Civil Traffic Cases

When you receive a citation that only contains civil traffic offenses, you are afforded different options to resolve the charges. From the date you receive your violation, it can take up to 7-10 working days for the citation to be entered into our system. After it is in the system, you can choose one of the options below or you may appear on or before the date and time shown on your civil traffic complaint to resolve your case. If you failed to take any action on your civil traffic citation on or before your scheduled court date, the court enters a Default Judgment against you. The fine is assessed as well as a $30 Time Payment Fee, and a $50 Default Fee. The case may also be referred to the Fines and Restitution Enforcement (FARE) program in which collections agency fees would apply.

Pay the Citation (Enter a Plea of Responsible)

Once you have made a plea or have been found guilty or responsible of a violation, you have an obligation to pay your fines and fees on the date of sentencing. When you plead "Responsible" in civil matters charged against you, all fines and fees are expected to be paid in full. You can refer to the Fine and Deposit Schedule for details on what the amount will be. If the sanction amount is not listed, please call the court. A payment can be made in the following ways...

Online or at a cash payment location: visit azcourtpay.com
Mail: complete the "Payment by Mail" section of the Civil Traffic Options form and attach a check, money order, cashier's check, or provide your credit card information where indicated.
Phone: call (928) 213-3000 with credit card information.
In-person: visit the Customer Service counter at Flagstaff Municipal Court.

If you are financially unable to meet your court ordered obligation on the day of sentencing, you may be placed on a payment contract. You can apply for the payment contract by completing an application and filing it with the Court by mail, email, or in-person. There may be additional fees added to the total amount owed on the payment contract.

Request a Hearing (Enter a Plea of Not Responsible)

If you believe you are not responsible for any of the cited violations and you wish to contest your citation before a City Magistrate, you may request the Court to set a date for a civil traffic hearing. The request can be made in person, by mail, or email by completing the "Request a Hearing" section of the Civil Traffic Options form and attaching a copy of your citation. The Court must receive notice prior to your appearance date. If your address is different than what is listed on the citation, please include a current address where notice of your hearing date can be sent. You should receive notice of your hearing date within 10 days. If you do not, contact the Court immediately.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the defendant's responsibility to follow up with the Court to ensure that the payment or correspondence was received by the Court and that all charges have been resolved on or before the arraignment date.

Attend Defensive Driving School (DDS)

if you are eligible, you may also attend defensive driving class. Please refer to our DDS information page for terms and conditions. You must contact the Court on or before your appearance date to inform them of your intentions and to receive an extension to allow time to complete DDS.

Request a Court Date Extension

If you are unable to resolve your case on or before the court date given to you by the officer, you may request a continuance by completing a motion to continue or appearing at the Flagstaff Municipal Court.

A motion to continue can be filed in person, by mail, fax or email, and the Court must receive the completed motion prior to the court date.

Please Note: It is the defendant's responsibility to follow up with the Court to ensure that the payment or correspondence sent via mail was received by the Court and that all charges have been resolved on or before the arraignment date.

Process to Reduce or Suspend Fines

For some civil traffic charges, the charge may be dismissed or the fines may be reduced or suspended when proof is filed and accepted by the Court. See the categories below for more information. You will need to send the proof to the Court via mail or as an email attachment, or you can bring the proof in person during business hours.

Please include your case or complaint number and a current address with your correspondence. When submitting proof, please send a copy and not your original. The Court does not mail back the proof after it is received.

Once the Court receives the proof, it may take 4-5 working days for the Court to process and mail a decision back to you. You will be mailed a Court Balance Due Date with a 30-day deadline for paying the fine assessed. The Court Balance Due Date comes with a $30 Time Payment Fee that will be added to your case balance. To avoid paying the Time Payment Fee, you may post the fine amount as bond when you mail in your proof. You can post the bond by mailing the Court a check for the fine amount. Once a fine is assessed, the bond will be posted to your case and any remaining balance will be refunded to you within 2 weeks. If no fine is assessed and you have posted a bond, the full bond will be refunded back to you within 2 weeks.

If the Court decides to suspend or reduce the fine, and you have posted a bond, the bond will be posted to your case and any remaining balance will be refunded to you within 2 weeks.

If the Court decides to dismiss the charge, and you have posted a bond, the bond will be refunded to you in full within 2 weeks.

Insurance Violations

Some insurance charges may be dismissed by providing valid proof of an insurance policy to the court. The policy must cover the vehicle in question on the date and time of the alleged violation.

Refer to A.R.S. 28-4135 for additional information.

Registration Violations

If this charge is for no vehicle registration, the fine can be reduced if you provide a valid copy of the vehicle registration.

Refer to A.R.S. 28-2532 for additional information.

Driver License Violations

If the charge is for failure to provide or carry a valid driver license, the fine can be suspended by providing a valid driver license.

Refer to A.R.S. 28-3169 for additional information.

Equipment Violations

If the charge is for equipment or mechanical violation, proof of correction may suspend the fine if receipt of repair or purchase are provided to the court.