Citation Search

Answering The Citation

1. Review the copy of the citation. This document contains information on how to resolve your citation.
2. Wait at least 5 business days before contacting the court. This waiting period is necessary to ensure that the court has received the citation from the police department and the citation is entered into our system.
3. You must appear within 30 days after the citation was issued. You may make an appearance either in person or in writing. Telephone calls do not satisfy this requirement. If you fail to make your appearance as required, a warrant for your arrest will be issued.
4. Enter a Plea. Only the person whose name appears on the citation (other than a licensed attorney) can enter a plea.

Authorized Pleas are:

• Not Guilty - When you enter this plea, you are stating to the court that you believe you are innocent of the charge and you wish to have your case placed on the pre-trial docket.
• Guilty - Entering this plea means that you are admitting to the offense as charged. You will be required to pay the applicable fine plus all court costs.
• Nolo Contendre or No Contest - This plea means that you are not contesting the offense. You are not admitting that you committed the offense nor are you denying it. However, you understand that you will still be responsible for paying the applicable fine and costs of the said violation.

Method of Payments:

• Cash
• Check or Money Order
• Credit Card

Physical Address
101 S. Mesquite St., First Floor
Arlington, TX 76010

Direction to the Court

To plea no contest and pay by mail, fill out and sign the back of the citation and mail the original or copy of the citation with the fine amount to the Arlington Municipal Court within 30 days of the issue date of the citation.

Payment may be made payable to the City of Arlington and will be accepted in the form of check, cashier's check or money order. Payment plans are not available by mail.

All juvenile defendants who are under the age of 17 at the time of receiving the citation must appear in open Court before the Judge.

Mailing Address

Notice

By paying your citation by mail, you will be entering a Nolo Contendre plea and waiving your rights to a jury trial. Your violation will be recorded as a conviction and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

If you are eligible and you choose to participate in the option of Deferred Disposition or Driving Safety Course and you do not comply with any or all of the requirements of the Deferred Disposition or Driving Safety Course, your violation will be recorded as a conviction and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Waiver of Defendant's Rights

I understand I have the right:

• TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY AND REQUIRE THE STATE TO PROVE MY GUILT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
• TO REQUEST A TRIAL BEFORE A JUDGE OR JURY
• TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY
• TO SUBPEONA WITNESSES
• TO HAVE MY TRIAL TRANSCRIBED BY A COURT REPORTER

I hereby KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVE ALL MY RIGHTS TO A TRIAL

All partial payments and dismissal fees require prior court approval. The option to pay a citation online is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Payments online will be processed by the court within 24 hours during normal business days or within 72 hours when payment is made online over the weekend or on holidays. A processing fee will be added to the total citation amount.

Payments may be made by Master Card, Discover, American Express or Visa. Both credit and debit are accepted. You will be required to provide the following to look up your citation:

• Citation number, docket number, or payment group number
• First and last name of the defendant
• Citation payment amount

Notice

By paying your citation online, you will be entering a Nolo Contendre plea and waiving your rights to a jury trial. Your violation will be recorded as a conviction and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Waiver of Defendant's Rights

I understand I have the right:

• TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY AND REQUIRE THE STATE TO PROVE MY GUILT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
• TO REQUEST A TRIAL BEFORE A JUDGE OR JURY
• TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY
• TO SUBPEONA WITNESSES
• TO HAVE MY TRIAL TRANSCRIBED BY A COURT REPORTER

I hereby KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVE ALL MY RIGHTS TO A TRIAL

All juvenile defendants who are under the age of 17 at the time of receiving the citation must appear in open Court before the Judge.

The City of Arlington makes no guarantees, promises, or warranties regarding the accuracy of information provided on this site.

There is no guarantee that this online payment service will show all of your unpaid tickets. Use of this service to submit payment constitutes acknowledgement that the City of Arlington and the processor of electronic payments assume no responsibility for data entered by the service users. I hereby understand that in accordance with Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Art. 27.14( c ), case payment will result in a waiver of jury trial and a finding of guilty, which may be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The option to pay a citation online is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Payments online will be processed by the court within 24 hours during normal business days or within 72 hours when payment is made online over the weekend or on holidays.

