Leon County traffic court records are the official files for every traffic ticket, infraction, and misdemeanor heard in Tallahassee and the rest of Leon County, Florida. These records store citation numbers, charge details, court dates, fine amounts, and final outcomes.
Anyone can search them online through the Leon County Clerk of Court or the statewide MyFloridaCourtAccess portal. You can also phone the clerk’s office or visit in person at the Thomasville Road location to request copies. This page explains how the records work, what they contain, and the exact steps to look them up, pay a fine, or check the current status of a case filed in 2026.
What Leon County Traffic Court Records Contain
Every traffic case filed in Leon County follows the same public records format used by all 67 Florida county clerks. The file starts the day a law enforcement officer writes a Uniform Traffic Citation and ends when the judge signs the final disposition. Between those two dates, the clerk’s office stores hearings, motions, evidence lists, fine receipts, and any school completion certificates that come in. Reviewing what each type of case looks like helps drivers know what to expect before they search.
Types of Traffic Cases Filed in Leon County
Leon County processes three main kinds of traffic cases. Civil traffic infractions cover speeding, running a stop sign, failure to yield, expired registration, and similar non-criminal moving violations. Criminal traffic cases involve reckless driving, driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, and leaving the scene of a crash. Parking tickets in Leon County are handled by local code enforcement and do not appear in the clerk’s traffic court file. Each type has a different fine range, different points on the driving record, and a different level of public visibility.
- Civil traffic infractions: handled by the traffic division, paid online or by mail.
- Criminal traffic offenses: require a court appearance before a county judge.
- DUI and reckless driving: assigned to a special court calendar with stricter rules.
- Boating and DUI on water: filed in county court as criminal traffic cases.
Who Keeps the Records
The Leon County Clerk of Court is the official record keeper for every traffic case in the county. The clerk works under the rules set by the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation and the Florida Supreme Court. Officers from the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, and Florida State University Police all send their citations to the same Tallahassee office. Each agency keeps its own arrest or stop report, but the citation itself becomes part of the clerk’s master docket the moment it is filed.
What Each Record File Shows
A single Leon County traffic file contains the citation number, the date and location of the stop, the issuing officer, the vehicle tag, the statute charged, the amount owed, the plea entered, the hearing officer or judge, and the final ruling. Records from 1990 forward are available on the clerk’s online search tool. Older paper files are stored at the courthouse and can be pulled by staff with a written request and a small per-page copy fee set under Florida Statute 28.24.
How to Search Records Online
Drivers and third parties can run a Leon County traffic court records search without an account, without a fee, and without creating a login. Three online tools give full results for the same set of county cases. Choose the one that matches the detail you need and the date range you want to check.
Online Search via the Leon County Clerk
The Leon County Clerk’s website at www.leonclerk.com hosts the official record search. To run a lookup, click on Court Records, then choose Court Case Search. Enter the last name and first name to search by person, or paste the citation or case number into the right field. Results show the case number, filing date, charges, status, and next hearing date. Each case row links to a full docket sheet that lists every event the clerk has logged since filing. Basic case headers are free. Printed copies and certified copies cost $1 per page plus a $2 certification fee.
Statewide MyFloridaCourtAccess Portal
The statewide portal at www.myflcourtaccess.com covers all 67 county clerks at once. People who need to check a citation issued in another county, or who want to search several Florida jurisdictions at the same time, save time here. The portal pulls live docket data from the Leon County clerk and displays it next to cases from Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Duval, Palm Beach, Pinellas, and Broward. You can filter by case type, by date range, and by party name. The portal also supports a Uniform Traffic Citation lookup if you scan or type the UTC number printed on the back of the ticket.
Phone, Mail, and In-Person Requests
If online tools do not work, call the clerk’s main line at 850-577-4100 during office hours. Staff can pull the same docket sheet over the phone and read the current balance, the next hearing date, and the disposition status. For mailed or in-person requests, write the citation number or full legal name on the request form, include a self-addressed stamped envelope, and mail it to the Thomasville Road office. Walk-in window service is open on weekdays for anyone who wants a printed copy on the spot.
Citation Lookup and Case Status
Most people who land on this page want to check one specific ticket. The state runs a single Uniform Traffic Citation system across Florida. Leon County uses that same system, so any ticket issued by a state or local officer in the county flows into one statewide lookup. The status field on the docket sheet is the fastest way to see where the case stands today.
Uniform Traffic Citation Records
The Uniform Traffic Citation, or UTC, is the paper ticket officers hand out. Each UTC carries a unique number printed on the back right corner. That number links the driver, the stop, the charge, and the officer to one master file in the clerk’s computer system. Entering the UTC number in the clerk search box or the MyFloridaCourtAccess portal returns the matching file in seconds. Without the UTC, you can still search by full name and date of birth, which pulls every traffic case that matches.
