Access Sarasota County Traffic Ticket Records
Sarasota County traffic ticket records are managed by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Sarasota. This Gulf coast county south of Tampa has a population of roughly 440,000 residents spread across cities like Sarasota, North Port, and Venice. The clerk's traffic violations bureau handles all civil infractions issued within the county, and the office accepts payments online, by phone, by mail, and in person. Sarasota County drivers have several ways to check on a citation, pay a fine, or request a court hearing without much trouble.
Sarasota County Quick Facts
Sarasota County Clerk of Circuit Court
The Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court runs the traffic violations bureau for the county. The main office is at 2000 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237. The traffic division has its own phone line at 941-362-4066, and the general clerk number is 941-861-7400. Sarasota County sits in the 12th Judicial Circuit, which it shares with DeSoto and Manatee counties.
The clerk's office processes tickets from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and police departments in Sarasota, North Port, Venice, and other local municipalities. The clerk's website at sarasotaclerk.com provides links to the traffic citations page and online services. Staff can answer questions about citation details, fine amounts, and court dates. New tickets may take five to seven business days to show up in the online system after being written.
| Address | 2000 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237 |
|---|---|
| Traffic Division | 941-362-4066 |
| General Phone | 941-861-7400 |
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 3079, Sarasota, FL 34230-3079 |
| Website | Sarasota County Clerk |
Paying Sarasota County Traffic Tickets
Sarasota County stands out by offering four different payment methods for traffic tickets. Each has its own details worth knowing. Online payments accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. You can pay through the clerk's website or through PayFLClerk.com by selecting Sarasota County. A convenience fee applies to all card payments made online.
Phone payments are available at 941-861-7400. Have your citation number ready when you call. A convenience fee also applies to phone payments. This is a good option if you prefer to talk to someone but do not want to drive to the office. In-person payments at the Sarasota County Clerk's office accept cash, personal checks, cashier's checks, money orders, credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. That is one of the widest ranges of in-person payment options you will find at any Florida clerk's office.
For mail payments, send a check or money order to the Sarasota Clerk of the Circuit Court, Traffic Violations Bureau, P.O. Box 3079, Sarasota, Florida 34230-3079. Write your citation number on the payment. Do not send cash. Under Florida Statute 318.14, you have 30 calendar days to pay or respond to a Sarasota County traffic ticket. Missing that window means a $16 late fee and possible license suspension.
The FLHSMV traffic citations page outlines the statewide payment rules that apply to every Sarasota County traffic ticket.
Note: Late payments to the Sarasota County Clerk can result in extra fees, driver license suspension, or referral to a collection agency.
Sarasota County Traffic Citation Options
Sarasota County gives drivers three main options for handling a traffic ticket. All three must be started within 30 calendar days from the date the citation was issued. The first option is to pay the fine in full. This counts as a guilty plea. Points go on your driving record based on the type of violation. A standard moving violation carries a $60 base fine, but the total is much higher after court costs and surcharges.
The second option is to elect traffic school. You pay the fine at a reduced rate (18% less than full) and then complete an approved Basic Driver Improvement course. If you finish on time and file the certificate with the Sarasota County Clerk, no points go on your record. This is the most common choice for first-time offenders in Sarasota County. The fee schedule is available at the clerk's office locations or on the Sarasota County traffic citations page.
The third option is to plead not guilty and request a court hearing. Contact the Sarasota County Clerk within 30 days to set this up. A judge in the 12th Judicial Circuit will hear your case. The officer who wrote the ticket may be called in as a witness. If found guilty at trial, fines can go up to $500 for most Sarasota County violations or $1,000 for school zone and construction zone speeding under Florida Statute 318.18.
Traffic School for Sarasota County
Traffic school is one of the best options for Sarasota County drivers who want to avoid points. When you elect this option, the fine drops by 18%, and no points go on your record as long as you complete the course on time. You have 90 days from the citation date to finish an approved Basic Driver Improvement course. The FLHSMV approved schools list has every provider in the state. Most offer online courses that take about four hours.
After finishing the course, submit the completion certificate to the Sarasota County Clerk. Do not assume the school sends it. Some do, but many leave it to you. If the certificate does not get to the clerk's office by the deadline, you face the full fine, a late fee, license suspension, and a conviction with points on your record. You can only elect traffic school five times in your life, no more than once per 12 months. CDL holders cannot use this option. Neither can drivers who were going 30 mph or more over the speed limit in Sarasota County.
Note: Call the Sarasota County Clerk's traffic division at 941-362-4066 to verify your certificate was received before the deadline expires.
Sarasota County Traffic Fines
Fine amounts for Sarasota County traffic tickets follow the statewide schedule under Florida Statute 318.18. Speeding fines scale based on how far over the posted limit you were going. The base fines are:
- 6 to 9 mph over the limit: $25
- 10 to 14 mph over: $100
- 15 to 19 mph over: $150
- 20 to 29 mph over: $175
- 30 mph or more over: $250
Court costs get added on top. Moving violations add $35. Nonmoving violations add $18. A basic moving violation in Sarasota County with a $60 base fine will total well above $100 after everything is figured in. School zone speeding doubles the base fine, and construction zone speeding does the same when workers are present. The $16 late fee hits as soon as you miss the 30-day deadline. After that, the Sarasota County Clerk must report the delinquency to FLHSMV.
License Suspension for Sarasota Tickets
An unpaid Sarasota County traffic ticket leads straight to a suspended license. The clerk reports the delinquency to FLHSMV once the 30-day window closes. FLHSMV sends a suspension order to your address on file. Your license goes dark 20 days after that letter is mailed. The suspension stays on your FLHSMV record for seven years regardless of when you finally clear it up.
Getting your license back means paying off the full balance on your Sarasota County citation plus a $60 reinstatement charge to FLHSMV. You can check your license status at the MyDMV Portal. The Sarasota County Clerk can tell you exactly what you owe. Once everything is paid, the clerk sends a certificate of compliance to FLHSMV and your driving privileges are restored. The FLHSMV driving record page lets you pull a copy of your full driving history to see the status of any Sarasota County suspensions.
Statewide Resources for Sarasota
Several state-level websites help with Sarasota County traffic ticket matters. The Florida Clerks and Comptrollers website has payment links for all 67 Florida counties. The statewide PayFLClerk.com portal lets you pay a Sarasota County ticket without going to the individual clerk's site. And the FLHSMV traffic citations page has a full explanation of the citation process that applies everywhere in Florida, including Sarasota County.
Nearby Counties
Sarasota County borders three other Florida counties. The county name on your citation tells you which clerk's office is responsible for your case.
Cities in Sarasota County
Sarasota County includes several cities and unincorporated areas. All traffic tickets from within the county go through the Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Other communities in Sarasota County include Venice, Englewood, Osprey, and Nokomis. Traffic tickets from all of these areas are handled by the same Sarasota County Clerk's office on Main Street.