Calhoun County Traffic Ticket Records

Calhoun County traffic ticket records are processed by the Clerk of Court in Blountstown, a small Panhandle county with about 14,500 residents. Located along the Apalachicola River in northwest Florida, Calhoun County sees traffic citations mostly from State Road 20, State Road 71, and other two-lane highways running through the area. The clerk's office handles everything from speeding tickets to equipment violations. Despite being one of Florida's less populated counties, the same state traffic laws and deadlines apply in Calhoun County as in the biggest metro areas. You still have 30 days to deal with a citation, and failing to act can still suspend your license.

Calhoun County Clerk of Court Office

The Calhoun County Clerk of Court sits at 20859 Central Avenue East in Blountstown. Room 130 is where the traffic division operates. This is the only location for handling traffic ticket records in person in Calhoun County. The office is small, but staff can help with payments, court date scheduling, traffic school forms, and record lookups for any citation issued within county lines.

Calhoun County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Bay, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. While each county has its own clerk, the circuit court judges rotate through the area. If you need a court hearing on a Calhoun County traffic ticket, it will be held at the courthouse in Blountstown.

The Calhoun County Clerk's website at calhounclerk.com has basic information about the office, forms, and services.

Calhoun County Traffic Citation Options

Every traffic ticket in Calhoun County comes with three choices. You have 30 days from the date on the citation to pick one. This deadline is set by Florida Statute 318.14. Missing it adds a $16 late penalty and starts the license suspension process. The Calhoun County Clerk can walk you through each option if you call or visit the office.

Option one: pay the fine. This is a guilty plea that closes the case. Points go on your driving record based on the type of violation. It is the fastest route. Option two: pay the reduced fine and elect a Basic Driver Improvement course. The fine drops by 18%, and if you pass the course and file the certificate with the Calhoun County Clerk on time, no points hit your record. You have 90 days from the citation date to finish the course. Option three: contest the citation and request a hearing. A judge in Calhoun County hears the case and makes a decision.

Most Calhoun County drivers go with the first or second option. Contesting a ticket means taking time off for court, and the fine could end up larger if you lose. But if you believe the ticket was wrong, requesting a hearing is your right under Florida law.

Paying Calhoun County Traffic Tickets

Calhoun County offers a few ways to pay your traffic ticket. The most convenient is online through the PayFLClerk.com statewide portal. Select Calhoun County from the list, and the site connects you to the payment system. You need your citation number to look up the ticket. Credit and debit cards are accepted with a convenience fee.

In-person payments are taken at the clerk's office at 20859 Central Avenue East in Blountstown. You can pay with cash, check, or money order at the counter. Mail payments are another option. Send a check or money order payable to the Calhoun County Clerk of Court. Include your citation number on the payment. The Florida Clerks and Comptrollers site also provides links to Calhoun County's payment options.

Calhoun County is rural, and there are not as many walk-in options as you would find in a bigger county. That makes online and mail payments especially useful if you do not live close to Blountstown. Just make sure your payment reaches the clerk before the 30-day deadline expires.

Note: It may take several days after a traffic stop for the citation to appear in Calhoun County's system, so try again if your initial search comes up empty.

Traffic School for Calhoun County Tickets

Electing traffic school on a Calhoun County ticket is a smart move if you qualify. You save 18% on the fine and keep points off your record. The process starts at the clerk's office. Pay the reduced fine and let the clerk know you want to take the course. Then pick a school from the FLHSMV approved list and complete it within 90 days of the citation date.

Online courses are the most practical choice for Calhoun County residents since there may not be in-person schools nearby. After finishing, you get a certificate. Make sure the Calhoun County Clerk receives it. Call 850-674-4545 to confirm. If the certificate does not arrive on time, your license gets suspended, extra fees add up, and the points go on your record anyway. Standard statewide limits apply: five elections in a lifetime, once per 12 months, no CDL holders, and no eligibility if you were doing 30+ over the speed limit.

Calhoun County Traffic Ticket Fines

Calhoun County traffic ticket fines follow the same state schedule as every other Florida county. Florida Statute 318.18 sets the base amounts. Speeding 6-9 mph over is $25. Going 10-14 over costs $100. Fifteen to 19 over runs $150. Twenty to 29 over is $175. And 30 or more mph over the limit carries $250. Standard moving violations are $60. Nonmoving violations are $30.

Court costs and county surcharges stack on top. Moving violations add $35 in court costs. Nonmoving add $18. School zone tickets double the fine in Calhoun County. Construction zone tickets double too when workers are present. The $16 late fee applies if you miss the 30-day window. All told, even a simple speeding ticket in Calhoun County can cost well over $100 after everything is added up.

Calhoun County Tickets and Your License

An unpaid Calhoun County traffic ticket leads to license suspension. The process is automatic under Florida law. After 30 days, the clerk reports the unpaid citation to FLHSMV. A suspension order gets mailed to you, taking effect 20 days later. Once your license is suspended, the mark stays on your FLHSMV record for seven years. Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense.

To fix things, pay the Calhoun County ticket in full along with any late fees. Then pay FLHSMV a $60 reinstatement charge. You can check your license status at the MyDMV Portal or call FLHSMV at (850) 617-2000. Once the clerk issues a compliance certificate, FLHSMV lifts the suspension and restores your driving privileges. The whole process is much more expensive and time-consuming than simply paying the Calhoun County ticket within 30 days.

Florida Traffic Resources

Several state-level tools can help you deal with a Calhoun County traffic ticket. The FLHSMV traffic citations page explains your rights and options. You can look up your driving record history at FLHSMV's driving record page. A 3-year record costs $14.25 and a 7-year record costs $16.25. This is useful for checking how many points are on your license before deciding what to do with a Calhoun County ticket.

Nearby Counties

Calhoun County is surrounded by several Panhandle counties. If your citation was issued near a county border, check the ticket to confirm which county it falls in. You must handle the ticket with the correct clerk's office.