Case Status and Disposition
Status flags on Leon County records change as the case moves. Common flags include Pending, Open, Ready for Hearing, Adjudication Withheld, Disposed, and Closed-Paid. The Disposition line at the bottom shows the final ruling: Guilty, Not Guilty, Dismissed, Nolle Prosse, or Transferred to Another County. Drivers who elect traffic school see a Disposition of Withhold after they finish the course, which keeps the points off the record. Drivers who lose at hearing see Guilty along with the fine and court costs added in the same line.
The 30-Day Response Deadline
Florida Statute 318.14 gives every driver 30 calendar days from the date of citation to respond. Leon County enforces that window strictly. Drivers must pay, elect school, or file a written not-guilty plea with the clerk before day 30. Missing the deadline adds a late fee and sends the case to collections under Florida Statute 28.246. It also tells the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to tag the license. The response date appears on every Leon County docket sheet.
Fine Payment and Case Resolution
Fines in Leon County depend on the charge, the court costs set by the Florida Legislature, and any surcharges added under Florida Statute 318.18. Civil infractions often fall between $100 and $500. Criminal traffic cases carry higher base amounts plus mandatory court costs. Drivers have four main paths to close a case, and each one leaves a different mark on the public record.
Online Payment Through PayFLClerk
The PayFLClerk portal at www.payflclerk.com is the fastest way to close a ticket. Type the citation number, the last name, and a valid card or bank draft. The site charges a small convenience fee set by the vendor. The clerk’s office posts the payment to the docket the same business day, and the case moves to Closed-Paid status by the next morning. Drivers who pay online skip a trip to the courthouse and avoid lines at the window.
Traffic School Election
A driver who is eligible can choose a Basic Driver Improvement course instead of paying the full fine. The court withholds adjudication, so the points never reach the driving record used by auto insurance. Florida law limits the school option to five times in a driver’s lifetime and only once every 12 months. Tickets for speeds of 30 miles per hour or more over the posted limit, and tickets that come from a crash with injuries, are not eligible. Drivers must select school and pay the election fee before the 30-day deadline.
Contested Hearings and Not-Guilty Pleas
Drivers who deny the charge file a written plea with the clerk and request a hearing before a county judge. Leon County holds traffic hearings at the main courthouse on Monroe Street and at satellite courtrooms at the Thomasville Road clerk’s office. At the hearing, the citing officer presents the case first, the driver testifies next, and both sides can bring witnesses or photos. The judge announces a ruling the same day in most civil cases. A Not Guilty finding closes the case with no fine and no points. A Guilty finding adds the fine and court costs to the docket.
Late Fees, Collections, and License Suspension
A case with no response at 30 days moves to Delinquent status. After 90 days, the clerk refers the balance to a private collection firm under Florida Statute 28.246. The collection firm can add a fee of up to 40 percent of the original amount. A $200 ticket can grow past $280 once collection fees attach. At the same time, the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles bureau places a stop on the driver’s license until the balance is paid, plus a state reinstatement fee. Clearing the debt before day 90 keeps all of these extra costs off the docket.
Leon County Clerk Office Details
Anyone who needs to see a paper file, pay in cash, or ask a question in person can visit the main clerk’s office in Tallahassee. The office sits on Thomasville Road and is the only clerk location that holds original traffic case files for Leon County. Traffic hearings take place at the Leon County Courthouse on Monroe Street in downtown Tallahassee.
Office Address and Phone
The Leon County Clerk of Court main office is located at 1920 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32303. The main phone line for case inquiries and fine payments is 850-577-4100. The clerk’s official website is www.leonclerk.com. The web team posts office hours, holiday closures, and any same-day service alerts on the home page. Mailing address for written requests and payments by check is the same Thomasville Road office.
Office Hours, Holiday Schedule, and Fees
Office doors open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The clerk closes for state holidays such as New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Public terminals inside the lobby are free to use for record searches. Standard fees apply for printed copies and certified copies of any Leon County traffic court record.
| Service | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic case search online | Free | Name or citation number |
| Printed page copy | $1.00 per page | Single-sided |
| Certified copy | $2.00 plus $1.00 per page | Court seal attached |
| Payment convenience fee | Vendor set | PayFLClerk portal |
| Collection surcharge | Up to 40 percent | Added after 90 days |
Other Florida Counties for Traffic Records
Drivers who move, travel for work, or get a ticket near a county line often need records from more than one Florida jurisdiction. Each county clerk runs its own search portal, but all 67 clerks feed data into the statewide MyFloridaCourtAccess portal. The county clerks listed below handle the highest traffic volumes and share the same Uniform Traffic Citation system used in Leon County.
