What happens after a Miami police officer writes you a speeding ticket
When you receive a speeding ticket in Miami, the officer hands you a citation that lists the alleged speed, the speed limit, and the fine amount. You are not admitting guilt by accepting the ticket — you are straightforward acknowledging that you received it. The ticket will show a court date or a important date to respond, usually 30 days from the date of the citation.
At this point you have three paths: pay the fine and accept the violation, contest the ticket in traffic court, or request a traffic school course (which may allow you to avoid points on your license). The choice depends on whether you believe the ticket was issued in error, whether you can afford the fine, and whether you want to keep the violation off your driving record.
Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami handle speeding tickets through their respective traffic courts. If you were stopped by a Miami Police Department officer, your case goes to City of Miami traffic court. If you were stopped by Miami-Dade County police or the Florida Highway Patrol, your case goes to Miami-Dade County traffic court. This matters because each court has different procedures and different judges.
Key Takeaways
- You have 30 days from the ticket date to respond to a Miami speeding ticket, either by paying, requesting traffic school, or entering a not guilty plea.
- Paying the fine means accepting the violation, which adds points to your driving record and may raise your insurance rates.
- Traffic school (also called driver improvement school) can remove the points if you are under 21 or have not attended in the past 12 months, but you must request it before the important date.
- If you contest the ticket in court, the officer must appear to testify; if they do not show, the ticket is usually dismissed.
- The fine amount depends on how far over the speed limit you were allegedly traveling, and Miami courts add court costs on top of the base fine.
Understanding the fine amount and what it includes
Florida speeding fines are set by state law and depend on how many miles per hour over the limit you were going. Speeds 1 to 5 mph over the limit carry a lower fine than speeds 6 to 10 mph over, and so on. The base fine increases as the overage increases, but Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami add court costs, processing fees, and surcharges on top of the state fine.
The total amount you see on the ticket includes the base fine plus these local additions. For example, a ticket for going 10 mph over the limit might show a base fine of around $130, but with court costs and surcharges the total could reach $200 or more. The exact total depends on which court issued the ticket and current fee schedules, which change periodically.
If you pay the fine, you are paying the full amount shown on the ticket. If you contest the ticket and lose in court, you may owe the fine plus court costs for the hearing itself. If you win, you owe nothing.
How to request traffic school instead of paying the fine
Traffic school (formally called a driver improvement school course) is a four-hour online or in-person class that teaches safe driving practices. If you complete the course, the points from the speeding ticket are removed from your driving record, though the ticket itself remains on your record with the court.
You are not automatically allowed to take traffic school. Florida law limits who can use this option: you must be at least 18 years old, you cannot have attended traffic school in the past 12 months, and you cannot have had a speeding ticket dismissed through traffic school in the past five years. If you meet these requirements, you can request traffic school instead of paying the fine.
To request traffic school, contact the traffic court that issued your ticket before the response important date (usually 30 days). You can call the City of Miami traffic court at 305-603-6600 or Miami-Dade County traffic court at 305-585-6500. Tell them you want to request traffic school, and they will tell you the cost (typically $60 to $100 for the course itself, plus the original fine). You then have a set number of days to complete the course and submit proof to the court.
Traffic school is useful if you want to keep points off your record, but you still pay the fine and the course fee. The benefit is that your insurance company will not see the points, which can prevent your rates from rising.
Contesting the ticket in traffic court
If you believe the ticket was issued in error — for example, the officer clocked the wrong vehicle, the speed limit sign was obscured, or the radar gun was not calibrated correctly — you can enter a not guilty plea and request a court hearing. You do this by responding to the ticket before the important date, usually by mail or in person at the traffic court.
To contest the ticket, write a letter or complete a form stating that you plead not guilty and request a hearing. Include your ticket number, your name, and your contact information. Mail it to the address shown on the ticket or deliver it in person to the traffic court. The court will send you a hearing date, usually 4 to 8 weeks later.
