How to pay a North Dakota traffic ticket online

What are the steps?

From the North Dakota Court System's payment guide:

1. Go to publicsearch.ndcourts.gov.
2. Select State of North Dakota under Case Records, then click Criminal/Traffic.
3. Enter the defendant's last and first name and click Search. Or choose Citation and enter the citation number.
4. Click the blue case number for the ticket you want to pay.
5. Click Make Payment, in the upper or lower right corner.
6. On the checkout page, confirm the amount and click Checkout.
7. Enter the cardholder information and process the payment.
8. Print the receipt.

My citation number isn't working. Why?

It may need leading zeros. The court system says the number "may need to be padded with extra zeros to reach the required length of 10 digits," for example 0000987654.

My ticket isn't there. What now?

Wait. The courts ask you to allow 4 days from the date of the citation for processing. If it still doesn't appear, call the clerk of court in the city or county where the ticket was issued.

There's no Make Payment button. Why?

The case may not be eligible for online payment. Criminal traffic offenses, for example, require a court appearance. Contact the clerk.

Which cards are accepted?

Visa, Mastercard and Discover. American Express is not accepted.

Do city tickets work the same way?

Several city courts use the same site. Bismarck's court tells drivers to choose a location under Payment and pick Bismarck in the municipal section. Fargo's court also sends drivers to the state's public search site. Williston and West Fargo have their own payment links.

How long do I have?

If you post bond by mail for a state-law ticket, 14 days from the date of the citation. City courts give the same 14 days.

What should I do before I pay?

Decide about points. Paying admits the violation. If the ticket is worth 1 to 5 points and you want them kept off, you have to tell the court you elect a driver training course at the time you post bond. Call the clerk first and ask how to record that. Should you just pay?