Paying or Contesting a Traffic Ticket in Alaska

For an 'Optional Court Appearance' ticket, within 30 days either plead no contest and pay the fine and surcharge, or plead not guilty to request a trial. For a 'Correctable' ticket, contact the citing agency within 30 days; a court clerk can dismiss a no-proof-of-insurance or no-license citation if you show the insurance or license was valid at the time of the stop. For a 'Mandatory Court Appearance' ticket, appear on the listed date or file a not-guilty plea before it. If you do not respond within 30 days, the court sends a warning giving 15 more days, then enters a default judgment; collection can include taking your Permanent Fund Dividend.

Pay or look up a ticket online through the Alaska Court System's records site (records.courts.alaska.gov). For an Optional Court Appearance citation, within 30 days enter a No Contest plea and pay the fine and surcharge, or plead not guilty; Mandatory Court Appearance citations require appearing on the listed date. If you do not respond within 30 days you get a warning notice with 15 more days, then the court can enter a default judgment including $70 in court and collection costs; $35 per case in collection costs applies if the fine is not paid by the date the court ordered. Request more time with form TR-218 before the due date.

Any driver may take a DMV-approved defensive driving course once every 12 months; after completion, the DMV deducts 2 points. The course reduces points but does not dismiss the ticket. The DMV advises paying the ticket before taking the course (unless contesting it in court), or the point credit may not apply. A driver may ask the judge to subtract the course cost from the fine (form TR-405); the judge decides.

The DMV must suspend for points accumulation, for operating or owning an uninsured vehicle involved in a crash, and for driving in violation of license restrictions. Revocation is required for convictions including DUI, chemical-test refusal, driving while suspended or revoked, reckless driving, leaving an injury crash, and eluding police. A suspension continues past its end date until the driver reinstates, pays a reinstatement fee, and files proof of future financial responsibility (usually an SR-22).