Dixie County Traffic Court Records are public files kept by the Clerk of Court in Cross City, Florida. Anyone can look up a traffic case from this small Gulf Coast county using the citation number, the driver name, or the case number.
The records show the violation, the fine amount, the court date, and the final outcome. This page explains exactly where the records live, how to search them online or in person, what your options are after getting a ticket, and what fines you might owe.
Where Dixie County Traffic Court Records Are Kept
Every traffic ticket issued in Dixie County gets filed with one office. The county has no big city police force, so almost all citations come from the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office or the Florida Highway Patrol. All of those tickets land at the same desk in Cross City.
The Dixie County Clerk of Court
The Dixie County Clerk of Court is the only office that handles traffic records in this county. The clerk runs the courthouse, files every citation, collects payments, schedules hearings, and issues certified copies of case files. The office sits in Cross City at 214 NE 210th Avenue. Mail goes to PO Box 1206, Cross City, FL 32628. The phone number is 352-498-1200. The website is www.dixieclerk.com.
What Records the Clerk Maintains
The clerk holds a copy of every traffic ticket written in the county. Each case file has the citation number, the driver name, the violation code, the date and location of the stop, the officer’s name, the fine amount, and the final disposition. Court hearing dates, motions, plea entries, and judgment orders are also filed in the same packet. Payment receipts and traffic school completion records get attached when the case closes.
Third Judicial Circuit Coverage
Dixie County sits inside the Third Judicial Circuit of Florida. The circuit covers Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, and Taylor Counties. The chief judge and circuit court administration work out of Lake City, but each county runs its own clerk office. Dixie County traffic cases stay in the county where the ticket was issued. They do not transfer to another county.
How to Search Dixie County Traffic Court Records
You have three ways to pull up a Dixie County traffic case. You can search online with PayFLClerk, you can call the clerk’s office, or you can visit the courthouse in person. Each method works for different needs.
Searching by Citation Number on PayFLClerk
PayFLClerk is the official statewide portal that accepts traffic ticket payments. The site is payflclerk.com. It covers all 67 Florida counties, including Dixie. Enter your citation number on the search page. The system will pull up the case, show the balance owed, and let you pay by card or e-check. There is a small convenience fee for card payments. The site also shows the court date if one is set.
Searching by Name Through the Clerk
If you do not have the citation number, call the clerk at 352-498-1200. Staff can search by your full legal name and date of birth. They will tell you the violation, the fine, and any scheduled court dates. The call is free. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.
Searching by Case Number
If your case already has a court number, you can request a records search by that number. A case number starts with a county prefix and a sequence. For Dixie County, the prefix is often CCDX or similar. The clerk can match the number to the file and pull the docket sheet for you.
In-Person Records Requests
You can visit the courthouse at 214 NE 210th Avenue, Cross City, FL 32628. Bring a photo ID. The clerk window can run a name search, print case summaries, and hand you certified copies for a small per-page fee. In-person visits work best if you need a stamped copy for insurance, immigration, or job screening purposes.
| Search Method | What You Need | Cost | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayFLClerk | Citation number | Card fee may apply | Instant |
| Phone Call | Full name and date of birth | Free | Same day |
| In Person | Photo ID | Per-page copy fee | Same day |
Your Three Options After a Dixie County Citation
Florida law gives every driver three choices after a traffic ticket. You have 30 days from the citation date to decide. Your choice affects your driving record, your insurance, and your wallet.
Paying the Fine
Paying the fine means you plead guilty. The clerk posts the conviction to your Florida driving record. Points go on your license based on the violation. A speeding ticket usually adds 3 to 4 points. Careless driving adds 4 points. Running a red light adds 3 points. Insurance companies check these points and may raise your rates for three to five years. Twelve points in 12 months triggers a license suspension.
