Access Gilchrist County Traffic Records

Traffic ticket records in Gilchrist County are managed by the Clerk of Courts in Trenton. Gilchrist County is one of Florida's smallest and most rural counties, located in north-central Florida between Gainesville and the Gulf Coast. US-129 and State Roads 26 and 232 are the main corridors through the county. While the citation volume is lower here than in metro areas, the Clerk's office still handles all noncriminal traffic infractions, fine payments, hearing requests, and record storage. If you got a ticket anywhere in Gilchrist County, this office in Trenton is where your record is kept and where you go to resolve it.

Gilchrist County Clerk of Courts

The Gilchrist County Clerk of Courts handles all traffic ticket records in the county. The office is in Trenton, the county seat. Gilchrist County is part of the 3rd Judicial Circuit, which also includes Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union Counties. The county court takes noncriminal traffic infractions while the circuit court manages criminal traffic matters.

You can reach the Clerk by phone or in person. The small office size means you rarely face long waits. Staff can pull up your citation, tell you what you owe, and process a payment. They also handle traffic school elections and can schedule a hearing if you want to contest your ticket. All traffic ticket records in Gilchrist County are public. Anyone can ask the Clerk for information about a particular citation without needing to be the person named on the ticket.

Paying Gilchrist County Traffic Tickets

The easiest way to pay a Gilchrist County traffic ticket is online. Go to PayFLClerk.com and pick Gilchrist County from the list. You can pay with a credit or debit card. A convenience fee applies. The site is available 24 hours a day. For residents and visitors alike, this is the most convenient option since Trenton is a small town without a lot of alternate service points.

In-person payments are taken at the Clerk's office in Trenton during regular hours. Cash, check, and money order are all accepted. Mail your payment to P.O. Box 37, Trenton, FL 32693 if you prefer. Write your citation number on the check or money order. Under Florida Statute 318.14, the 30-day deadline starts on the date printed on the citation. After that, a $16 late fee is automatically added and the Clerk reports the delinquent ticket to the FLHSMV.

Note: Paying a traffic ticket in Gilchrist County is treated as a guilty plea under Florida law. Points will go on your license for applicable violations.

Traffic Citation Options in Gilchrist County

You have 30 days to pick one of three options after receiving a traffic ticket in Gilchrist County. The first is to pay the fine. Quick and done, but it goes on your record with points. The second is to elect the basic driver improvement course. Your fine is cut by 18% and no points are assessed if you finish on time. The third is to contest the ticket at a hearing before a judge in the Gilchrist County court.

Traffic school makes sense for most people who get a ticket in Gilchrist County. The cost of the course plus the reduced fine is still less than the long-term insurance impact of having points on your record. Contesting the ticket is an option but comes with risk. If the judge finds you guilty, the fine can go up to $500, or $1,000 for school zone and construction zone violations. Call the Clerk at 352-463-3170 to discuss your options for a Gilchrist County ticket. They can walk you through the process.

Gilchrist County Traffic Ticket Fines

Fine amounts in Gilchrist County are set by Florida Statute 318.18. Base fines are just the starting point. Court costs and surcharges increase the total you owe. Standard moving violations carry a $60 base fine. Nonmoving violations are $30. Speeding fines scale with how far over the limit you were going.

• Speeding 6-9 mph over: $25 base fine
• Speeding 10-14 mph over: $100
• Speeding 15-19 mph over: $150
• Speeding 20-29 mph over: $175
• Speeding 30+ mph over: $250

Moving violations add $35 in court costs. Nonmoving infractions add $18. School zone fines are double the listed amounts. The $16 late fee applies if you miss the 30-day deadline. Even a basic speeding ticket in Gilchrist County adds up fast when court costs and surcharges are included. The Clerk's office can provide the exact amount for your specific citation.

Gilchrist County Traffic Records Online

The Gilchrist County Clerk of Courts website provides information about court services and payment options. Visit gilchristclerk.com for details on traffic citations.

You can also visit the FLHSMV traffic citations page for state-level information that applies to all citations in Gilchrist County and across Florida.

License Impact from Gilchrist County Tickets

Ignoring a Gilchrist County traffic ticket leads to a suspended license. The Clerk notifies the FLHSMV once the 30-day deadline passes. A suspension order goes out in the mail. Your license becomes inactive 20 days after the notice is sent. That suspension stays on your FLHSMV record for seven years. Even in a small county like Gilchrist, the consequences are the same as in any other part of Florida.

To reinstate your license, you must clear all fines, late fees, and any collection charges with the Gilchrist County Clerk. Then pay the $60 reinstatement fee to the FLHSMV. The Clerk provides a compliance certificate once your account is paid up. You send that to the FLHSMV to lift the hold. Check your license at mydmvportal.flhsmv.gov to see if a Gilchrist County ticket is causing problems. Paying on time is always the cheaper route.

Traffic School for Gilchrist County Tickets

The basic driver improvement course is a four-hour class that keeps points off your license after a Gilchrist County traffic ticket. You can take it online from anywhere, which is helpful since Gilchrist County does not have a large number of local classroom options. The FLHSMV approved provider list is at flhsmv.gov. Each school sets its own price.

To use this option for a Gilchrist County ticket, notify the Clerk within 30 days of your citation date. Pay the reduced fine at that time. Complete the course within 90 days and submit the certificate to the Gilchrist County Clerk of Courts at P.O. Box 37, Trenton, FL 32693. You are responsible for making sure the Clerk gets it. The school may not send it for you. Five lifetime elections are allowed, with only one per 12-month period. CDL holders and those cited for 30 mph or more over the limit cannot use this option.

Note: View your driving record at flhsmv.gov to confirm the traffic school election was properly recorded for your Gilchrist County citation.

Nearby Counties

Gilchrist County is in north-central Florida. These counties border Gilchrist. Always check the county on your citation before making a payment to the wrong Clerk's office.

Cities in Gilchrist County

Gilchrist County includes Trenton, Bell, and Fanning Springs. All traffic tickets in these areas go through the Gilchrist County Clerk of Courts in Trenton. There are no separate city traffic courts. The Clerk's office is the single point of contact for every traffic citation in the county, no matter which community it was issued in.