Tampa Bay and West Central Counties
Hillsborough County traffic court records, Pinellas County traffic court records, and Pasco County traffic court records all sit in the Tampa Bay area. Hillsborough and Pinellas each process more than 100,000 traffic citations a year. Drivers ticketed on I-275, the Sunshine Skyway, or US-19 in the Pinellas and Hillsborough sections should look those clerks up directly. Each office runs its own portal and accepts online payments through PayFLClerk.
Central and North Florida Counties
Orange County Florida traffic records cover Orlando and the tourist corridor along I-4 and the Beeline Expressway. Seminole County covers the suburbs just north of Orlando. Volusia County covers the Daytona Beach area. Duval County traffic court records serve Jacksonville and cover a large stretch of I-95 and I-10 in northeast Florida. Each county uses the same MyFloridaCourtAccess portal entry point.
South Florida Counties
Miami-Dade County traffic court records and Broward County traffic court records cover South Florida drivers and tourists. Palm Beach County traffic court records sit between those two on the Atlantic coast. These three counties carry Florida’s highest traffic volume and the largest criminal traffic caseloads. Each runs a public search tool and a payment portal under the same Florida Rules of Court that Leon County follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover the most common points drivers ask about Leon County traffic court records before they run a search or pay a fine. Each answer links to the exact tool, the right Florida statute, or the office you need. Read every answer fully so you pick the path that matches your case and your deadline. The answers reflect rules in place during 2026 and may shift if the Florida Legislature or the Florida Supreme Court changes procedure during the next session.
How Long Does a Traffic Case Stay on My Record in Leon County?
A Leon County traffic case stays on the public docket for life. The clerk’s office does not delete traffic files once they close. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles keeps the points and the adjudication on a driving record for at least five years from the date of disposition. Insurance companies pull that record when they set a new premium. After ten years, the points drop off the driving record under DHSMV rule, but the court case still shows on the clerk’s docket sheet for anyone who searches. Expungement is not available for adult traffic citations under Florida law.
Can I Search Leon County Traffic Records by Citation Number?
Yes. The Leon County Clerk’s website and the MyFloridaCourtAccess portal both accept a Uniform Traffic Citation number for a direct hit. The portal returns a single matching case, while the county site may show multiple records if the same person has more than one open or closed case. The citation number sits on the lower right of the back of the paper ticket the officer handed out. Typing that number without dashes or spaces pulls the file in one search.
What Happens If I Ignore My Leon County Traffic Ticket?
An ignored Leon County ticket moves to Delinquent after 30 days. The clerk refers the balance to a private collection firm after 90 days under Florida Statute 28.246. The collection firm tacks on a fee that can reach 40 percent of the original balance. DHSMV puts a hold on your license at the same time. To clear the hold you must pay the fine, the collection fee, a license reinstatement fee, and any court costs the clerk still has on the docket. Ignoring the case also makes a future stop much more expensive because each added citation stacks on the same hold.
Are Juvenile Traffic Records Public in Leon County?
No. Juvenile traffic records in Leon County are sealed under Florida Statute 985.04 and Florida Rule of Juvenile Procedure 8.010. The clerk’s public search hides the case for anyone who is not the minor, the parent or legal guardian, the juvenile probation officer, or a judge. Adult cases filed in the same county traffic division remain public. Anyone who is unsure whether a record is adult or juvenile can call the clerk’s office at 850-577-4100 and ask the juvenile records desk before running a search.
Can I Pay a Leon County Traffic Fine in Installments?
Yes, in some cases. Florida Statute 28.246 lets the clerk approve an installment plan when the full balance would cause a hardship. The clerk reviews each plan case by case and approves plans that cover the fine and court costs within a set window. A small setup fee and monthly interest apply. Drivers who need a plan should call the clerk’s office before the 30-day deadline so the case does not move to delinquent status. Installment plans are not available for criminal traffic cases such as DUI or reckless driving.
How Do I Get a Copy of My Own Leon County Driving Record?
A Florida driving record comes from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, not the Leon County Clerk. Visit www.flhsmv.gov and order a certified copy of the driving record for $8 plus a small vendor fee, or order an uncertified copy for $2. The driving record lists every citation, the points assigned, and the disposition reported by the clerk’s office. Pair the driving record with a Leon County docket search through the clerk to see the full case file behind each entry. A background check company or an insurance carrier uses the same two-source method to confirm a driver’s full history.