Look Up St. Johns County Traffic Court Records

How to Search St. Johns County Traffic Court Records

The official starting point is the Clerk's traffic division page, which links to online payment and provides guidance on resolving citations. For a case or docket lookup, use the Benchmark portal at the Clerk's online research hub. Traffic cases are searchable by citation number, case number, or name. Citation number is the fastest path for a single ticket lookup. Name searches should include alternate spellings and use the Include Alias option.

The image below is from the Clerk's traffic division page, which describes the options available for resolving a civil traffic infraction, including payment, traffic school, compliance proof, court appearance, and the conditional no-contest plea.

The Traffic Division page is the best starting resource for anyone who received a civil traffic citation in St. Johns County. It lays out all options from payment to contested hearing and lists contact information and email addresses for submitting compliance proof.

Citation Lookup Search Fields

The table below shows the Benchmark fields used for a St. Johns County traffic citation or case lookup. You do not need to fill every field; a citation number alone is usually enough to pull up the record.

Which Courts Handle Traffic Cases in St. Johns County

Traffic cases in St. Johns County are split between two court levels based on severity. Civil traffic infractions, which are non-criminal violations, are handled in county court. These include speeding tickets, equipment violations, cell phone citations, and most moving violations that do not rise to criminal conduct. County court is the limited-jurisdiction trial court that processes these cases in St. Johns County, with the Clerk maintaining all records.

Criminal traffic matters are handled by the circuit court or county court depending on the charge level. DUI, reckless driving, driving while license suspended with knowledge, and other traffic-related criminal charges are criminal traffic cases. Felony-level traffic offenses such as DUI manslaughter are circuit court cases. Misdemeanor traffic offenses are county court cases. All of these records appear in Benchmark under the Criminal Traffic court type, separate from Civil Traffic.

Parking violations, boating infractions, fish and wildlife citations, smoking infractions, and code enforcement matters each have their own Benchmark court type as well. Municipal ordinance and county ordinance cases may include traffic-related local violations that fall outside the standard state traffic code. All of these are searchable in Benchmark by choosing the appropriate court type filter.

Types of St. Johns County Traffic Cases on Record

Traffic records in St. Johns County span a wide range, from a basic speeding ticket paid online in minutes to a criminal case that requires multiple court appearances. The Clerk processes all of them, but the procedures, fees, and consequences differ significantly depending on the case type.

• Civil traffic infractions are non-criminal violations. Most do not require a court appearance unless the person contests the citation or a mandatory appearance is required. Payment, school election, or compliance proof resolves most of these cases.
• Mandatory court appearance infractions include citations involving accidents resulting in serious bodily injury or death, and violations involving speed more than 30 mph over the posted limit. These require in-person or Zoom arraignment.
• Criminal traffic includes DUI, reckless driving, driving while license revoked, leaving the scene of a crash, and similar conduct treated as crimes rather than infractions.
• Wireless communications device citations under Florida Statutes section 316.306 cover handheld device use in school crossing zones, school zones, and work zones. These have specific resolution options including a hands-free device proof option.
• Parking and boating citations follow separate tracks and appear in Benchmark under their own court types.

What St. Johns County Traffic Court Records Show

A traffic court record in Benchmark shows the full case file from citation issuance through final disposition. The table below lists the fields typically found in a St. Johns County traffic case record. Live sample cases were not fully accessible during research due to JavaScript-driven result pages, so verify specific field labels on the live Benchmark portal.

Note: A live Benchmark sample traffic case was not inspected during research due to JavaScript result access restrictions. The field inventory above is based on Clerk traffic division descriptions and the court type and cause-of-action field lists in the Benchmark portal. Verify field labels on the live portal before relying on this table for technical accuracy.

How to Pay or Contest a St. Johns County Traffic Ticket

The Clerk's traffic division page lists five main resolution paths for a civil traffic infraction. Payments are due within 30 days of receiving the citation. Missing that deadline triggers a $23 late payment fee, and unpaid fines are forwarded to a collection agency after 90 days from the compliance date. The collection agency can add up to 40% of the amount owed in additional fees.