Choosing Traffic School
Florida Statute 318.18 lets you pay the fine and complete a driver improvement course to keep points off your record. You must elect this option before paying the fine. The clerk charges a reduced fee, and you finish an approved course within 90 days. No points show up on your license if you pass. You can use this option five times in your lifetime and not more than once every 12 months. Commercial driver license holders cannot use this option.
Fighting the Ticket in Court
Pleading not guilty sets a court date. The clerk schedules your hearing at the Dixie County Courthouse in Cross City. A county court judge hears the case. The state has the burden of proof under Chapter 316 of the Florida Statutes. The citing officer must show up and testify. You can bring evidence, photos, or witnesses. If you win, the case is dismissed and you pay nothing. If you lose, you owe the full fine plus court costs, and the points go on your record.
Dixie County Traffic Fines and Costs
Florida traffic fines follow a statewide schedule set by law. The base amount depends on the violation. Court costs and surcharges get added on top.
Standard Fine Amounts
A basic moving violation in Dixie County usually totals between $130 and $300 once court costs are added. Speeding tickets start at about $155 for 1 to 5 mph over the limit. Going 16 to 20 mph over adds more. Running a stop sign or a red light falls in the $200-plus range. A careless driving ticket can climb above $300.
Late Fees and Collection Costs
If you miss the 30-day response window, the clerk marks the ticket as delinquent. Late fees get added. Once a ticket sits unpaid for more than 90 days, Florida Statute 28.246 lets the clerk turn the debt over to a collection agency. The collection agency can add up to 40 percent on top of the original amount. A $150 ticket can grow to about $210. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office may also suspend your license over the unpaid citation.
Court Costs and Surcharges
Every Florida traffic case picks up a stack of mandatory fees. These include court costs, a $50 court cost for criminal cases, a $50 additional court cost, and various surcharges. A traffic school election reduces some of these fees but does not erase them. Always check the total before paying.
Public Access and Florida Statute 119
Florida’s public records law opens most government files to the public. Traffic court records fall under this law.
What Records Are Public
The driver name, violation type, citation date, court date, fine amount, plea, and case outcome are all public. The clerk must release these records to anyone who asks. You do not need to be the driver. Employers, insurance companies, landlords, and the general public can request the file.
What Records Stay Private
Social security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit card data are redacted before release. Records involving minors are sealed. Personal phone numbers and home addresses may be removed from public copies for safety reasons. Anything marked confidential by a judge order stays private.
Expunged and Sealed Records
If a Dixie County traffic case gets sealed or expunged by a court order, it disappears from public search results. The clerk hides the file from online portals and in-person searches. Only a judge’s order can lift the seal. Most minor traffic infractions do not qualify for sealing, but criminal traffic charges sometimes do.
Cities and Areas Covered in Dixie County
Dixie County covers about 705 square miles along the Gulf Coast. The county has a small population of roughly 17,000 people. Only a few towns sit inside the county borders.
Cross City
Cross City is the county seat. The courthouse, the clerk’s office, and the sheriff’s office all sit in town. US 19 and US 98 run through Cross City, and most tickets in the county get written along these two highways. Speeding is the most common violation in the Cross City area.
Old Town and Horseshoe Beach
Old Town sits just north of Cross City along US 19. Horseshoe Beach is a small coastal community on the Gulf. Tickets in these areas are still filed at the Dixie County Courthouse in Cross City. There is no separate clerk office for either town.
Major Roads Where Tickets Are Issued
US 19 runs north-south through the entire county. US 98 runs east-west along the Gulf. State Road 349 connects Old Town to the coast. County Road 351 runs through the Suwannee area. Most Dixie County traffic tickets come from stops on these roads.
Nearby Counties for Border Tickets
Dixie County borders five other Florida counties. A ticket near a county line can cause confusion about which office handles it.
How to Confirm the Right County
The county listed at the top of your citation is the one that handles your case. The officer writes the county name on the ticket. If the line is hard to read, check the court code. Dixie County tickets show “Dixie” or the county seal. You can also call the clerk at 352-498-1200 to confirm.
