Find Orange County Traffic Ticket Records

Orange County traffic ticket records are processed through the Orange County Comptroller's office in Orlando. This central Florida county has close to 1.4 million residents, making it one of the busiest in the state for traffic citations. Between commuter traffic on I-4, tourist travel near theme parks, and local road patrols, the county sees a high volume of tickets each year. The Comptroller's office handles all civil traffic infractions from the point of issuance through final payment or court resolution. You can look up citations, pay fines, or set a hearing through their office.

Orange County Comptroller Traffic Division

The Orange County Comptroller serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court for traffic matters. Phil Diamond holds the Comptroller role. The traffic division sits at the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando. Staff there can pull up any citation issued in Orange County and walk you through your options. The office also handles court date scheduling and record requests for traffic ticket records in Orange County.

It can take a few business days for a new Orange County traffic ticket to show up in the system. If you just got a citation and try to find it right away, give it up to 7 working days. Once your ticket appears in the database, you can take care of it through any of the available methods. The Comptroller's website at occompt.com is the best place to start looking up Orange County traffic ticket records online.

Paying Orange County Traffic Tickets

Orange County provides several ways to pay a traffic ticket. Online payment is the fastest route. You can use the statewide PayFLClerk.com portal to find and pay your Orange County citation. The site works around the clock. Credit and debit card payments carry a convenience fee. You can also pay through the Comptroller's own website by searching for your ticket there.

For those who prefer to pay by mail, send a check or money order to the Orange County Comptroller at the downtown Orlando address. Write your citation number on the payment. Do not mail cash. In-person payments are taken at the courthouse on North Orange Avenue in Orlando during regular business hours. Walk-in service is available, though wait times can be long during peak hours. Some citations may also be payable at branch offices if Orange County has extended locations open.

The screenshot below shows the PayFLClerk statewide portal, which connects to the Orange County payment system for traffic ticket records.

This portal lets you search by citation number or driver information to locate your Orange County traffic ticket and complete payment online.

Keep in mind that you must pay or respond within 30 days of the citation date. That deadline comes from Florida Statute 318.14 and applies to every traffic ticket in Orange County. Miss that window, and a $16 late fee gets added. After that, the clerk notifies FLHSMV, and your license faces suspension. Paying on time saves you money and headaches.

Traffic Ticket Options in Orange County

When you get a traffic ticket in Orange County, you have three main choices. Each one affects your driving record differently, so think it through before deciding. The 30-day clock starts on the date printed on the citation. All three options are spelled out under Florida Statute 318.14, which governs civil traffic infractions statewide. The Orange County Comptroller's office can explain each choice if you call or visit in person.

The first option is to pay the fine. This counts as a guilty plea. Points go on your driving record. The number of points depends on the type of violation. A simple speeding ticket is different from running a red light or making an improper lane change. The second option is to pay the fine with a traffic school election. You pay a reduced amount and then complete an approved course. This keeps points off your record. The third option is to contest the ticket and request a court hearing. A judge will hear the case, and the officer may be called in to testify. If you lose, the judge can impose fines up to $500 for most Orange County traffic violations, or up to $1,000 for school zone and construction zone offenses under Florida Statute 318.18.

Choose carefully. Paying the fine is fast but adds points. Traffic school costs less but takes time. A hearing is a gamble.

Orange County Traffic School Election

Electing traffic school is popular with Orange County drivers who want to avoid points on their record. The process starts with paying the reduced fine to the Comptroller's office. The fine drops by 18% when you elect school. Then you must finish an approved Basic Driver Improvement course within 90 days of the citation date. The completion certificate needs to go to the Orange County Comptroller once you are done. Some schools file it for you, but not all do. Check with your school to make sure.

Florida limits traffic school use. You can only elect it five times over your lifetime, and not more than once in any 12-month stretch. Commercial driver license holders cannot use this option at all. If your Orange County ticket was for speeding 30 mph or more over the limit, traffic school is not available to you either. These rules come from state law and the Orange County Clerk follows them strictly. A list of approved course providers is on the FLHSMV approved schools page. Most courses can be taken online from home.

Failing to finish the course or file the certificate on time means you lose the school election. Points go on your record, and the full fine amount becomes due in Orange County.

Orange County Traffic Ticket Fines

Fines for Orange County traffic tickets follow the statewide schedule in Florida Statute 318.18. Speeding fines depend on how far over the posted limit you were going. The base fines are: $25 for 6 to 9 mph over, $100 for 10 to 14 mph over, $150 for 15 to 19 mph over, $175 for 20 to 29 mph over, and $250 for 30 mph or more above the limit. Court costs, county surcharges, and other fees get stacked on top of the base amount for any Orange County traffic ticket.

Moving violations carry a base fine of $60. Nonmoving violations cost $30. School zone speeding doubles the fine. Construction zone speeding also doubles when workers are present. Missing the 30-day payment deadline adds a $16 late fee. After that, things get worse. Under Florida Statute 318.15, the Orange County Comptroller reports the failure to FLHSMV, and a license suspension order follows. Getting your license back costs an extra $60 reinstatement fee on top of everything else you owe.

License Suspension for Orange County Tickets

Ignoring an Orange County traffic ticket has real consequences. If 30 days pass and you have not paid or responded, the Comptroller notifies FLHSMV. The state mails a suspension notice. Your license gets suspended 20 days after that letter. This suspension stays on your FLHSMV record for seven years. It does not go away on its own.

To fix a suspension caused by an unpaid Orange County traffic ticket, you must clear the full balance plus pay FLHSMV a $60 reinstatement fee. You can check your license status through the MyDMV Portal or request your driving record history from FLHSMV directly. Once Orange County confirms payment, they send a compliance notice to the state, and the suspension gets lifted. Do not drive on a suspended license. That turns a simple traffic ticket into a criminal charge in Orange County.

Cities in Orange County

Orange County includes Orlando and many surrounding communities. All traffic tickets issued in the county go through the Orange County Comptroller's office. Orlando is the county seat and largest city by far.

Other communities in Orange County include Apopka, Winter Park, Ocoee, Winter Garden, and Maitland. Traffic tickets from these areas are all handled by the same Orange County Comptroller's office in Orlando.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Orange County. If you got a traffic ticket near a county line, check the citation to confirm which county handles your case. The county printed on the ticket is the one you deal with.