Access Clearwater Traffic Court Records
Clearwater traffic court records are housed at the Pinellas County Clerk of Court. Clearwater serves as the county seat of Pinellas County, which means the main clerk's office is right in the city. With roughly 117,000 people, Clearwater is one of the larger cities in the Tampa Bay area. Traffic citations issued by Clearwater police or the Florida Highway Patrol within city limits all get processed through the Pinellas County Clerk. Drivers can search for cases, pay fines, request hearings, and get copies of their traffic court records through the clerk's office or its online portal.
Clearwater Quick Facts
Where Clearwater Traffic Tickets Are Filed
All Clearwater traffic court records go through the Pinellas County Clerk of Court. Florida handles traffic cases at the county level, not the city level. The clerk processes citations, manages hearings, and collects fines for every city in Pinellas County. Since Clearwater is the county seat, the main courthouse and clerk's office sit right in town.
The Pinellas County Clerk of Court is at 315 Court Street in Clearwater. It is an easy location for Clearwater residents. You can walk in during business hours to pay a traffic fine, file a plea, or request copies of your Clearwater traffic court records. The phone number is 727-464-7000. The clerk also serves St. Petersburg, Largo, and all other Pinellas County communities from this same office. Under Florida Statute Chapter 316, the traffic control laws that apply in Clearwater are the same ones that apply across the entire state.
| Office | Pinellas County Clerk of Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 315 Court Street Clearwater, FL 33756 |
| Phone | 727-464-7000 |
| Website | mypinellasclerk.gov |
Search Clearwater Traffic Records Online
The Pinellas County Clerk has a public court records search tool on its website. You can look up Clearwater traffic court records without creating an account or logging in. Search by name, case number, or citation number. The results show the charge, the filing date, hearing dates, and case status. No fee for searching.
Visit the Pinellas County Clerk website to start your search. The site offers a Court Records Public View that anyone can use. Registered users and attorneys can log in for additional features, but the basic public view gives you what most people need for a Clearwater traffic case.
The Pinellas County Clerk homepage provides access to court record searches and traffic case management tools for Clearwater and all of Pinellas County.
The public search portal covers all case types in Pinellas County, so make sure you filter for traffic cases when looking up a Clearwater citation.
Statewide tools work for Clearwater traffic records too. Use PayFLClerk to pay a citation or MyFLCourtAccess to search court records from any Florida county.
Clearwater Traffic Citation Response Options
You get 30 days to respond to a Clearwater traffic citation. That deadline is firm. If you miss it, the Pinellas County Clerk adds late fees. The DHSMV can suspend your license. Things go downhill fast from there.
For a civil traffic infraction in Clearwater, three options exist. Paying the fine is the simplest. You admit guilt, the case closes, and the Florida DHSMV puts points on your driving record. Different violations carry different point values. A basic speeding ticket carries fewer points than running a red light or reckless driving.
Traffic school is the second option. You pay the fine plus a small election fee, then complete a Basic Driver Improvement course. The Pinellas County Clerk updates your Clearwater traffic court record to show adjudication withheld once you send in your completion certificate. That means no points and no conviction for that ticket. You can use this up to five times over your lifetime.
Contesting the ticket is your third choice. File a not guilty plea and request a hearing. A traffic court judge in Clearwater will hear your case at the Pinellas County Courthouse on Court Street. If you win, the charge is dismissed. If you do not win, you pay the fine and possibly more in court costs.
Clearwater Traffic Court Fees
The amount you owe on a Clearwater traffic ticket depends on the violation. Florida Statute 318.18 sets the base fine schedule for traffic infractions. State surcharges and court costs get piled on top, so the total is always higher than the base amount. Speeding fines scale with how far over the limit you were going. School zone violations cost more. Construction zone violations cost more.
If you want copies of your Clearwater traffic court records, the Pinellas County Clerk charges standard fees. Plain copies run about $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost a few dollars more per page. You can get copies in person at the 315 Court Street office in Clearwater, or by mail. The clerk's website may also offer some documents for download through the online portal.
Letting a Clearwater traffic fine go unpaid leads to real trouble. Florida Statute 28.246 requires the clerk to send delinquent accounts to a collection agency. That agency tacks on up to 40% of the original amount. A $175 fine can turn into $245 with the collection surcharge. The state will also suspend your driving privilege until you pay up. Dealing with a Clearwater traffic ticket promptly saves you money and keeps your license active.
Note: Contact the Pinellas County Clerk at 727-464-7000 if you need help understanding what you owe on a Clearwater traffic case.
Public Records in Clearwater
Clearwater traffic court records are public records under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. Anyone can request them. You do not have to be the person named on the citation. No reason needs to be given. This is one of the strongest public records laws in the country and it covers all court records in Pinellas County.
A Clearwater traffic court record typically contains the citation number, the driver's name, the date and location of the stop, the specific statute violated, the issuing officer or agency, and the outcome. Court dates, plea entries, and payment status are included too. The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation helps ensure all 67 county clerks maintain proper public access. Personal details such as Social Security numbers are always redacted before release.
Clearwater Traffic School Details
Many Clearwater drivers choose traffic school to keep their driving record clean. The election must be made within the 30-day response window. You pay the fine plus a small fee and then finish a Basic Driver Improvement course. Most people do it online. The course runs about four hours.
Once you complete the course, send proof to the Pinellas County Clerk. The clerk updates your Clearwater traffic court record so adjudication is withheld. No conviction. No points on your license. Florida caps traffic school at five lifetime elections. And not every violation qualifies. School zone tickets, construction zone tickets, and crash-related citations are typically excluded. If you are unsure whether your Clearwater citation is eligible, check with the clerk's office before you commit to this option.
Pinellas County Traffic Court Records
Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County, and the main clerk's office is located here. All traffic cases from Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Largo, and the rest of the county are processed by the Pinellas County Clerk of Court. For more on the county-wide system, additional office locations, and extra resources, see the full county page.
Nearby Florida Cities
These cities are near Clearwater in the Tampa Bay area. Traffic court records in each are handled by the respective county clerk. Click a city for details on their traffic court process.