Should you just pay your North Dakota traffic ticket?

What happens when I pay a North Dakota ticket?

You admit the violation. Most traffic tickets in North Dakota are noncriminal, and NDCC 39-06.1-02 gives you three ways to handle one:

1. Pay the statutory fee at or before the time set for your hearing.
2. Post bond and forfeit it by not appearing.
3. Ask for a hearing.

With the first two, the violation is admitted. The court certifies the admission to NDDOT within 10 days, and NDDOT enters the points.

How long do I have?

If you post bond by mail for a state-law ticket, it has to be submitted within 14 days of the date of the citation. You mark on the citation whether you want a hearing. If you don't ask for one within the 14 days, the bond is forfeited and the violation admitted.

How do I keep the points off?

Tell the court you elect a driver training course in lieu of points, and do it when you post bond. The law says the person "must so notify the court at the time of posting the bond." The violation has to be worth 5 points or fewer.

Then finish an approved course and get the certificate to NDDOT within 30 days. How to elect it at court.

Does electing the course lower what I pay?

No. The bond "is forfeited even though an election is made." You pay the ticket and the course.

What happens at a hearing?

You can make a statement explaining what happened. The official can waive, reduce or suspend the fee or bond. If you follow that procedure, the law still treats you as having admitted the violation.

When is it fine to just pay?

• The ticket has no points. Ten over in a 55 zone is 0 points and $30.
• The ticket is worth 1 point and your record is clean. It clears in three months.
• You've already used your election in the last 12 months.
• The ticket is worth 6 points or more, so the election isn't available. Pay it, then use the 3-point reduction.

What if I ignore the ticket?

You're deemed to have admitted the violation, and the court reports it. Failing to appear without paying the fee or posting bond is a class B misdemeanor. NDDOT lists a $50 reinstatement fee for a suspension for failing to appear or post bond.

I already paid. Now what?

The points will post. Take a defensive driving course and send NDDOT the certificate for a 3-point reduction. There's no deadline on that one. How the course works.