Search Charlotte County Traffic Records
Charlotte County traffic court records are managed by the Clerk of Court in Punta Gorda, Florida. With a population of roughly 190,000, Charlotte County processes a steady flow of traffic citations each year. The clerk's office handles everything from speeding tickets to red light violations. Residents can search for traffic court records online, by phone, or at the courthouse in Punta Gorda. Charlotte County is part of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which also covers several neighboring counties in southwest Florida. If you need to find a traffic case or pay a fine, the Charlotte County Clerk has the tools and records to help.
Charlotte County Quick Facts
Charlotte County Clerk of Court
The Charlotte County Clerk of Court is the official keeper of all traffic court records in the county. This office sits in Punta Gorda and serves the entire county. Staff handle new citations as they come in from law enforcement, process payments, and manage court files. If you got a ticket anywhere in Charlotte County, this is where the record ends up.
The clerk's office does more than just take payments. They schedule court hearings for people who want to fight a ticket. They process driving school elections. They also keep records of every traffic case that goes through the Charlotte County court system, from the initial citation all the way to the final outcome. You can call them to check on a case or stop by the office in person during business hours. The staff can look up your case by name, citation number, or date.
| Mailing Address | PO Box 512408, Punta Gorda, FL 33951 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 941-637-2199 |
| Website | www.charlotteclerk.com |
How to Find Charlotte County Traffic Court Records
There are a few ways to search for traffic court records in Charlotte County. The easiest is online. The PayFLClerk portal works for all 67 Florida counties, including Charlotte. You can look up a citation and pay it right there. The Charlotte County Clerk website may also have a link to their local court records search tool.
If you want to check your case status or need more detail than the online tools give you, call the clerk at 941-637-2199. They can pull up records by your name or the citation number printed on the ticket. For certified copies of traffic court records from Charlotte County, you will likely need to visit the courthouse or send a written request by mail. The mailing address is PO Box 512408, Punta Gorda, FL 33951. Include as much detail about the case as you can, such as your full name, date of the ticket, and the citation number if you have it.
The FLHSMV traffic citations page provides general information about how traffic tickets work in Florida. This can help you understand your options before you contact the Charlotte County clerk.
Note: Allow a few business days for new citations to show up in the online system after you receive them in Charlotte County.
Charlotte County Clerk Website
The Charlotte County Clerk of Court website offers access to court services and contact information for the Punta Gorda office.
From this site you can find directions to the courthouse, phone numbers for different departments, and links to pay your Charlotte County traffic ticket online.
Charlotte County Traffic Citation Options
After getting a traffic ticket in Charlotte County, you have 30 days to respond. The clock starts on the date the citation was issued, not when you get home or open the mail. Florida law gives you three basic choices, and each one affects your driving record in a different way.
Paying the fine is the simplest path. You admit guilt, the case closes, and points go on your license. The number of points depends on the violation. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles sets the point values. A second option is to pay the fine and sign up for driving school. This keeps points off your record if you complete the course on time. Charlotte County allows this option up to five times in a lifetime and no more than once every twelve months. You still pay the fine, but it may be reduced.
The third choice is to plead not guilty. This means you want a hearing. The Charlotte County court will set a date for you to appear before a judge. Under Florida Statute Chapter 316, the state bears the burden of proof. You can represent yourself or hire a lawyer for traffic court in Charlotte County.
Fines and Penalties in Charlotte County
Traffic fine amounts in Charlotte County are set by state law. Florida Statute 318.18 lays out the base penalties for different violations. Court costs and surcharges get added to the base fine. A basic moving violation in Charlotte County can easily reach $150 to $300 once everything is totaled.
Late fees are a real concern. If you do not respond to a Charlotte County traffic ticket within 30 days, a late charge is added. The clerk's office will also notify the FLHSMV, and your license may be suspended. Getting your license back means paying the fine, the late fee, and a reinstatement fee to the state. Under Florida Statute 28.246, fines that go unpaid for 90 days can be sent to a collections agency. That agency can tack on up to 40 percent for their services. So a $200 ticket in Charlotte County could turn into $280 or more if you ignore it.
Note: Charlotte County traffic fines can be paid online through PayFLClerk.com using a credit or debit card.
Public Records Law and Charlotte County Traffic Cases
Florida has some of the strongest public records laws in the country. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes says that government records are open for anyone to see. Traffic court records in Charlotte County fall under this law. You can ask for records from any traffic case, and the clerk must provide them. You do not need to be the person on the ticket.
There are some limits. Certain personal data gets removed from public copies. Social security numbers and bank account details are not shown. But the core facts of a Charlotte County traffic case are available to anyone. This includes the driver's name, the violation, the date, and the case outcome. The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation helps all 67 county clerks follow these rules.
Cities in Charlotte County
Charlotte County includes Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Englewood, and several smaller communities. None of these cities have a population over 75,000. All traffic citations from anywhere in Charlotte County are processed through the Clerk of Court in Punta Gorda. There are no separate city traffic courts.
Nearby Counties
These counties share a border with Charlotte County. If your ticket was issued near the county line, confirm which county it belongs to before trying to pay.