contact the office directly. The traffic department has its own phone line for payment questions, separate from the main courthouse number.
| Address | 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402 |
| Phone | 850-763-9061 |
| Payment Phone | 855-796-5762 |
| Website | Bay County Clerk - Traffic Department |
Bay County Civil and Criminal Traffic Cases
Bay County handles two types of traffic cases: civil and criminal. Most traffic tickets fall into the civil category. These are noncriminal infractions like speeding, running a stop sign, careless driving, or driving without insurance. You usually do not have to go to court for a civil infraction in Bay County. You can handle it by paying the fine or electing traffic school. The only civil cases that force a court appearance are those that involve a crash with serious injury or death, or leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
Criminal traffic violations are more serious. DUI charges, driving on a suspended license, and having an improper tag are common criminal traffic cases in Bay County. These always require a court appearance. You cannot just pay a fine and move on. Penalties can include fines, probation, and jail time. Bay County criminal traffic court dates are set for Monday at 1:00 PM, Wednesday at 8:30 AM, and Friday at 8:30 AM in the County Courtroom on the first floor of the courthouse.
The Bay County Clerk's traffic department page has more details on both types of cases and what to expect.
Understanding which type of case you have matters. Civil infractions in Bay County are simpler to resolve. Criminal cases need a lawyer in most situations.
Paying Bay County Traffic Tickets
Bay County provides four ways to pay a traffic ticket. Online is the fastest. The clerk uses the nCourt system for online payments, and it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Go to the Bay County make a payment page to get started. You can also reach Bay County's payment system through PayFLClerk.com by selecting Bay County from the list.
Phone payments go through the line at (855) 796-5762. Have your citation number ready. For mail payments, send a money order or cashier's check to: Bay County Clerk of Court, Attn: Traffic Division, PO Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402. Do not send cash. Include your citation number on the check. In person, visit Room 110 on the first floor of the clerk's office at 300 East 4th Street in Panama City.
All card payments come with a convenience fee. The exact amount depends on the payment method. In-person cash and check payments at the Bay County clerk's office do not carry this extra charge.
Note: You must pay your Bay County traffic ticket within 30 days of the date on the citation, as required by Florida Statute 318.14.
Bay County Traffic School Process
Bay County has its own specific steps for electing traffic school. First, you pay the driver improvement fine, which is the regular fine minus the 18% reduction. Then you fill out an Affidavit For Traffic School form. This form must be completed within 30 days of the citation date. The Bay County Clerk's office has the form, or you can get it from the traffic department website.
Once you sign the affidavit, you have 50 days to finish the course and provide proof. That timeline is specific to Bay County and is tighter than the 90-day window some other Florida counties use. If you fail to turn in your course completion certificate within that window, the Bay County Clerk will report you to FLHSMV. Your license gets suspended, extra fines pile on, and points go on your record. The approved course list is on the FLHSMV website.
Standard limits apply. You can elect traffic school five times in your life and only once per 12-month period. CDL holders cannot use this option. Neither can drivers who were going 30 mph or more over the speed limit in Bay County.
Bay County Traffic Ticket Fines
Bay County traffic ticket fines follow the state schedule under Florida Statute 318.18. The base fine depends on what you did. Speeding 6-9 mph over is $25. Going 10-14 over runs $100. Fifteen to 19 over is $150. Twenty to 29 over costs $175. And speeding 30 or more mph over the limit hits $250. Standard moving violations carry a $60 base fine, and nonmoving violations are $30.
On top of the base amount, Bay County adds court costs and surcharges. Moving violation court costs are $35. Nonmoving costs are $18. School zone and construction zone speeding fines double. If you do not pay within 30 days, a $16 late fee gets applied. After that, your license faces suspension. The total you pay on a Bay County traffic ticket is always more than the base fine alone. Ask the clerk for the exact amount if you are not sure what you owe.
Bay County Tickets and Your License
An unpaid Bay County traffic ticket can wreck your driving privileges. The Clerk must notify FLHSMV when a ticket goes past 30 days. The state then sends you a letter saying your license will be suspended in 20 days. Once it happens, the suspension stays on your record for seven years under Florida law. Driving on a suspended license is a criminal charge that brings its own set of problems.
To fix things, you pay off the Bay County ticket in full, cover any late fees and surcharges, and then pay FLHSMV a $60 reinstatement fee. Check your license status at the MyDMV Portal or call FLHSMV at (850) 617-2000. The Bay County Clerk can tell you what is owed on the ticket side. Once you clear everything, the clerk sends a compliance notice and FLHSMV restores your license.
Note: You can also check your driving record history through FLHSMV's driving record page to see how many points you currently have.
Nearby Counties
Bay County shares borders with several Panhandle counties. Traffic tickets near county lines sometimes cause confusion about which clerk handles the case. The county listed on your citation is the right one.