Points Or More = Driver Responsibility Assessment Fine
The DMVs Driver Responsibility Assessment applies to all drivers that are convicted of a traffic violation in the State of New York, even out of state drivers. The program is intended to deter repeat offenses within the state and to encourage traffic safety. If you receive 6 or more points on your New York State driving record within an 18 month period then the annual assessment is $100 for three years. Drivers that receive more than six points on their record within an 18 month period are fined an additional $25 per point per year . The DMV will suspend your license if you fail to pay your DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment.
Even if you live out of state or in Canada, if you plead guilty New York may notify your home state and points can be added to your driving record.
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Are Speeding Tickets Misdemeanors In New York
Minor offenses such as tailgating, and passing a red light or stop sign will result in fines and points on your record but rarely result in jail time. Misdemeanor traffic offenses can result in fines and even jail time, but more importantly, can leave you with a permanent criminal record.
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Applicable Traffic Ticket Fees
Unlike the rest of the state, there are relatively few additional fees that New York City traffic tickets can impose. For example, Nassau County Traffic Court has a list of 13 potential fees. New York City only has only a few common fees. However, the Driver Responsibility Assessment fee contains several different sub categories.
You may also be required to pay fees to other organizations than the TVB. That could include attorney’s fees and court costs as well as all of the fines and surcharges associated with the ticket. Examples include: paying fees to obtain information regarding your case, request motions, file claims, and a long list of other court costs.
Without a qualified attorney to represent you, many of those costs will simply be lost. Very few court costs are refundable. Even those that are refundable require extensive work to contact and discuss the case with the court.
The list below is non-exhaustive and is subject to change. Be sure to ask your attorney if there are any other applicable fees for your specific case.
Title | ||
---|---|---|
Applicable if you refuse to submit to a chemical test. | ||
Suspension Lift Fee | $50 or 100 | Applicable if your license is suspended. You must pay this fee before your license can be reinstated. |
*Each year includes an annual assessment. The number listed here is the total cost over the three years of the penalty.
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Paying A New York Ticket Online
To pay traffic fines online in New York City and Rochester, drivers will first have to access the ticket payment section of the NY DMV internet services website.
To initiate the process of paying traffic tickets online in NY, motorists will be required to enter their traffic ticket and driving license numbers. If you do not have your traffic citation number, then you can enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number. Note that you may also be asked to submit your full name, birth date and gender.
The system will accept your traffic tickets payment after you submit your credit card information.
Traffic tickets issued for more serious traffic violations in NY, such as driving while intoxicated infractions cannot be paid via the internet.
If You Wish To Plead Not Guilty You Will Need To Schedule A Hearing

Step 1: Schedule your hearing
- You can schedule a hearing online, by mail, or over the phone
- If necessary, you can complete a Statement In Place of Personal Appearance
- The judge will hold the hearing and you will be notified of the decision by email using the address you provided
Step 2: Attend your hearing
- The New York State DMV Traffic Violations Bureau is offering virtual hearings.
- If you fail to appear or fail to submit a Statement in Place of Personal Appearance for your hearing:
- your driving privilege will be suspended
- you may need to pay additional fines
- you may be convicted by default
Rescheduling a not guilty hearing
After you select a hearing date and time, you can return to the online transaction one time to select a different date and time.
If you have not previously rescheduled, and there are no dates available, you mustcontact the TVBto reschedule your hearing.
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Outside Of New York City
Traffic tickets that are issued outside of NYC are processed in county, city, town and village courts where the offense allegedly took place. Because rules may vary from one location to another, you will have to contact the court directly. If you are not sure which one is your court, check the location on the ticket.
Can I Appeal My New York Speeding Ticket
Yes, it’s always a good idea to appeal your speeding ticket in New York! In fact, this is the only way to avoid fines and points on your license. To contest your speeding ticket, check the “Not Guilty” box on the ticket and send it back to the issuer in the prepaid envelope.
You’ll be assigned a court date. Show up to this and plead your case. You can hire a lawyer to help you, but that eats into the cost savings of fighting the ticket. This is where DoNotPay really shines, as it helps you make the best case possible without breaking the bank.
