Paying or Contesting a Traffic Ticket in West Virginia
How to pay, contest or reduce a traffic ticket in West Virginia, and what happens if you ignore it.
Short answer: Magistrate court fines, fees and court costs, including traffic tickets once they are assessed, can be paid online with a credit or debit card through the West Virginia Judiciary's payment portal by entering the case number. Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, news release "Magistrate Court Fines, Fees Payable Online"; WV Judiciary, Magistrate Record Search
| Paying or looking up a ticket online | Magistrate court fines, fees and court costs, including traffic tickets once they are assessed, can be paid online with a credit or debit card through the West Virginia Judiciary's payment portal by entering the case number. Restitution cannot be paid online. If you do not have your case number, call the magistrate court clerk in your county. The free Magistrate Record Search lets you look up magistrate court cases by name or case number (documents are not online). Payment portal: https://apps.wv.gov/Courts/MFP ; record search: https://www.courtswv.gov/lower-courts/magistrate-courts/magistrate-record-search |
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| Traffic school | Completing an approved classroom Defensive Driving Course removes 3 points (deducted from the last ticket received before the class). Online courses are not accepted. The course can be used for point reduction once every 12 months and only for points already on the record. If a 30-day suspension (12-13 points) is pending and proof of completion plus the reinstatement fee are submitted before it takes effect, the suspension is rescinded; a suspension for 14 or more points is not affected. The course does not dismiss the ticket. Source: WV DMV, Point System |
| License suspension | Licenses can be suspended or revoked for accumulating too many points or citations in a short period, DUI, driving without insurance, failure to pay any type of court action, failure to give DMV current insurance information, and fraudulent checks, among other reasons. After a points suspension, the driver applies for reinstatement with a copy of the suspension notice and pays a reinstatement fee. |
Where to get help in West Virginia
More West Virginia traffic tickets & dui
- Reinstating a Driver's License in West Virginia
- DUI Laws in West Virginia
- How Driver Points Work in West Virginia
- All West Virginia traffic tickets & dui rules
FAQ
How do I pay or look up a traffic ticket online in West Virginia?
Magistrate court fines, fees and court costs, including traffic tickets once they are assessed, can be paid online with a credit or debit card through the West Virginia Judiciary's payment portal by entering the case number. Restitution cannot be paid online. If you do not have your case number, call the magistrate court clerk in your county. The free Magistrate Record Search lets you look up magistrate court cases by name or case number (documents are not online).
Can traffic school remove a ticket or points in West Virginia?
Completing an approved classroom Defensive Driving Course removes 3 points (deducted from the last ticket received before the class). Online courses are not accepted. The course can be used for point reduction once every 12 months and only for points already on the record. If a 30-day suspension (12-13 points) is pending and proof of completion plus the reinstatement fee are submitted before it takes effect, the suspension is rescinded; a suspension for 14 or more points is not affected. The course does not dismiss the ticket.
What gets your license suspended in West Virginia?
Licenses can be suspended or revoked for accumulating too many points or citations in a short period, DUI, driving without insurance, failure to pay any type of court action, failure to give DMV current insurance information, and fraudulent checks, among other reasons. After a points suspension, the driver applies for reinstatement with a copy of the suspension notice and pays a reinstatement fee.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.