Martin County Traffic Records

Martin County traffic court records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Stuart. With approximately 165,000 residents, Martin County sits along Florida's Treasure Coast and processes traffic citations from its local roads, US 1, and the Florida Turnpike. If you received a ticket in Martin County or need to check on a past case, the clerk's office holds those records. You can search for citations online, pay fines through the statewide payment portal, or visit the Stuart courthouse for in-person help. Knowing how to access Martin County traffic court records will save you time and keep you from missing deadlines.

Martin County Clerk of Court Office

The Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court handles every traffic citation filed in the county. Their main office is at 100 East Ocean Boulevard in Stuart. This is where tickets from Stuart, Jensen Beach, Indiantown, Hobe Sound, and every road in between end up. The clerk processes payments, schedules court dates, stores records, and responds to public requests for case information. Martin County may be smaller than its neighbors to the south, but the clerk's office runs a full traffic court operation.

Call the Martin County Clerk at 772-288-5547 for questions about your case. The website at martinclerk.com provides online access to various court services. If you are mailing a payment or a form, send it to 100 E. Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34994. Walk-ins are welcome at the courthouse during business hours, but checking the website for current hours first is a good idea.

How to Search Martin County Traffic Records

Start your search for Martin County traffic court records at the clerk's website. The martinclerk.com site links to case search tools where you can look up traffic citations by name or case number. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal also lets you search across counties, including Martin. These online tools give you access to basic case data like charges, court dates, and case status.

The Martin County Clerk of Court website shown below is your starting point for looking up traffic citations and other court records in the Stuart area.

If the online search does not turn up what you need, call 772-288-5547 and ask the staff to look it up. They can search the Martin County system using your citation number, name, or date of birth. For older records or certified copies, a trip to the Ocean Boulevard office might be necessary. The Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation sets guidelines for how all 67 clerks provide access to public records, and Martin County follows those same standards.

Note: Recently issued Martin County citations may take a few business days to appear in the online system after the officer files the paperwork.

Martin County Traffic Citation Options

You have 30 days from the date of a traffic citation to respond. This comes from Chapter 316 of the Florida Statutes, which applies to every county in the state. Missing that deadline triggers late fees and a possible license suspension. The Martin County Clerk cannot override these state-mandated consequences, so it pays to act fast.

Paying the citation is the quickest option. It counts as a guilty plea. Points get added to your driving record through the FLHSMV system. You can pay Martin County traffic fines online through PayFLClerk, by mail to the Stuart address, or in person at the courthouse. The online portal accepts credit and debit cards and gives you instant confirmation. If you pay within 30 days, you avoid the late fee entirely.

Electing traffic school is the second option. You plead no contest, and the court withholds adjudication, meaning no points on your license. You still pay the fine, but you avoid the hit to your driving record. After paying, you get additional time to complete a state-approved driver improvement course. Not every Martin County citation qualifies. Certain violations, like those involving crashes with injuries, cannot be resolved through school. Under Florida Statute 318.18, penalty amounts and options depend on the type of violation.

Your third choice is to contest the citation. File a not guilty plea within 30 days. The Martin County court sets a hearing. You go before a judge, present your case, and the judge rules. Winning means dismissal. Losing means fines plus court costs. Either way, the full record of what happened stays in the Martin County traffic court system.

Fines and Collections in Martin County

Traffic fine amounts in Martin County depend on the violation type. Speeding in a school zone costs more than a broken taillight. Moving violations carry heavier fines than non-moving ones. Late fees add up quickly once you pass the 30-day mark. The Martin County Clerk adds these charges to your case automatically.

Under Florida Statute 28.246, unpaid fines older than 90 days can be sent to a collection agency. The agency is allowed to add up to 40% of the total balance as their fee. A $250 Martin County traffic fine could balloon to $350 in collections. On top of that, FLHSMV suspends your license. Reinstatement costs extra. It is always cheaper to handle a Martin County traffic court case on time. If you already have an overdue case, call the clerk at 772-288-5547 to discuss your options.

Note: Payment of a Martin County traffic fine is treated as a conviction, and points will appear on your driving record unless you chose traffic school.

Public Records Access in Martin County

Traffic court records in Martin County are public. Florida's Public Records Law under Chapter 119 guarantees that all government records are open for inspection. This means anyone can request to see Martin County traffic court records. You do not need to be the driver named in the case.

Certain sensitive information is always removed before records are shared. Social security numbers and bank account details get redacted under state privacy rules. But the essential parts of a Martin County traffic case, including the charge, the fine, the plea, and the judge's ruling, are available to the public. The Florida Supreme Court's Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 governs what is sealed and what is not. Adult traffic cases are generally available in full through the Martin County Clerk.

Traffic Court Process in Martin County

Every Martin County traffic case starts with a citation. A law enforcement officer writes the ticket. It goes to the clerk in Stuart. The clerk enters it into the system. From there, your 30-day clock starts ticking. Pay, elect school, or contest. Those are your choices. Doing nothing leads to a late fee, a license suspension notice from FLHSMV, and eventually collections.

Contested cases go to a Martin County judge. The judge hears the facts, listens to both sides, and decides. You can bring witnesses and evidence. The citing officer may testify. If the judge finds you guilty, you pay fines and court costs. If the case is dismissed, you walk away clean. The record of the hearing, the evidence presented, and the judge's ruling all become part of your Martin County traffic court record. These documents are stored by the clerk and remain accessible for years.

Cities in Martin County

Martin County includes Stuart, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, Palm City, and other communities along the Treasure Coast. None of these cities currently meet the population threshold for a separate traffic court records page. Every traffic citation issued within Martin County is processed through the Martin County Clerk of Court in Stuart, no matter which agency wrote the ticket.

Nearby Counties

Martin County shares borders with three other Florida counties. If your ticket was written near a county line, confirm which county appears on the citation before contacting a clerk's office.