1. Pay the fine. Use the Pay Here link on the Clerk's traffic page or the Benchmark portal. Confirm you are on the official Clerk payment system, not a lookalike site or a scam call. The Clerk says its office will never call or text to request payment. Official communications go to the address of record or the email provided.
2. Submit proof of compliance. If the violation involves insurance, registration, or a driver license, and the documentation was valid at the time of the stop, submit proof and pay the $10 dismissal fee. Email traffic@stjohnsclerk.com or submit in person.
3. Elect traffic school. Select this option to keep points off your license. The election adds 60 days to complete the school course. Submit the completion certificate to the Traffic Division once done. This election is limited under Florida law.
4. File a Conditional Plea of No Contest. This option, described by the Clerk as resulting in no points and no court appearance if eligible, resolves certain citations without a hearing. The $80.90 nolo contendere fee applies when insurance was obtained after the citation rather than at the time of the stop.
5. Request a court appearance. If contesting the ticket, choose this option. An arraignment is set first. If you plead not guilty at arraignment, a hearing date is set and the issuing officer and any witnesses may be subpoenaed. Zoom is allowed for requested arraignments and for mandatory 30+ mph and serious bodily injury/fatality arraignments, but not for contested hearings in the Courtroom Annex.
6. If unable to attend. File a motion to continue, or submit the correct plea form at least five business days before the scheduled court date. Forms must reach the Traffic Division before the deadline.
7. After any action. Check FLHSMV's driver-license status through the official DLCheck portal if there is any risk of suspension or a hold. The Clerk reports dispositions to FLHSMV, but the driver record may update after the court record is finalized.

Public Access Laws for St. Johns County Traffic Court Records

Traffic court records are public records under the same framework that governs all St. Johns County court files. Florida's open-records presumption comes from article I, section 24 of the Florida Constitution and chapter 119, Florida Statutes. Florida Statutes section 119.01 establishes the general policy of openness. Section 119.07 governs inspection, copying, and the fees the Clerk may charge. Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420 adds court-specific access standards.

Most civil traffic infraction records are publicly accessible through Benchmark without restriction. Some personal identifying information, such as a driver license number embedded in court documents, may be redacted under section 119.0714 and electronic-access standards. Criminal traffic records follow the same access rules as other criminal records; sealed and expunged traffic case records are not publicly visible in anonymous searches. Juvenile traffic records are confidential under Florida Statutes section 985.04 the same as juvenile criminal records.

Court Traffic Record vs State Driver Record

Many people confuse the court traffic record with the state driver record. They are two separate files, maintained by two separate agencies, and used for different purposes. Mixing them up can lead to problems, especially when checking license status or correcting an error.

A paid or dismissed citation may still require a separate check of the driver license status if a suspension was triggered before the payment cleared. Florida Statutes section 322.245 governs driver-license suspension for failure to comply with citations. The statute is shown below from the Florida Senate website.

Section 322.245 is why a late or unresolved citation can result in a license suspension separate from any points assessment. Paying the Clerk resolves the court case, but the Clerk's $60 clear driver-license fee may also be needed if a suspension hold was placed through FLHSMV.

CDL and Commercial Driver Records in St. Johns County

Commercial driver license holders face stricter consequences for traffic violations than regular license holders. Points and certain convictions that can be masked through traffic school for regular drivers may not be maskable under federal CDL rules. Florida law and federal regulations limit how commercial drivers can use traffic school and plea options to protect their driving record.

One specific CDL accommodation the Clerk notes is for wireless communications device citations under Florida Statutes section 316.306. CDL holders are eligible for the Wireless Communications Device Driving Safety Course, which is available as a resolution option for first-time violations in school crossing zones, school zones, or work zones. This course does not count as the annual or lifetime school election for regular traffic school purposes, making it a distinct option for CDL holders who want to keep their record clean without using up a standard school election.

CDL holders with questions about how a citation affects their commercial license status should contact FLHSMV directly, since the state driver record governs CDL eligibility, not just the court record. Employers and motor carriers may also access CDL records through the federal Commercial Driver's License Information System, which is separate from Florida's state court portal.

DUI and DWI Cases in St. Johns County

DUI in Florida is a criminal offense, not a civil traffic infraction. St. Johns County DUI cases are handled through the Clerk's Criminal Division and appear in Benchmark under Criminal Traffic or Criminal Felony depending on the severity. A first or second DUI is typically a misdemeanor handled in county court. A DUI resulting in serious bodily injury, a third or subsequent DUI within a specified period, or DUI manslaughter may be charged as a felony in circuit court.

DUI records carry significant licensing consequences through FLHSMV, including automatic suspension upon arrest, administrative suspension, and conviction-based revocation. These are tracked on the state driver record, not just the court case file. For a full treatment of the criminal record process, charges vs convictions, and the seal and expunge options that may apply to DUI cases, see the St. Johns County criminal records page.

