Elect Traffic School

Elect to Attend Driver Improvement School

By electing to attend a driver improvement school, no points will be assessed to your driving record. This election can only be made once within a twelve-month period and only (8) eight times within your lifetime. Within thirty (30) days of receiving your citation, you must pay the fine, (see the Driver Improvement Fines Schedule), and fill out the Affidavit For Traffic School form, and file it with the Clerk’s Office.

Traffic School Election Affidavit

You will be granted an extra fifty (50) days from the date you signed the affidavit to sign up and complete driving school and provide proof of completion to the Clerk’s Office. Failure to provide proof of completion will result in the suspension of your driver’s license, the payment of additional fines and fees, and points will be assessed against your license. Even though you did not provide proof of completion of the class, your election will count as one of your 5 allowable elections in a lifetime.

You can attend any State of Florida – approved course. Check in the yellow pages of your telephone directory under “Driver Instruction”. You can also take this course via the Internet.

Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Civil Traffic FAQs

Where do I mail my traffic fine?

If your traffic citation was issued in Bay County, mail payment to:

Bill Kinsaul, Clerk of Court
Traffic Division
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

Bill Kinsaul, Clerk of Court
Traffic Division
300 East 4th Street
Panama City, FL 32401

When must my traffic citation be paid?

Payment of a traffic citation must be received in the Clerk’s Office within thirty (30) calendar days of the citation issue date. Remember that if you are mailing your payment, it must be received by the 30th day, or it be considered delinquent and subjected to late fee and/or a suspension of your driver’s license.

May I get an extension of time beyond the 30 days to pay my citation?

Yes. Additional time to pay a traffic fine may be granted by coming to the Traffic Department of the Bay County Courthouse and paying a $25.00 processing fee.

Can I make partial payments on my traffic citation fine?

Yes. Partial payments are now accepted. You must enter into a Partial Payment Agreement with the Bay County Clerk of Courts. To initiate this process come to room 111 in the Bay County Courthouse, complete a Partial Payment Agreement Form and paying a non-refundable processing fee of $25.00. The fine must be completely paid within two payments. Partial Payments are not accepted if you chose to go to traffic school to withhold points.

If my citation was issued outside of Bay County, may I pay the fine in Bay County?

No. Citations issued in Bay County must be paid in Bay County. If your citation was issued outside of Bay County, please contact the Clerk in the county of issue.

What will happen if I fail to pay my traffic citation within 30 days?

You will be assessed a late fee and a report will be mailed to the Department of Highway Safety to suspend your driver’s license. Your driver’s license will remain suspended until payment, including the late fee, is paid. Upon payment in full of your citation, you will be issued a D6 clearance form. This clearance must be presented to any office of the Department of Highway Safety or if you are a resident of Florida and this in your only outstanding citation your driving privileges may be reinstated through the Clerk of Court’s Office.

How can I reinstate my driver’s license for failure to pay a traffic fine?

The Clerk’s Office can assist you in reinstating your license. If there are other reasons for the suspension, you will need to go to driver license office for reinstatement. A reinstatement fee is required.

How do I keep from having points assessed to my license?

You may elect to attend traffic school if you have not done so within the past 12 months and have not attended more than five times in your lifetime.

If I complete traffic school, will my insurance rates increase?

Your insurance company will make that decision. Please contact them with this question.

How do I contact a traffic school?

Florida law prohibits the Clerk or any government entity from referring individuals to a particular Traffic School; however, you can find Traffic Schools listed in the telephone directory yellow pages under the heading “Driving Instruction” or online at “Traffic School Providers“.

Can I attend traffic school anywhere?

Yes. You may attend traffic school anywhere in the State of Florida, including approved online schools.

How long will I have to complete traffic school?

Your certificate of completion of traffic school must be received in this office no later than 50 days after the date you signed for the Affidavit for Traffic School election. A certificate received after the 50th day will be considered delinquent and late fees and/or a suspension of your driver’s license may apply. It is advisable to contact and enroll in a traffic school as soon as possible to ensure the completion being filed on time.

If I went to traffic school recently for another citation, may I go again?

No. Traffic school may be elected only once within a 12-month period and no more than 5 times total in a lifetime.

Civil Traffic

A Non-Criminal Traffic Infraction is a violation not punishable by jail and which usually can be disposed of by payment of a civil penalty or election to attend a defensive driving course. A court appearance is not required, except in cases where the violation involves an accident with serious bodily injury or a fatality, or a violation for leaving a child in a vehicle unattended.

Payment should be made within 30 days of the date the ticket was issued (please allow 5 days for the officer to turn the ticket over to the Clerk’s Office). Payment can be made by mail, using the envelope provided by the officer, or in person by coming to room 111 on the 1st floor of the Clerk of Court’s Office, or at the Clerk’s Office in the county in which the infraction occurred.