Payments may be made by Master Card, Discover, American Express or Visa. Both credit and debit are accepted. You will be required to provide one of the following to look up your citation:

• Citation number and date of birth,
• Driver's license number and date of birth, or
• Vehicle License Plate Number and Registration State

When making a payment online if you do not see an option to keep your citation from being reported on your driving record, continuing with the online payment will constitute a conviction and will be reported on your record. Please contact the court, appear in person or by mail to find out if more options are available before continuing.

Notice

By paying your citation online, you will be entering a Nolo Contendre plea and waiving your rights to a jury trial. Your violation will be recorded as a conviction and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

If you are eligible and you choose to participate in the option of Deferred Disposition or Driving Safety Course and you do not comply with any or all of the requirements of the Deferred Disposition or Driving Safety Course, your violation will be recorded as a conviction and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Waiver of Defendant's Rights

I understand I have the right:

• TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY AND REQUIRE THE STATE TO PROVE MY GUILT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
• TO REQUEST A TRIAL BEFORE A JUDGE OR JURY
• TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY
• TO SUBPEONA WITNESSES
• TO HAVE MY TRIAL TRANSCRIBED BY A COURT REPORTER

I hereby KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVE ALL MY RIGHTS TO A TRIAL

All juvenile defendants who are under the age of 17 at the time of receiving the citation must appear in open Court before the Judge.

The City of Arlington makes no guarantees, promises, or warranties regarding the accuracy of information provided on this site.

There is no guarantee that this online payment service will show all of your unpaid tickets. Use of this service to submit payment constitutes acknowledgement that the City of Arlington and the processor of electronic payments assume no responsibility for data entered by the service users. I hereby understand that in accordance with Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Art. 27.14( c ), case payment will result in a waiver of jury trial and a finding of guilty, which may be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Your options are:

Contest

You have the right to a hearing within 30 days of the citation being issued. To request a hearing, you must appear in person at the Arlington Municipal Court. Administrative hearings are held every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Failure to timely appear as required at any hearing is considered an admission of liability for the violation and will result in the assessment of applicable penalties, fees, and costs.

Ordinance Enforcement

Failure to pay any penalties, fees, and costs after being found liable for the violation may be enforced by any or all of the following actions:

• Impounding the unlawfully parked vehicle if there have been three or more vehicle parking or stopping offenses in a calendar year;
• Placing a device on the unlawfully parked vehicle that prohibits movement of the vehicle;
• Imposing an additional fine if the original penalty is not paid timely;
• Denying issuance of or revoking a parking or operating permit;
• Filing an action or civil suit, brought in the name of the City, to collect the penalties, fees, and costs in a court of competent jurisdiction in Tarrant County;
• Obtaining an injunction to prohibit specific conduct that violates the ordinance or administrative order or to require specific conduct necessary for compliance with the ordinance or administrative order;
• Referring the penalties, fees, and costs to a private attorney or collection agency for collection;
• Filing a judgment lien against your property in the amount of penalties, fees and costs.

View Listing of Civil Fines

Payment Option

The option to pay a citation online is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Payments online will be processed by the court within 24 hours during normal business days or within 72 hours when payment is made online over the weekend or on holidays.

Payments may be made by Master Card, Discover, American Express or Visa. Both credit and debit are accepted. You will be required to provide one of the following to look up your citation:

• Citation number and date of birth,
• Driver's license number and date of birth, or
• Vehicle License Plate Number and Registration State

Notice

By paying your citation online, you will be admitting liability for the violation.

The City of Arlington makes no guarantees, promises, or warranties regarding the accuracy of information provided on this site.

There is no guarantee that this online payment service will show all of your unpaid tickets. Use of this service to submit payment constitutes acknowledgement that the City of Arlington and the processor of electronic payments assume no responsibility for data entered by the service users. I hereby understand that in accordance with Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Art. 27.14( c ), case payment will result in a waiver of jury trial and a finding of guilty, which may be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Terms and Conditions

Deferred Disposition is an option that will keep your citation from being reported as a conviction on your driving record and will be dismissed if all terms required are successfully met. If any requirements are not met and you cannot provide a satisfactory reason why at a hearing before a judge, you will be found guilty and a conviction will be reported to the Department of Public Safety. Not all violations are approved for Deferred Disposition.

Requirements to Request Deferred Disposition

• The court must receive your request online, by mail or in person no later than your 30-day appearance date
• You must pay the administrative fee at the time of your request. The administrative fee is equal to the amount of the fine for the violation for which you have been charged. The fine amount can be found under the COURT INFORMATION/FINE LISTINGS section listed on the web page

Terms and Procedures

Once the court has received the above, your request will be reviewed and forwarded to the Judge to determine eligibility for the program.

