All non-criminal traffic violation tickets issued in the 5 boroughs of New York City (Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island) are adjudicated by the Department of Motor Vehicles Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB).

TVB does not handle tickets returnable to local courts or the following violation types:

• Parking
• Red light camera
• Speed camera
• Misdemeanor or Felony offenses (for example, DWI)

For questions about those tickets or information regarding how to plead to or pay a ticket issued outside New York City, contact the local court directly. 

In some cases, it can take several days for a ticket to be reported to the DMV and get entered into our system. If your traffic ticket is not currently in our system, you can request to be notified by email when your record is updated. Please verify your computer privacy settings and check your spam folder for an email notification. If you do not receive a notification, you are still responsible to contact TVB and enter a plea for your ticket. If you have further questions, please call the Traffic Violations Bureau at (718) 488-5710.

Plead Guilty and Pay

You cannot plead guilty online if the conviction will result in the suspension or revocation of your driving privilege. You must appear or submit a Statement in Place of Personal Appearance to a TVB office.

If you plead guilty, you cannot change your plea.

There may be additional fees or fines associated with the ticket which you will need to pay, such as a driver responsibility assessment (DRA), which you will need to handle separately. The driver responsibility assessment is a fee you must pay to DMV over 3 years if you are convicted of certain traffic offenses in New York State or accumulate 6 or more points on your driving record within 18 months. This fee is in addition to any fines, penalties, or surcharges that you must pay for a traffic conviction. The purpose of the assessment is to prevent the repeated behavior of problem drivers and to improve traffic safety.

Plead Not Guilty and Schedule a Hearing

If you wish to plead "not guilty", you will need to schedule a hearing. If you previously pleaded "not guilty" to a traffic ticket, you can change your plea to "guilty". To avoid additional fees, you must complete this transaction before the date of the hearing.

• You can schedule a hearing online, by mail, or over the phone
• Your hearing will take place in a TVB office in the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued. You will have the option to attend the hearing in person, virtually, or to submit a Statement In Place of Personal Appearance (SIPOPA)
  • If you submit a SIPOPA the judge will hold the hearing and you will be notified of the decision by email using the address you provided
• If you fail to appear or fail to submit a Statement in Place of Personal Appearance for your hearing:
  • your driving privilege will be suspended
  • you may need to pay additional fines
  • you may be convicted by default

Online

You will need:

• Ticket Number (see a sample ticket)
• DMV ID Number

 OR

• Full Name, date of birth, and gender as it appears on the traffic ticket

If you are suspended for Failure to Answer (FTA), you cannot plead ‘not guilty’ online.
If you have received a notice of pending suspension for failure to answer this ticket, you must go into a TVB office or schedule over the phone.

Other online services: 

• Reschedule a “not guilty” hearing. You can return to the online transaction one time to select a different date and time. If you have not previously rescheduled, and there are no dates available, you must contact the TVB  to reschedule your hearing.
• Change an earlier “not guilty” plea to “guilty” for tickets that do not require your appearance
• Request the TVB to schedule or reschedule your hearing if there are no hearing dates available in the online system
• Request to be notified by email when your traffic ticket has been entered into our system 

Plead to or Pay Your TVB Ticket Online

By Mail

Enter your plea on the ticket. If you are pleading guilty, include the appropriate fee payable to 'Commissioner of Motor Vehicles'.

You will need:

• your traffic ticket
  • select ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ on the paper ticket
  • sign the back of the ticket
  • indicate any address updates
• appropriate fee (if applicable)
  • Check, money order, or credit card
• proof of an equipment violation resolution, such as a repaired headlight (if applicable)

Mail your ticket, along with any payment or proof, to the address below.

By Phone

You will need your ticket number (see a sample ticket) and personal information to answer questions so we can determine your identity and a credit card to pay appropriate fees (if applicable).

If you do not answer a traffic ticket on time, your driver license will be suspended. It is a crime to drive with a suspended license. A suspension for the failure to answer a ticket does not indicate that you are guilty of the charge. The suspension only indicates that you failed to answer the ticket. 

We will remove a suspension for failure to appear if you answer the ticket if

• you plead guilty or not guilty
• you pay the fine if you were default convicted
• you schedule a hearing, or
• the ticket is dismissed

After Receiving a Suspension Notice

If you continue to ignore the ticket after your license is suspended for failure to answer the ticket, you will automatically be convicted of the charge. This is known as a 'default conviction'. The default conviction is equivalent to a guilty finding. The DMV then suspends your driver license for your failure to pay the fine. A suspension due to a traffic ticket is an 'indefinite' suspension. An indefinite suspension means your driver license or privilege to drive is taken away until you satisfy the terms of the suspension.

You will remain suspended for failure to answer your ticket or appear at your traffic violation hearing until you

• enter into a payment plan, or
• satisfy this debt in full (pay the total fine).

Tickets Resulting in 5 or More Points

If you have 3 or more alcohol-related convictions on your entire driving record, a plea of guilty to a violation that results in 5 or more points may result in the revocation of your license under Part 132 of the Commissioner's Regulations. You may want to consult with an attorney before entering your plea.

Tickets Received While Riding a Bicycle

If you received a traffic violation in New York City while riding your bicycle or in-line skates, you must plead to the ticket in the same way as with any other TVB ticket.

Note: convictions for bicycle or in-line skate violations do not require the payment of a surcharge and they do not result in points being applied to your driving record.

The TVB Ticket Management System for Attorneys is a web application that allows attorneys to schedule hearings online for their clients who have traffic tickets that must be answered at a TVB office. Only attorneys currently licensed to practice law in New York State may have access to this system.

To get access to this service, you must complete the TVB Ticket Management for Attorneys Application for Web Access form (PDF) (AA-15) and agree to the terms of service. If approved, an account will be created, and instructions for using the service will be mailed to you.