At the hearing, the officer who issued the ticket must appear and testify about how they determined your speed and why they believe you were speeding. You have the right to question the officer and present your own evidence or witnesses. If the officer does not appear, the judge will almost always dismiss the ticket. If the officer appears and testifies, the judge decides whether the evidence proves you were speeding beyond a reasonable doubt.
Contesting a ticket takes time and requires you to appear in court, but it costs nothing except your time. If you win, the ticket is dismissed and you owe no fine. If you lose, you owe the fine plus any court costs the judge assesses.
How points affect your driving record and insurance
A speeding conviction in Florida adds points to your driving record. The number of points depends on how far over the speed limit you were going: 3 points for 1 to 15 mph over, 4 points for 16 to 30 mph over, and 6 points for 31 mph or more over the limit. These points stay on your record for three years.
If you accumulate 12 points in 12 months, your license is suspended. If you accumulate 18 points in 18 months or 24 points in 36 months, your license is also suspended. Most drivers never reach these thresholds, but the points do affect your insurance rates. Insurance companies check your driving record and charge higher premiums if you have recent violations.
This is why traffic school is valuable: it removes the points from your record, which prevents your insurance rates from rising. Paying the fine without traffic school means the points stay on your record and your insurer will likely increase your rates.
Where to find your ticket information and court details
Your ticket shows the court address and the response important date. If you lost the ticket, you can look up your case online through the Miami-Dade County court system or the City of Miami court system. Both courts have online case search tools on their websites.
For Miami-Dade County cases, go to the Miami-Dade County Courts website and use the traffic case search tool. Enter your name or ticket number and you will see your case information, including the court date and any important date. For City of Miami cases, contact the City of Miami traffic court directly at 305-603-6600.
If you are unsure which court has your case, call both numbers. The staff can tell you when ready whether your ticket is in their system and what your options are. Having your ticket number or the date you were stopped will speed up the search.
What to expect if you miss the response important date
If you do not respond to the ticket by the important date shown on the citation, the court will issue a failure to appear notice. This is a separate violation that can result in a suspended license, additional fines, and a warrant for your arrest. If you are pulled over for any reason after your license is suspended, you can be arrested.
If you missed the important date, contact the traffic court when ready and explain why. Courts sometimes allow late responses if you have a valid reason (illness, moving and not receiving the notice, etc.). Call the court and ask whether they will accept a late response. If they will, submit your response as soon as possible.
Do not ignore a speeding ticket. Even if you cannot pay the fine right away, responding to the ticket and requesting a payment plan or traffic school keeps you in compliance with the court and prevents your license from being suspended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay my Miami speeding ticket online?
Yes. Both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County allow online payment through their court websites. You will need your ticket number and the case number shown on your citation. You can also pay by mail or in person at the traffic court.
What if the officer did not show up to write the ticket correctly?
If the officer made errors on the ticket (wrong date, wrong speed, wrong location), you can point these out at your hearing. However, minor errors usually do not result in dismissal unless they are so serious that they prevent you from knowing what you are accused of. The judge decides whether the error is significant enough to dismiss the case.
Do I need a lawyer for a speeding ticket in Miami?
You do not need a lawyer, but you can hire one if you want. Many people contest tickets on their own. A lawyer can be useful if the ticket involves high speeds, if you have prior violations, or if you believe there are serious errors in how the ticket was issued.
How long does a speeding ticket stay on my record in Florida?
The points from a speeding ticket stay on your driving record for three years. The ticket itself remains on your record longer, but the points — which affect your insurance rates and license suspension risk — expire after three years.
Can I get a speeding ticket dismissed if I take a defensive driving course?
No. A defensive driving course is different from traffic school. Traffic school (driver improvement school) can remove points if you meet the requirements. A defensive driving course does not remove points or dismiss the ticket, though some insurance companies offer discounts if you complete one.