North Dakota traffic ticket: what to do next

By Road Ready Safety · Last reviewed October 5, 2026 by Road Ready Safety, against the Century Code and NDDOT's pages

Short answer

You have 14 days from the date on the citation. Paying admits the violation and the points go on your record. Asking for a hearing makes the state prove it. For a ticket worth 5 points or fewer, you can elect a driver training course in writing when you post bond, which keeps the points off. Don't pay online if you want the course.

Deadline: 14 days from the citation
Course in lieu of points: Tickets worth 5 points or fewer, once in 12 months
Certificate due: 30 days after you tell the clerk
Suspension: 12 points (6 if under 18: license canceled)
NDDOT driver records: 701-328-2604

What are my choices?

Three, and you have 14 days from the date on the citation to pick one.

Pay the fee or post bond. That admits the violation. The court reports it to NDDOT and NDDOT enters the points.
Ask for a hearing. Sign the request on the citation and post a bond equal to the fee. The prosecution has to prove the violation. How the hearing works.
Elect a driver training course in lieu of points. You post the bond and tell the clerk, in writing, at the same time. The violation is admitted, but the points aren't entered if you finish the course on time.

Should I pay my ticket? helps you choose.

How does the course election work?

NDCC 39-06.1-10.1 sets the rules:

the ticket has to be worth 5 points or fewer
you can't have elected in the 12 months before the date on this ticket
the offense can't be one listed in 39-06.1-05 (reckless driving, DUI, leaving the scene, driving under suspension and a few others)
you notify the court "at the time of posting the bond," and the bond is forfeited anyway
NDDOT has to receive proof of completion within 30 days after you notify the court
electing "forfeits any point reduction option under section 39-06.1-13," which is the 3-point reduction

The court's self-help guide adds the practical part. Mail your written notice in the same envelope as the citation, or hand it to the clerk when you pay in person. And: "The Clerk of Court and the instructor of the course aren't responsible for submitting your certificate to the NDDOT. This Is Your Responsibility!" (ND Legal Self Help Center). You email it to drs@nd.gov.

More: electing the course at court, the 30-day deadline, and which tickets qualify.

Which court has my ticket?

The one named on the citation. A city police officer writing under a city ordinance sends it to that city's municipal court. A Highway Patrol trooper or a county deputy sends it to the district court for the county.

Most courts take payment through the state courts' site at ndcourts.gov/public-access. You search "State of North Dakota" or the city, by name or citation number. Visa, MasterCard and Discover only, no American Express, and the courts say to allow 4 days from the citation before it shows up (pay fines instructions). Minot's municipal court lists no online option; it takes payment in person, by mail, by drop box or by phone at 701-857-4759.

The same payment page opens with: "STOP! DO NOT MAKE A PAYMENT if you are requesting a hearing for a traffic case" or have questions about taking a defensive driving course. If you want either, don't pay there. How to pay online.

City guides, with each court's address, phone and hours:

How many points will it put on my record?

It depends on the violation. These are from NDCC 39-06.1-10, and NDDOT publishes the same values.

Violation	Points
Child not in a restraint or seat belt	1
Failing to dim headlights	1
Failing to yield	2
Stop sign or red light	2
Failing to use the care required	2
Exhibition driving	3
Failing to stop at a railroad crossing	3
Careless driving	6
Passing a stopped school bus	6
No liability insurance, first	6
Reckless driving	8
Racing	10
Leaving the scene, property damage	14
Fleeing a peace officer	24

Speeding runs from 0 to 15. The bands are on the speeding ticket page. Everything else is in points by violation.

Some tickets carry no points at all: speeding up to 10 over where the limit is 65 or less (up to 5 over where it's higher), driving without a license, overtime parking under a city ordinance, a seat belt ticket, and texting. NDDOT's page says it plainly: "For violations not listed, no points are assigned." Pay those. A course does nothing for them.

When do points cost me my license?

At 12 points NDDOT suspends you for 7 days, and 7 more for each point over 12 (NDCC 39-06.1-10(2)). License suspended for points has the table.

Under 18, the line is lower. NDCC 39-06-01.1 has the director cancel the license at a total "in excess of five points" for acts committed as a minor, and after cancellation you're treated as never having held a license (NDCC 39-06-01.1). Points for drivers under 18.

Points come off by 1 every three months without new points, and by 3 when you send NDDOT a certificate from an approved course, once in 12 months (NDCC 39-06.1-13). Ours is 4 hours online for $24.99 on the course page.

What if I ignore it?

It doesn't go away. The court's hearing guide says failing to appear at a hearing without just cause "is considered an admission of the charged traffic violation" (ND Legal Self Help Center), so the points post anyway. NDDOT can also suspend your license for failing to appear or post bond, and lists a $50 reinstatement fee for that suspension (NDDOT driver record services). Call the court on your citation before the 14 days are up.

Last reviewed October 5, 2026 against NDCC chapter 39-06.1 and NDDOT's points reduction page.