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Driver License Suspension Reform
The New York State Legislature amended the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law in Chapter 382 of the Laws of 2020, Chapter 76 of the Laws of 2021, and Chapter 713 of the Laws of 2021 to eliminate certain driver license suspensions and to allow motorists to apply for payment plans for certain traffic ticket fines, surcharges, and fees.
Following these changes to the VTL, you may be eligible for a payment plan at no additional charge for most suspension termination fees, other fees, fines, and/or surcharges you owe for traffic tickets.
Payment plan eligibility is limited to traffic ticket-related fines, fees, and surcharges. This legislation does not cover all types of required payments under the VTL.
How Do I Answer A Tvb Ticket
You can answer most TVB tickets online. You can either schedule a hearing for the traffic ticket, or you can pay the fine and surcharge with your credit card. For more information, see how to plead to or pay TVB tickets.
To answer your ticket by mail, enter your plea on the ticket and include the appropriate fee if pleading guilty.
Mail to
P.O. Box 2950 – ESPAlbany, NY 12220-0950
To answer your ticket at a TVB office, follow the instructions on the ticket. Be sure to bring proof of identity such as your driver license.
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Tvb Contact Information And Additional Resources
The best way to contact any of the prosecutors or judges assigned to your case is through your attorney. Attorney’s often have connections, raport, and tools that help them to quickly obtain accurate information that can help you win your case.
If you are looking for simple information about the TVB or your case, you may want to call the TVB call center. The TVB call center phone number is +1 488-5710. The TVB call center handles phone calls for all of the TVB locations. The hours of operation for the TVB call center are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for on official holidays.
The TVB only issues tickets within the five boroughs of NYC. If you get a ticket outside of NYC proper, you will have to work with the local or county court in that jurisdiction in order to resolve your case. Here is a helpful tool to look up traffic court locations in New York.
Ny Tickets & Traffic School
You might be able to complete a defensive driving course as part of the state’s Point and Insurance Reduction Program :
- For ticket dismissal.
- This varies depending on factors such as your violation, the court handling your ticket, and your personal driving history.
Learn more at our Defensive Driving in New York page.
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When Not To Pay A Traffic Ticket In Nyc
While it is difficult to beat traffic or speeding tickets in New York City, it is not impossible. The reasons to fight are set forth below. However, there are no hard and fast rules and the below is just intended as a guide. To get a more accurate assessment of whether you should fight your traffic ticket, feel free to email a photo of the front of your ticket to and include your phone number. Or call us at 212-683-7373 for a free consultation.
Other Risks Of Speeding

Although it is less common, a judge can impose a jail sentence of up to 30 days for speeding ticket violations in New York. Just one serious speeding violation can result in suspension or revocation of your license as well. Higher speeding tickets and multiple convictions can also make your auto insurance rates increase. Another perk about the online defensive driving course is that it guarantees a 10 percent car insurance discount upon completion.
The rapid acceleration and braking pattern associated with speeding lowers your car’s gas mileage and can also emit more pollutants into the air. And most importantly, speeding increases your risk of a fatal crash on the road. As you can see, there are numerous costs associated with speeding, so please think twice about these consequences next time you’re in a hurry and slow down on the road.
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Copyright ©, American Safety Council. All Rights Reserved.
â As shown in these third-party studies:New York State Effectiveness Study of the I-PIRP Pilot, conducted by the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research University at Albany for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, December 2013Department of Highways Safety and Motor Vehicles Division of Motorist Services Study of the Effectiveness of Basic Driver Improvement Courses â Report to the Florida Legislature, May 2014
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Suspensions For Failure To Pay A Traffic Ticket
For most types of traffic tickets, if you have an open suspension for failure to pay a traffic ticket, your suspension will be lifted on June 29, 2021. These suspensions will be terminated without the need to pay the $70 suspension termination fee.
Your driver license can still be suspended for failure to pay a traffic ticket.
Suspensions for Failure to Pay will still be applied to tickets for oversize/overweight violations received in New York City that are returnable to the Traffic Violations Bureau .
How To Apply For A Payment Plan
Step 1: Examine your traffic ticket to determine where to answer your ticket
Most tickets issued in New York City will say Traffic Violations Bureau . See an example ticket returnable to Traffic Violation Bureau. All other tickets will need to be resolved in the court where your ticket was returnable.
