How to Handle a Polk County Ticket

Summer sunset over Lake Mirror, Lakeland, Florida If you receive a traffic ticket anywhere in Polk County Florida, you can complete your Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course requirements online. Completing your Polk County BDI course using Improv's Florida online traffic school ensures that you will laugh while you learn. That's right, you can actually enjoy learning with this online program. It does not matter if you received your citation in Bartow, Auburndale, Davenport, Polk City, Winter Haven, Lakeland or any of the other cities located in Polk county Florida, completing Improv's comedy traffic school program will help you get your ticket removed from your driving record.

Your Options in Relation to Traffic Violations

Vector of a little boy standing at crossroads making a decision which way to go in life You have 30 calendar days from the date of your traffic ticket to choose which option you would like to use to satisfy your violation:
  • Enter a Not-Guilty plea and go to court.
  • Pay the fine listed on the yellow copy of your ticket.
  • Choose to take a driver improvement course.
If you neglect to comply within 30 calendar days, your driver's license could be suspended and you may incur additional fees. You may also have to pay additional costs to get your license reinstated.

The Benefits of Choosing Polk County Traffic School

There are two benefits to choosing traffic school:
  1. You will not receive any points against your driver's license.
  2. Your violation will be entered as 'adjudication withheld' on your driver history record.

Moving Violations/ Civil Infractions

A civil traffic infraction is a violation that is not punishable by jail. Non-criminal civil traffic infractions can usually be disposed of by paying a fine or attending a defensive driving course. Generally, a court appearance isn't required. However, for certain traffic violations court appearances are required. These violations include:
  • Driving more than 30 mph above the speed limit.
  • The traffic violation causes serious bodily injury to someone else.
  • Leaving a child under the age of six alone in a vehicle.
It's important to know that you do not have a right to a court-appointed attorney or jury trial in traffic court.

Paying Your Polk County Traffic Tickets

A person holding a phone and paying a bill with their credit card. Remember that In order to keep your driver’s license from being suspended, you need to pay any fees and make your decision to attend traffic school within 30 days of the date of your ticket.

In-person

If you want, you can make your payment in-person at the office of the Clerk of the Polk County Circuit Court or you can make your payment at one of the locations listed below:
  • Branch Courthouse 930 East Parker Street Room 240 Lakeland, Florida 33801 Hours - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Bartow Courthouse 255 North Broadway Avenue Bartow, Florida 33830 Hours - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Haines City and Winter Haven Branches Northeast Polk County Government Center 3425 Lake Alfred Road 7 Gill Jones Plaza Winter Haven, Florida 33881 Hours - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You can now pay your traffic fine at any of the more than 170 Amscot branches. Polk County alone has 12 Amscot Branches, which include Winter Have, Bartlow, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Haines City and Auburndale. There are two Amscot locations that are open 24-hours:
  • The Lakeland branch at 614 East Memorial Boulevard
  • The Winter Haven branch at 111 Cypress Garden Boulevard
When paying your fine at Amscot, you will be charged a $2.50 convenience fee. You need to bring your payment and traffic citation information with you.

Pay Online

To use Polk County's online payment system, you need a credit card. You will need to key in your citation number. If there is an additional number after your four number-three alpha format, do not enter this number. It is a check-digit and not part of your actual citation number. Make sure to enter your date of birth as MMDDYYYY without any slashes or hyphens.

Pay by Phone

Paying by phone using a credit card is simple. Call 1-877-716-1781 to reach the Polk County's automated payment system for Traffic Citations.

By Mail

You can use the envelope provided by the police officer to pay your fine or you can mail your fine to: Clerk of the Circuit Court Polk County, Florida P.O. Box 9000 Drawer CC-10 Bartow, Florida 33831-9000 If you choose to pay by mail, your payment must arrive by the date it is due. Otherwise, you may be charged late fees and your driver's license could be suspended. Polk County Florida Online Traffic School

Eligibility

If you are charged with a traffic citation that is related to a non-moving or moving violation, you can take a Polk County traffic school course to keep points from accumulating on your driver record. Other violations, such as those that involve vehicle registration, driver’s licenses and proof on insurance are not eligible for a defensive driving course in Polk County. In addition, if you have taken more than five BDI courses or a driver improvement course within the past 12 months, you are not eligible to take a traffic school in Polk County. Note that commercial license holders are not eligible for traffic school if their violation occurred in a commercial vehicle. If you are not sure whether you are able to choose traffic school, you can find out by visiting Florida's DHSMV website. Their driver's license traffic school checker tool will help determine your eligibility.

Choosing to Take a Polk County Defensive Driving Program

Once you know you are eligible and decide to take a Polk County approved traffic school, you need to make your election at your local Clerk's Office, or by mail. You must complete the affidavit within 30 calendar days of your ticket's date. Make sure your read the affidavit carefully. You need to have your signature notarized and then return your affidavit to the Clerk's Office in the envelope provided. It is important to note that most banks have a notary on staff that can notarize your affidavit for you. Include your money order or check for the civil penalty required for your citation. Make sure you allow enough time for your affidavit and fine to be received by the Clerk's Office within the 30 calendar days required.

Receiving a ticket in Polk County doesn't have to break the bank, or create long term complications you'd rather not deal with. In many cases, taking a FLHSMV approved defensive driving course will be your best option. Whichever path you choose to follow knowing what you're up against in terms of fees, fines, and penalties as well as the options you have to minimize them is the first step to putting your troubles behind you.

Choosing the Traffic School that is Right for You

Depending on your infraction there are several traffic school courses you may be eligible for:
    • 4-Hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI)
This course is used to keep points from Polk County traffic tickets off your driving record.
    • 4-Hour Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) Course Ordered by the Court
    If the court orders you to take a BDI course, you will take this course.
    • 4-Hour Traffic Collision Avoidance Course (TCAC)
    If you were given a letter from the Florida DHSMV that indicates you must take a TCAC course, this is the course for you. This course is designed to meet the requirements set forth by the Department of Motor Vehicles and avoid a suspended license.
      • 8-Hour Intermediate Driver Improvement/Aggressive Driving Course
      This course is for you if the court orders you to take an 8-hour aggressive driving or driver improvement course.

      Enroll

      Once you pay the costs for your Polk County traffic ticket, you need to enroll and complete your defensive driving course within 90 calendar days from the date you elected to attend. With Improv, completing your BDI course is quick and easy. There is no need to worry about schedules because you complete your course online from home.