Traffic – Frequently Asked Questions

Any person charged with a moving traffic violation (other than violations involving driver licenses, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, or any violation requiring a mandatory court appearance), and who has not signed a Driving School Affidavit (PDF) in the past twelve (12) months, or more than seven (7) times within a lifetime, is eligible to elect to attend a Driver Improvement School.

NOTE: Drivers holding a commercial license or drivers exceeding the posted speed limit by 30 mph or more can not elect to attend Driver Improvement School.

The Clerk’s Office does not conduct or schedule Driver Improvement School classes. You may select a school of your choice from the list of schools available on the Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles website.

A civil traffic infraction is a non-criminal charge that can usually be disposed of by the payment of a civil penalty or an election to attend Driver Improvement School. A court appearance is often not required, except in cases where the violation involves an accident with serious bodily injury or fatality, driving thirty (30) miles over the speed limit, dropping an unsecured load, passing a school bus, and certain other violations required by the State.

Attending Driver Improvement School will keep points from going on your driving record. The citation will show on your record, but will show an adjudication withheld.

A suspension will be entered against your driver license, and you will be subject to additional penalties. You may also be turned over to a collection agency for any unpaid fines.

A court hearing may be requested by mailing a written request to the Traffic Division at:

Gary J. Cooney, Clerk of Court & Comptroller
Attn: Traffic Division
P.O. Box 7800
Tavares, FL 32778

You can also visit the Traffic Division at the Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., East Wing, First Floor, Tavares, FL, and complete a Plea of Not Guilty (PDF) form.

A notice of hearing will be mailed to you.

Traffic ticket payments may be mailed using the pre-addressed blue envelope provided to you with your citation, paid online, paid over the phone, or paid at the cashier’s window located in the Lake County Courthouse, 550 W. Main St., East Wing, First Floor, Tavares, FL. If you did not receive the pre-addressed blue envelope, you can mail a payment to:

Gary J. Cooney, Clerk of Court & Comptroller
Attn: Traffic Division
P.O. Box 7800
Tavares, FL 32778-7800

See the Traffic Payments section of this website for more details. All payments must be received and processed within thirty (30) days of the traffic ticket being issued.

A Driving School Affidavit (PDF) must be filed, along with the appropriate fee amount, in the Clerk’s Office by mail or in-person. This affidavit may also be obtained from the Clerk’s Office in the county nearest you, but must be filed in Lake County.

The completed, signed, and notarized affidavit, may be submitted in-person or by mail in the pre-addressed blue envelope within thirty (30) calendar days of the ticket date. To determine the amount of your revised civil penalty, including the affidavit fee, contact Civil Traffic at (352) 742-4133. Be sure to allow sufficient time to ensure that your payment and affidavit are received in the Clerk’s Office within the allotted thirty (30) days.

After you complete and mail your affidavit to the Clerk, contact a Driver Improvement School to arrange an appointment for the approved course. You must submit your completion certificate to the Clerk within sixty (60) calendar days from the date you elected to attend Driver Improvement School (the date you signed the affidavit).

Most of these letters are explaining ways to handle a suspension or are informing you of a suspension that is about to occur. Some letters are informing you of a class that you must take within a specific time due to an accident. It is important for you to follow the directions of the letter to avoid, or to help correct, a suspension of your license.

If you missed your court date for a civil citation to which you pled not guilty, you are not able to reschedule. The judge will have already addressed and decided your case. For more information, contact Civil Traffic at (352) 742-4133.

If you missed your court date for a criminal traffic offense, contact the Criminal Division at (352) 742-3820 for further details.

Yes, by requesting an extension in writing or by phone within thirty (30) days from the date the ticket was issued, you may receive up to a thirty (30) day extension.

Yes, however, you must inform the Clerk of Court of this decision, in writing, within sixty (60) days of the date you made your election and pay the applicable fee.

If the Clerk doesn’t receive your Driver Improvement School completion certificate or a request to cancel your Driver Improvement School election within sixty (60) days, your driver license will be suspended, and a late fee and reinstatement fee will be assessed. A conviction of the violation will be reported on your driver history record.

No. Once you have paid your citation, you have made your selection for that violation. If you wish to attend Driver Improvement School, you must do so before paying your ticket.

Yes, some options are:

• Enter a plea of Not Guilty and request a hearing before the court
• Elect to attend a Driver Improvement School, if allowed for by law
• Submit an Affidavit of Compliance for cases involving safety equipment violations. The Affidavit is found on your citation.

Traffic tickets written for certain driver license, registration, or insurance violations may be dismissed, with a court cost, by the Clerk if valid proof of compliance can be shown within 30 days of the offense date of the citation. Proof of compliance must be valid at the time of the offense.