Wireless Communications Device Citations

Florida Statutes section 316.306 covers handheld wireless device use in designated school crossing zones, school zones, and work zones. A violation in one of these zones is a civil traffic infraction with specific resolution options beyond standard payment.

The Clerk outlines the available options for a first-time 316.306(3)(a) violation. The violator may pay in full, dispute the citation and request a hearing, attend the Wireless Communications Device Driving Safety Course, or provide proof of hands-free device purchase and pay an $18 fee. The course or device proof option must be elected within 30 days of citation issuance, and proof of course completion must be provided to the Clerk. CDL holders can use the device course option without consuming a regular traffic school election.

The image below is from Florida Statutes section 316.306 on the Florida Senate website, the statute the Clerk cites for school zone and work zone wireless device citations.

Section 316.306 is the Florida law behind school zone and work zone handheld device citations, and it is the basis for the unique resolution options the St. Johns Clerk offers for first-time violations of that specific provision.

Deferred Adjudication and Traffic School

Florida does not use the term "deferred adjudication" in traffic cases the way some states do, but the concept of resolving a citation without a formal adjudication is available through traffic school election and the conditional no-contest plea. Electing traffic school keeps points off the driver record for the violation if the school is completed within the time allowed. The Clerk says this election adds 60 days to complete the course from the election date.

The school election is a once-per-year option under Florida law for most violations, and a lifetime limit applies for certain more serious violations. Choosing school does not dismiss the citation; it results in adjudication being withheld while the course is completed. The violation still appears on the court record in Benchmark, but points are not assessed on the driver record if the school requirement is met. CDL holders should confirm with FLHSMV whether a school election protects their CDL record, because federal rules apply separately from state traffic school eligibility.

Sealing or Expunging St. Johns County Traffic Records

Civil traffic infractions generally are not eligible for sealing or expungement under Florida law. The sealing and expungement statutes at Florida Statutes sections 943.059 and 943.0585 apply to criminal history records, not civil traffic infraction records. A paid speeding ticket or dismissed infraction stays in the public court record in Benchmark. The automatic sealing provision at section 943.0595 applies to certain dismissed criminal cases, not civil traffic cases.

Criminal traffic cases, such as DUI, reckless driving, and driving while license suspended, are criminal history records and may qualify for sealing or expunction under the same criteria as other criminal cases. Eligibility depends on the specific charge, prior record, adjudication status, and other statutory factors. The $54 Clerk filing fee applies for sealing or expunging a qualifying criminal record. For full detail on the process and eligibility criteria, see the criminal records page covering the seal and expunge workflow.

Traffic Payment Scam Warning

The St. Johns County Clerk's traffic page carries an explicit scam warning that applies to anyone paying or dealing with a traffic citation in St. Johns County. The Clerk states clearly: the St. Johns County Clerk's Office will never call or text to request payment. Official communications about traffic citations are sent to the email address provided at the time of the citation or to the official address of record.

If you receive a phone call or text claiming to be from the Clerk's Office and requesting immediate payment for a traffic ticket, treat it as fraudulent. Do not provide card numbers or personal information. Instead, call the Clerk at (904) 819-3600 to confirm the legitimacy of any communication and to report suspected fraud. Fraudulent activity should also be reported to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

Always pay traffic fines through the official Clerk payment system, accessed through the Clerk's traffic page or the Benchmark portal. The Clerk accepts credit and debit cards online with a 3.5% convenience fee. In-person payments accept cash, check, or money order made payable to the St. Johns County Clerk's Office.

Fees for St. Johns County Traffic Records

The Clerk's fee schedule lists the standard charges for traffic record copies, certified documents, and payment-related fees. Copy and certification fees for traffic records are the same as for other court records. The table below shows the fees specific to traffic matters, along with the financial consequences of late or unresolved citations.

The full fee schedule is available on the Clerk's fee schedule page. The Clerk says unpaid fines are forwarded to a collection agency 90 days after the compliance date. Once forwarded, the collection agency verifies funds before sending payment confirmation to the Clerk, so timing matters. Call (904) 819-3600 to confirm the current status and identify the collection agency if a citation has been outstanding for an extended period.

Related St. Johns County Record Resources

For DUI and criminal traffic matters, the criminal records page covers charges, dispositions, and the seal and expunge process. For the full court docket of any traffic case, the court dockets page explains how to read and use the Benchmark docket log. The court records page covers copy fees, certified documents, and the public access framework. For license status, go directly to the FLHSMV DLCheck portal rather than relying on the court record alone.