• You must not receive another similar violation within the City of Arlington during the deferral period which is 90 days from the date of approval
• If you are under 25 years of age, you must also take a driver's safety course during your deferral period and submit proof of completion to the court before the due date if you have been charged with a traffic violation

Non-Eligibility

You are not eligible for Deferred Disposition if:

• You do not have a valid driver's license; or
• Your license is suspended; or
• You received your citation in a construction zone when workers were present; or
• You have been approved for Deferred Disposition in the City of Arlington within the last 12 months; or
• You were speeding 31 miles per hour or more over the speed limit; or
• You were speeding 16 miles per hour or more over the speed limit in a school zone; or
• You received a citation for not having current liability insurance and you were involved in an accident; or
• You received a citation for not having current vehicle liability insurance and you do not provide a copy of current vehicle liability insurance; or
• You have a commercial driver's license (CDL) even if the violation occurred while you were driving a private vehicle

If you are not eligible for Deferred Disposition you are to enter your plea in person or by mail. If you enter your plea by mail you must sign the back of your citation or write a letter including your plea and request.  You may also schedule a virtual or in- person court date with a judge to discuss any options available to avoid a conviction for this offense and keep it from being included on your driving or criminal record.

You will be notified by mail only if your request is denied.

Failure to Comply with Terms of Agreement

If you fail to comply with any of the requirements of Deferred Disposition, your case will be set for a Show Cause Hearing. The hearing is your opportunity to speak with a judge regarding why you failed to comply. If you fail to appear at your hearing, a conviction will be entered and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Not eligible for Deferred Disposition?

Go to the Request Driving Safety Course tab to see if you are eligible for Defensive Driving.

Taking a Driving Safety Course (DSC) is an option that will keep your citation from being reported as a conviction on your driving record and will be dismissed if all terms required are successfully met. If any requirements are not met and you cannot provide a satisfactory reason why at a hearing before a judge, you will be found guilty and a conviction will be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Not all violations are approved for a Driving Safety Course.

You may be eligible to take a Driving Safety Course to have your case dismissed. You may only take one course each year in the State of Texas to have a case dismissed.

Requirements to Request a Driving Safety Course

• The court must receive your request online, by mail or in person to take the course no later than your 30 day appearance date
• You must pay the court costs and an administrative fee. Presently, the administrative fee and court costs total $144.00. An additional fee of $25.00 is imposed if your citation occurred in a school zone
• You must present a copy of a current Texas driver's license
• You must present current proof of insurance showing your name as a covered driver

If you have any questions please contact our Action Center 817-459-6777.

Terms and Procedure

If eligible, and the above has been received, you will be required to submit to the court within 90 days:

• The uniform certificate from an approved Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) driving safety course  www.tdlr.texas.gov
• A certified copy of your driving record from the Texas Department of Public Safety. A copy of your Driving Record must be requested from the Texas Department of Public Safety and costs $12.00.
  This form can be downloaded, printed and mailed to the DPS by clicking here. Also, an online request can be made at dps.texas.gov.
• A signed affidavit that will be mailed to you along with the date you are required to submit the proof

Note: The Arlington Municipal Court is now accepting e-filed drivers safety completion certificates. Course providers who are approved for e-filing will show e-filing options on their website. Some courses also offer the option to e-file your driving record. If you choose not to use the e-filing option, you will need to provide your course completion form and your driving record to the court in person or thru the mail. If you experience any issues with e-filing, please contact the course provider for assistance.

Non-Eligibility

You are not eligible to take a Driving Safety Course if:

• Offense is not defined as a moving violation; or
• An offense committed in a construction or maintenance work zone while workers present
• You have a commercial driver's license (CDL) even if the violation occurred while you were driving a private vehicle; or
• Commercial vehicle serious traffic offenses
• You do not have a valid Texas driver's license; or
• You received a citation for not having current vehicle liability insurance and you do not provide a copy of current vehicle liability insurance; or
• Fail to Maintain Control
• You were speeding 25 miles per hour or more over the speed limit; or
• You received your citation as a result of Reckless Driving; or
• You received your citation as a result of Passing a School Bus; or
• You received your citation as a result of Fleeing/Eluding a Peace Officer; or
• You received your citation as a result of Leaving the Scene of an Accident; or
• You received your citation as a result of Fail to ID/ Render Aid; or
• You have been approved for a Driving Safety Class in the State of Texas within the last 12 months; or
• You have warrant(s) for your arrest

If you are not eligible for a Driving Safety Course you are to enter your plea in person or by mail. If you enter your plea by mail you must use the back of the citation or write a letter including your plea and request.  You may also schedule a virtual or in-person court date with a judge to discuss any options available to avoid a conviction for this offense and keep it from being included on your driving or criminal record.

