Access The Villages Traffic Records
The Villages traffic court records are primarily handled by the Sumter County Clerk of Court. The Villages is a large retirement community that spans parts of three Florida counties: Sumter, Lake, and Marion. Most of The Villages falls within Sumter County, so the Sumter clerk processes the bulk of traffic citations from the area. However, citations issued in portions that fall in Lake or Marion County go to those respective clerks instead. This page focuses on the Sumter County process while noting the multi-county situation that makes The Villages unique.
The Villages Quick Facts
Where The Villages Traffic Citations Are Filed
Traffic citations in The Villages go to one of three county clerks depending on exactly where the stop happened. The majority go to the Sumter County Clerk of Court in Bushnell. Florida Statute Chapter 316 requires law enforcement to send traffic citations to the county clerk in the jurisdiction where the violation occurred. Since The Villages straddles county lines, the issuing officer's location determines which clerk gets the ticket.
For citations in the Sumter County portion, which covers the largest part of The Villages, the case goes to the Sumter County Clerk at 215 E McCollum Avenue in Bushnell. Citations in the Lake County portion go to the Lake County Clerk of Courts in Tavares. And citations in the Marion County portion go to the Marion County Clerk in Ocala. Check your citation carefully. The county name is printed on the ticket. That tells you which clerk office holds your traffic court record.
| Primary Office | Sumter County Clerk of Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 215 E McCollum Ave Bushnell, FL 33513 |
| Phone | 352-569-6600 |
| Website | www.sumterclerk.org |
Note: Always check which county is listed on your traffic citation before contacting a clerk office.
Searching The Villages Traffic Records
The Sumter County Clerk website has court records search tools for looking up traffic citations filed in Sumter County. If your ticket was issued in the Sumter portion of The Villages, start here. Enter a name, citation number, or case number to find your traffic court record. The search is free for basic information.
Because The Villages spans three counties, you may need to check more than one clerk. The statewide search at MyFLCourtAccess can help with this. It pulls records from all 67 Florida counties in one search. Enter your name and it checks everywhere. This is especially handy for Villages residents who might have gotten tickets in the Lake or Marion County portions without realizing it.
You can also call the Sumter County Clerk at 352-569-6600 to check on a specific citation. Staff can look up your case and tell you the fine amount, status, and any upcoming court dates. For full file access or certified copies, visit the clerk's office in Bushnell. It is about a 20-minute drive from the center of The Villages.
Responding to a Villages Traffic Ticket
After getting a traffic ticket in The Villages, you have 30 days to respond. That is the law across all of Florida. The 30-day clock starts on the date the citation was issued. Missing this deadline means late fees and the risk of a license suspension. The options are the same no matter which county your Villages citation falls under.
Pay the fine and close the case. This is a guilty plea. Points go on your driving record. The amount depends on the violation type. Under Florida Statute 318.18, fines are set by a statewide schedule, with court costs added by the county. The second option is to pay and elect traffic school. You plead no contest, the court withholds adjudication, and points stay off your record. You complete an approved driving course within the time the court allows. This option is popular with The Villages residents who want to keep their records clean. It has limits, though. CDL holders cannot use it. Certain violation types are excluded.
The third option is to contest the citation. Plead not guilty. Get a hearing. For Sumter County, the hearing takes place at the courthouse in Bushnell. For Lake County tickets, you would go to Tavares. Marion County hearings happen in Ocala. A traffic court judge reviews the evidence and decides. Within the 30-day window, filing a not guilty plea is straightforward. After that, late fees kick in.
Paying The Villages Traffic Court Fines
For Sumter County citations, you can pay online through the clerk's website. The PayFLClerk statewide portal also handles Sumter County traffic payments. Enter your citation number and follow the steps. Major credit cards are accepted. Mail payments go to the Sumter County Clerk of Court, 215 E McCollum Ave, Bushnell, FL 33513. Include a check or money order with the citation number written on it.
In-person payments are accepted at the Bushnell courthouse. Call 352-569-6600 for phone payment options or to confirm the total due on your Villages traffic ticket. If your citation was issued in the Lake or Marion County portions of The Villages, contact those clerk offices instead. Each county handles its own traffic fine collections separately.
Do not let a traffic fine from The Villages go unpaid. Under Florida Statute 28.246, any of the three county clerks can send delinquent traffic fines to a collection agency. The agency adds up to 40% to the balance. On top of that, FLHSMV may suspend your driver license for failure to pay or appear. Paying on time avoids all of these problems.
Sumter County Clerk Portal for The Villages
The Sumter County Clerk homepage is where most Villages residents start when looking up traffic court records. The site links to court records search tools, payment options, and general information about the traffic court process.
The clerk's site covers all Sumter County court matters. For traffic-specific cases from The Villages, use the court records search or call the clerk directly for help finding your case.
Public Access to The Villages Traffic Records
Traffic court records from The Villages are public. Florida Statute Chapter 119 makes government records open to anyone for inspection and copying. This applies to all three counties that The Villages touches. You do not need to be the person named on the citation to look it up. Sensitive personal data gets redacted from public view, but the case details remain accessible.
If you need copies of a Villages traffic court record, the cost depends on which county holds the file. Each clerk sets its own per-page rates for plain and certified copies. Certified copies carry official weight for legal or insurance purposes. Contact the relevant county clerk for current pricing. The Sumter County Clerk is at 352-569-6600.
Sumter County Traffic Court Records
The Villages primarily falls within Sumter County. Most traffic citations from the community are processed through the Sumter County Clerk of Court. For full details about the county system, visit the Sumter County traffic court records page.
Nearby Florida Cities
The Villages is in central Florida. These nearby cities have their own traffic court records pages and use different county clerk offices.