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Apr
24

Pay or contest a citation/ticket - District Court

Learn more about your options for paying, setting up a payment plan, mitigating, or contesting your traffic infraction, also called a citation or ticket.

If you received a copy of a traffic infraction (a ticket) from a police officer, it is a non-criminal offense for which jail cannot be imposed.

A photo enforced ticket may be treated differently

You must respond to the infraction

If ticket was issued to you in-person by an officer of the law

Within 30 days from the date it was issued to you

If ticket was mailed to you

Within 33 days from the date it was mailed

Respond to your citation or ticket

The back of the ticket lists 4 ways you can respond to it:

  • Pay the ticket
  • Set up a payment plan
  • Request a mitigation hearing
  • Request a contested hearing

Put an “X” in the box indicating your response Be sure to sign your name and provide your current mailing address, email address and phone number. Send your response to the courthouse location listed on the front of the ticket. 

Pay ticket

You can pay your ticket in 1 of the following ways.

Online

Register for a free e-filing portal account

Log in to the District Court e-filing portal

Telephone

Call 844-399-5259 to pay over the phone. 

Mail

We do not accept cash.

  • Enclose a check or money order, payable to King County District Court, for the dollar amount listed on the front of the ticket (do not mail cash)
    • Include the infraction number on your payment
    • NSF (bounced) checks will be treated as a failure to respond (FTA) to the ticket
  • Mail your payment to: King County District Court, 516 Third Avenue, Room E-340, Seattle, WA 98104.
  • For cases assigned to collections, call Professional Credit at 866-320-6527

In-person

At any King County District Court courthouse location, Monday through Friday between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Set up a payment plan

PMT Solutions handles these payment plans. They do not have information about your fines or fines at first. Your payment plan account is set up after PMT Solutions receives your application and initial payment.

How to apply:

  • Complete the PMT Solutions, LLC, Time Payment Application
  • Mail the completed application, $15 setup fee, and your first monthly payment to PMT Solutions at the address on the application form.
    • These items must be received by your due date. If you do not fill out the application fully or attach payments, it may be declined. Your account could then become eligible for collections.

Benefits of following the plan

  • Creates a realistic monthly payment
  • Making regular payments will not affect your credit rating
  • More time to pay your fine or fines to avoid your account going to collections.
  • Pay more than your minimum monthly payment or in full to cut down monthly fees.
  • Receive a monthly statement with a return envelope to mail your payments.

Penalties if you do not follow the plan

  • If you cannot keep up with payments, your account becomes default.
    • A collection agency gets the account and you are responsible for collection fees.
    • We are notified and you may have more monetary penalties added.
    • If this is for a traffic violation, the Washington State Department of Licensing may remove your privilege to drive.

Mitigation hearing

A mitigation hearing provides you the opportunity to explain the circumstances of the infraction. In some cases, the Court may allow time payments or a reduction of the penalty.

You can choose 1 of the following options:

  1. Have a hearing with a judge in person at the courthouse or via Zoom.
  2. Explain your circumstances in writing by completing a Defendant's Statement form (317KB)
    • Your sworn written statement must be received by the Court at least 7 days prior to your scheduled hearing.

Request a mitigation hearing online

Choose 1 of the following ways.

Online infraction response tool

  • Log in to the District Court e-filing portal
    • Search for your case number, navigate to the case, and click on "WebHearing" on the Summary page to submit your response
    • The online form will guide you through how to enter your response to the citation.
    • At the end of the form, you will submit it to the Court and a copy will be emailed to you.
  • You will not meet with a judge, but you will explain your circumstances in writing using the response tool.
  • The Court will mail you its decision on the infraction.
    ​

By mail or visiting a District Court location

Your mailed response must be mailed no later than midnight on the day the response is due, or you can submit it in person by the due date.

  • Check the box on the back of the ticket indicating you agree you committed the violation(s) and are requesting a mitigation hearing.
    • You have the option to either:
  • If you request to meet with a judge, the Court will send you notice of your court date; otherwise the Court will mail you its decision on the infraction.

Contested hearing

A contested hearing provides you the opportunity to contest (challenge) any or all the violation(s) listed on the ticket.

You can choose 1 of the following options:

  1. Have a hearing with a judge in person at the courthouse or via Zoom.
  2. Explain your circumstances in writing by completing a Defendant's Statement form (317KB)
    • Your sworn written statement must be received by the Court at least 7 days prior to your scheduled hearing.

Request a contested hearing

Choose 1 of the following ways.

Online infraction response tool

  • The Court will mail you its decision on the infraction.
    ​

By mail or visiting a District Court location

Your mailed response must be mailed no later than midnight on the day the response is due, or you can submit it in person by the due date.

  • Check the box on the back of the ticket indicating you are requesting a contested hearing.
    • You have the option to either:
  • If you request to meet with a judge, the Court will send you notice of your court date; otherwise the Court will mail you its decision on the infraction.

In a contested hearing, the city/state must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that you committed the violation(s). You can request witnesses to appear at the hearing, including the officer who issued the ticket. Contact the Court to find out how to request a subpoena for a witness to appear at the hearing.

Appeal a Contested Infraction decision

Follow these steps within 30 days of the Court’s judgment:

  1. Prepare a written Notice of Appeal and Superior Court Case Assignment Designation and Case Information Cover Sheet. File these forms with District Court.
  2. Include a cashier’s check or money order for $230 Superior Court filing fee made payable to Clerk of Superior Court with your Notice of Appeal.
  3. Within 14 days of filing your Notice of Appeal, you must file with District Court a Designation of Record to be Transmitted to Superior Court. Within 14 days after receiving this form, District Court will prepare the record and notify each party that the record is ready to transmit. District Court charges a $40 fee for preparing the record. It is your (the appellant) responsibility to have the tape or CD accurately transcribed.

Request relief from the Court

If you failed to request a hearing, pay a ticket, or appear in court timely, you may submit a Request for Relief from Judgment or Order to the Court. The request must be in writing, signed under penalty of perjury, and clearly set for the reasons for the relief you request. A judge will review your request. The Court will notify you in writing of what relief, if any, is granted. Learn more by reviewing the local infraction rule (LIRLJ 6.7 (a)) and the Request for Relief from Judgment or Order.

Deferred findings

The law allows a judge to defer (postpone) the reporting of a traffic violation to the Department of Licensing (DOL) upon certain conditions. The judge may defer the ticket for up to 12 months on conditions deemed appropriate.

  • You may only receive a deferred finding once every 7 years for a moving violation, and once every 7 years for a non-moving violation.
    • You are not eligible for a deferred finding if you hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL)
  • Conditions of the deferral may include no traffic infractions or criminal traffic violations for 12 months from the date the Court enters the deferred finding
  • The Court may impose a $150 fee for monitoring your driving record

If you fail to comply with the conditions of the deferred finding, the Court will revoke the deferral. You will then be required to pay the original fine on the ticket, plus any unpaid court costs. The Court will report the violation to the DOL.

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