You will be notified by mail only if your request is denied.

Failure to Comply With Terms of Agreement

If you fail to comply with any of the requirements of the Driving Safety Course option, your case will be set for a Show Cause Hearing. The hearing is your opportunity to speak with a judge regarding why you failed to comply. If you fail to appear at your hearing, a conviction will be entered and reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Not eligible for Defensive Driving? 

Go to the Request Deferred Disposition tab to see if you are eligible for the Deferred Disposition option.

Request for an Extension to Pay

When entering a plea of guilty or no contest, you may request an initial 30-day extension to pay the total fine(s) and costs owed. The judgments for each case will be mailed to you at the address on file to show the balance owed for each offense and the payment due date. If you are unable to pay in full by that due date, you may contact the court at courtno-reply@arlingtontx.gov to request additional time to pay, a payment plan, or an indigency application for alternate options to resolve the balance(s) owed.

If you have signed up for a driving safety course for a moving violation or been granted deferred disposition for your violation, any request for an extension to pay the required deferral fee or to present proof of compliance for any condition ordered by the judge must be made in person, by mail, or by email to courtno-reply@arlingtontx.gov. A judge will review your request, and a reply will be sent via mail or email to the address on file.

Please keep the Court updated on your address, phone number and/or email address at all times until your case is resolved to ensure responses are timely received. TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPER CASES ARE PAID, REVIEWED BY THE JUDGE, ETC., YOU MUST PROVIDE THE CITATION NUMBER(S), YOUR FULL NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, AND THE AMOUNT PAID. IF YOUR CASES ARE ON A PAYMENT PLAN, PLEASE INCLUDE THE PAYMENT GROUP NUMBER.

Payments may be made in person, by mail, by phone or online with a check, money order, credit or debit card. In person, you may also pay with Apple Pay.

Request for Dismissal Options

The City Ordinance violation for Parking with Expired Registration or Expired Motor Vehicle Inspection, does not have an option to be dismissed with a fee of $20.00. The fine for this violation is $33.00. You may request a dismissal of your citation with a $20.00 fee if you are charged with the following offenses:

1. Driving with Expired Registration
2. Driving with Expired Drivers License
3. Fail to Report Change of Address or Name

You may request a dismissal of your citation with a $10.00 fee if you are charged with the following offenses:

1. Operate Motor Vehicle without License Plates or with One Plate
2. Display Altered, Unclean, or Obscured License Plates
3. Violate Driver's License Restriction or Endorsement
4. Driver's License Valid But Fail to Display
5. Operate Vehicle with Defective Required Equipment (or in Unsafe Condition)

Your request must be made within twenty working days of receiving the citation, but not within the first 5 calendar days of issuance. This amount of time is required for the citation to be processed and filed with the Court. The offense for Driving with Expired Registration may be dismissed with a $20.00 dismissal fee if proof of renewal is presented to the Court and the county-required penalty fee was paid when registered. You may make your request in the following ways:

1. In person at the Court Clerk's office
2. By mail to: Municipal Court Building Mail stop 63-0100 P.O. Box 90403 Arlington, Texas 76004-3403

Upon request for dismissal of your citation, you must pay the appropriate fee and submit proof that the offense for which you have been charged has been corrected. The offense No Valid Proof of Vehicle Liability Insurance also qualifies for dismissal at no charge if the following conditions are met: Proof submitted that you were covered by a valid policy of vehicle liability insurance on the date and time of the offense. The information provided must contain the following information listed below, and will be verified by the Court. Should the proof prove to be invalid you will be sent a court date in order to appear before the Judge and give your reason(s) why the coverage was not valid.

1. The name, address and telephone number of the insurer;
2. The name and address of the named insured;
3. The policy number;
4. The effective and expiration dates of the policy;
5. The make and model of the covered vehicle;
6. A statement that the policy meets the minimum amounts of vehicle liability insurance required by the Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act.