Adjacent County Resources
To the north sits Gilchrist County. To the east is Lafayette County. To the southeast is Taylor County. To the southwest is Levy County. To the northeast is Alachua County. If you received a ticket in one of these counties, you must contact that county’s clerk. Dixie County cannot pull records for another county.
- Alachua County Clerk of Court handles Gainesville area tickets.
- Gilchrist County Clerk handles Bell and Trenton tickets.
- Lafayette County Clerk handles Mayo tickets.
- Levy County Clerk handles Bronson and Cedar Key tickets.
- Taylor County Clerk handles Perry tickets.
Contact Information and Office Location
The Dixie County Clerk of Court is the only place to handle traffic records in the county. Below is the full contact list.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Office Name | Dixie County Clerk of Court |
| Physical Address | 214 NE 210th Avenue, Cross City, FL 32628 |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 1206, Cross City, FL 32628 |
| Phone Number | 352-498-1200 |
| Website | www.dixieclerk.com |
| Office Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern |
| Online Payments | payflclerk.com |
| State Traffic Site | flhsmv.gov/traffic-citations |
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover the most common concerns from drivers with a Dixie County traffic ticket. Each answer gives a direct, practical response based on Florida law and current clerk procedures. If your situation is unusual, call the clerk’s office at 352-498-1200 for personal help.
Can I look up a Dixie County traffic ticket for free?
Yes. You can call the Dixie County Clerk at 352-498-1200 and ask for a case lookup by name. The call is free and takes a few minutes. The clerk can tell you the citation number, the violation, the fine, and the next court date. There is no charge for the basic lookup. You only pay if you need a printed or certified copy of the case file. PayFLClerk also lets you search without paying, but a small card fee gets added if you choose to pay online.
How long does a Dixie County traffic case stay on my record?
A traffic conviction stays on your Florida driving record for at least 75 years. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office keeps a permanent log. Insurance companies typically review the last three to five years when setting rates. The clerk’s case file gets stored for many years too. Some older non-criminal case files get purged after a set retention period, but the driving record entry never goes away.
What happens if I ignore a Dixie County traffic ticket?
Ignoring a traffic ticket in Dixie County leads to several problems. After 30 days, the clerk marks the ticket as delinquent and tacks on late fees. After 90 days, the debt goes to a collection agency under Florida Statute 28.246, and the agency adds up to 40 percent. The state can also suspend your driver’s license over the unpaid citation. A suspended license creates new charges if you keep driving. The clerk will not lift the suspension until the full balance is paid.
Can I pay a Dixie County traffic ticket online?
Yes. Go to payflclerk.com and enter your citation number. The portal accepts major credit cards and e-checks. A small convenience fee gets added for card payments. E-checks have a lower fee. The site is run by the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation, which serves all 67 counties. You will get a confirmation number once the payment posts. Save that number for your records.
Do I have to go to court for a Dixie County speeding ticket?
Not always. If you plan to pay the fine or elect traffic school, you handle everything online or by mail. You only need to appear in court if you plead not guilty. A hearing date gets set, and the judge listens to both sides. Missing a court date when you pleaded not guilty can lead to a failure to appear charge, which adds more fines and possibly a license suspension.
Can someone else pay my Dixie County traffic ticket for me?
Yes. Anyone can pay your fine on your behalf. The clerk does not check ID for payments by mail or online. A friend, family member, or attorney can submit the payment using your citation number. If you elect traffic school, however, you must complete the course yourself because the school verifies your identity before issuing the completion certificate.
Will a Dixie County traffic ticket affect my insurance?
Yes. A conviction typically raises your auto insurance premiums for three to five years. The exact increase depends on your insurer and the violation. Speeding tickets and careless driving convictions cause the biggest jumps. A traffic school election prevents the points from appearing on your license, and most insurers will not raise your rate for a non-point violation, but some still do. Check with your insurance agent before making a decision.