The detailed guides

Defensive driving course in Fargo, ND: classroom, online, and how to elect it at court Take an NDDOT-approved course online or at NDSC Fargo. To keep a Fargo ticket's points off, give the clerk written notice when you post bond.
Defensive driving course in Bismarck, ND: classroom, online, and how to elect it at court The Bismarck judge can't reduce points. You can: elect an NDDOT-approved course in writing when you post bond at 514 E. Thayer, then finish in 30 days.
Defensive driving course in Minot, ND: classroom, online, and how to elect it at court Minot has no online ticket payment. Elect an NDDOT-approved course in writing with your bond by mail or in person, then finish within 30 days.
North Dakota's 30-day deadline for a course in lieu of points If you elect a course in lieu of points in North Dakota, NDDOT needs your certificate within 30 days. When the clock starts and how to beat it.
Which North Dakota tickets qualify for a course in lieu of points? In North Dakota, a violation worth 5 points or fewer can be kept off your record with a course. Which tickets qualify, and the three exclusions.
Should you just pay your North Dakota traffic ticket? Paying a North Dakota ticket admits the violation, and the points follow. What to tell the court when you post bond if you want them kept off.
Driving without insurance in North Dakota: points and fees A North Dakota no-insurance ticket is 6 points and $150. A second one within 18 months is 12 points, which suspends your license on its own.
Careless driving in North Dakota: points, fee and what to do Careless driving is 6 points in North Dakota. The statute sets a $100 fee while the fee schedule still lists $30. What the ticket means for you.
Reckless driving in North Dakota: a crime, and 8 points Reckless driving is a class B misdemeanor and 8 points in North Dakota. With an injury it is a class A misdemeanor and 12 points. What follows.
Stop sign and red light tickets in North Dakota: points and fees A stop sign ticket in North Dakota is 2 points and $40. A red light ticket is 2 points and $20, or $50 if a pedestrian was involved.
Passing a school bus in North Dakota: 6 points and $250 Passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing is 6 points and a $250 fee in North Dakota. The rule, the one exception, and what's next.
Texting while driving in North Dakota: $100 and no points Texting while driving is a $100 fee in North Dakota and carries no points. What the law bans, what it allows, and the stricter rule for teens.
Seat belt tickets in North Dakota: $20 and no points A North Dakota seat belt ticket is $20 with no points, and the driver is responsible for every occupant. A child restraint ticket is $25 and 1 point.
North Dakota's move over law: fee, points and what it requires North Dakota drivers must move over or slow down for stopped emergency and highway maintenance vehicles. The ticket is $50 and 2 points.
How to pay a North Dakota traffic ticket online Pay a North Dakota traffic ticket on the court system's public search site with Visa, Mastercard or Discover. The steps, and what to check first.
How to contest a North Dakota traffic ticket To contest a North Dakota ticket, request a hearing and post a bond equal to the fee within 14 days. What happens at the hearing and on appeal.
Fargo traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the Fargo Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
Bismarck traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the Bismarck Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
Grand Forks traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the Grand Forks Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
Minot traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the Minot Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
West Fargo traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the West Fargo Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
Mandan traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the Mandan Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
Williston traffic ticket: how to pay it, and how to keep the points off How to pay or contest a traffic ticket at the Williston Municipal Court, the 14-day deadline, and how a course keeps the points off your record.
In lieu of points: how to elect a course at a North Dakota court Tell the court you elect a driver training course when you post bond, and a ticket worth 5 points or fewer never adds points. The steps.

Quick answers

Is a North Dakota traffic ticket a criminal charge?

Most aren't. NDCC 39-06.1-10 splits the point schedule into noncriminal and criminal violations, and speeding, stop signs and failing to yield are noncriminal. Reckless driving, leaving the scene and fleeing an officer are on the criminal list.

Do I have to go to court for a traffic ticket in North Dakota?

Not for a noncriminal ticket, unless you ask for a hearing. You can pay or post bond by mail or at the clerk's window within 14 days. The offenses listed in NDCC 39-06.1-05, such as reckless driving and driving under suspension, can't be handled that way.

Which court handles a Highway Patrol ticket in North Dakota?

The district court for the county where you were stopped. City police tickets written under a city ordinance go to that city's municipal court. The court is named on your citation.

Does a city ticket count toward my state points?

Yes. The point schedule covers each violation "or equivalent ordinance," and NDDOT enters the points, not the city. The Bismarck court says it "has no authority regarding drivers' licenses or points."

How many tickets does it take to lose your license in North Dakota?

It's points, not tickets. Two 6-point tickets, such as careless driving and no insurance, reach 12 and a 7-day suspension. Six 2-point tickets do the same, unless time or a course takes points off in between.

Sources

We read each source on October 5, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. NDDOT applies any point reduction, and your court handles an election in lieu of points. See a mistake? Email info@roadreadysafety.com.

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