If you do not have the traffic ticket and do not know where you received the ticket, you can check your driving privilege status.
Step 2: Resolve your traffic ticket with the court
For example, your ticket is resolved when:
- you plead guilty or
- you are found guilty: or
- you are found not guilty at a hearing or
- the ticket is dismissed.
If your ticket was issued outside of New York City, look up the court and contact them directly to resolve your ticket.
If your ticket was issued in New York City you can plead your ticket online, by mail, or by phone.
Step 3: Fill out an application for a Payment Plan
For tickets handled by all other courts
Work directly with the court where your traffic ticket is returnable to resolve the ticket and apply for a payment plan. You will need to follow the directions on the Financial Disclosure Report for Payment Plans .
For tickets received in New York City returnable to Traffic Violations Bureau
After your ticket is resolved with the court, you can apply for a payment plan.
To make a payment on a NYC Traffic Violations Bureau ticket:
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About The Nyc Traffic Violations Bureau
The Traffic Violations Bureau of New York City is an administrative organization that the DMV set up in order to handle the overwhelming volume of traffic tickets in New York City. This organization services NYC traffic tickets of all kinds, ranging from simple bicycle violations to felony offenses.
In criminal cases, the DMV does most of the work. The DMV will handle the court procedures, trial, verdict, sentencing, appeals, and just about everything else in the NYC criminal court process. The TVB will handle only the administration of the civil ticket. The TVB only services non-criminal moving violations.
In terms of how you pay a NYC traffic ticket, the TVB and the DMV are two separate organizations. However, it is important to keep in mind that the TVB is considered a subsidiary or a division of the DMV. The TVB has jurisdiction in all five boroughs of NYC but still has to report back to the greater DMV.
Helpful Hints For Paying Tickets Online
You must enter your address online exactly as it appears on your credit card billing statement or your payment will not be accepted.
No partial payments are accepted on line. Payment is an admission of guilt and no refunds will be issued once a ticket is paid. If you believe there is a discrepancy in the amount due-DO NOT PAY ON LINE instead, please call the PVB for more information.
If you received your ticket within the last few days, it may not be on the system yet and you will need to wait a day or two and try again.
For YA ticket payments made within 96 hours – you cannot pay the reduced amount online or by phone. To receive the discounted amount, please mail your payment directly to the PVB or come into the PVB to pay.
If you would like to pay a hearing decision amount on line, you must wait one day after your hearing took place, for any reduced amounts to be reflected online or on the phone. If your due date has passed and your reductions are not reflected online, the full amount is now due.
If your plate has outstanding tickets that make it boot and tow eligible or it has a suspended registration or there is a credit card chargeback on your plate, you will not be able to pay on line AT ALL. You MUST contact the PVB or come into the PVB to pay your tickets in person.
There is no convenience fee charged when paying by e-check. However, if the check is returned, there will be an additional $35.00 bounced check fee charged to your ticket/plate.
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Tickets Received Outside Of New York City
Traffic tickets that are issued outside of New York City are processed in court in the county, city, or town where the offense allegedly took place. Because their rules may vary from location to location, you will have to contact the court directly .
If you are not exactly sure of whether you were within city limits, look at the bottom right corner of your ticket. If it says Traffic Violations Bureau, you will be able to apply for a payment plan on the TVB online form.
Pleading Guilty To Your Ny Ticket
When you pay your traffic ticket in New York, it means you’re admitting guilt you are pleading guilty” to the violation.
When you plead guilty” to your NY traffic ticket:
- Generally, you can conveniently pay your fine online, by mail, or in person IF you have a Traffic Violations Bureau ticket.
- The TVB processes traffic tickets issued in New York City and accepts online, by mail, and in person payments.
- The county, city, town, or village handles tickets issued outside New York City. You must contact the court for the location in which you were ticketed.
Failing to pay the ticket by the deadline printed on the citation means:
- The state will suspend your license.
- This IS NOT an automatic guilty conviction.
- You must answer the ticket and pay the suspension termination fee.
Failing to answer the suspension notice means:
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