All traffic violations, issued within Bay County, are processed in the Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If you received a payable infraction citation, you must either pay the citation in full within thirty (30) days from the date you received the citation or choose one of the following three (3) options to resolve the ticket.

Pay the Citation
Plead not Guilty
Elect to Attend Driver Improvement School

To prevent the suspension of your driver’s license, compliance with one of these options must be made within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the ticket was issued.

There is no Grace Period!

Traffic Fees & Fine Schedule

Item	Cost
3 Year Driving Record Report	$14.25
Lifetime Driving Record Report	$16.25
Affidavit For Traffic School	$7.00
Certification Letter (Applying for Hardship Drivers License)	$6.00
Extension/Partial Payment	$25.00
Driver’s License Reinstatement	$60.00
Late Payment	$23.00

Please be informed that fee increases are added during Legislative Session.

The Clerk’s Office will accept only Credit/Debit Cards (Discover, MasterCard, Visa & American Express), Money Orders or Cashiers’ Checks for payment of all monetary business transactions. Click here to pay online.

Traffic Citations

Civil Traffic

Non-Criminal Infractions such as speeding, driving without insurance, careless driving etc.

Payment should be made within 30 days of the date the ticket was issued (please allow 5 days for the officer to turn the ticket over to the Clerk’s Office). Payment can be made by mail in the form of a cashier’s check/money order, in person by coming to room 111 on the first floor of the Clerk of Court’s Office, at the Clerk’s Office in the county in which the infraction occurred. Payments can also be made with credit/debit cards. Click here to pay online.

All traffic violations, issued within Bay County, are processed in the Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

If you received a payable infraction citation, you must either pay the citation in full within thirty (30) days from the date you received the citation or choose one of the following three (3) options to resolve the ticket.

To prevent the suspension of your driver’s license, compliance with one of these options must be made within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the ticket was issued.

Criminal Traffic

Criminal Violations such as DUI, driving while license suspended, having an improper tag, etc.

A Criminal Traffic Offense is a violation that may subject a defendant, upon conviction, to incarceration. Criminal offenses require a court appearance and can carry penalties including fines/costs, probation, and/or incarceration (jail time). Some examples are driving under the influence, driving while license suspended/revoked, or reckless driving. Persons charged with a criminal offense will find a court date indicated at the bottom of their citation or the date can be found on their first appearance paperwork they received from the jail upon release. Example of first arraignment court dates is Monday at 1:00 PM, Wednesday at 8:30 AM, and Friday at 8:30 AM. Court is usually held in the County Courtroom on the 1st floor of the Bay County Courthouse. Criminal Traffic Laws can be found in Florida Statutes Chapter 316, 320, and 322. They are defined by the Florida Rules of Court as a violation that may subject a defendant upon conviction to incarceration.

Pay Traffic Citation

Traffic citations may be paid in three different ways.

Online using nCourt 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a convenience fee to use this service.
By calling 855-796-5762 Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 12 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST. You can use a debit or credit card and there is a convenience fee.
You can mail your payment with a Money Order or Cashier’s Check.
In person payments may be made Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in room 111 of the Bay County Courthouse. Cash, personal checks ($3.00 fee) and debit/credit cards (3.5% fee per statute) are all accepted.

Traffic Related Forms

The Clerk’s Office will accept only Credit/Debit Cards (Discover, MasterCard, Visa & American Express), Money Orders or Cashiers Checks for payment of all monetary business transactions.

Pay Your Traffic Ticket Online

If you mail your payment, DO NOT SEND CASH OR CHECKS. Pay the amount indicated on the back of your citation and/or the amount indicated on the pre-printed envelope that the office has given you. Enclose the yellow copy of the citation to ensure proper credit. Points, if applicable, will be assessed. If paying your traffic fine by mail, please make cashiers check or money order payable to Bill Kinsaul or complete a Credit Card Payment Form and send to:

Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court
Attn: Traffic Division
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402

Traffic Forms

The following forms can be downloaded, filled out in Adobe Reader, and then printed for signatures.

Value Adjustment Board

2024 PETITION DEADLINE:
September 9, 2024

The Bay County Property Appraiser’s Office will send out trim notices on Thursday, August 15, 2024. The deadline for filing a petition to the Bay County Value Adjustment Board is Monday September 9, 2024. If you did not receive a trim notice or have questions concerning your assessment, you should contact the Bay County Property Appraiser’s Office at (850) 248-8401. If you have questions regarding the filing of a petition to the Bay County Value Adjustment Board please contact the Bay County Clerk’s Office at (850) 767-3314 or at vab@baycoclerk.com.

ALL PETITIONS MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE BY THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY ON THE DEADLINE DATE. PETITIONS POSTMARKED ON AND RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE DATE WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE. REFER TO 12D-9.015(14) FOR LATE FILING PROCEDURE.

F.S. 194.015 Value Adjustment Board

“There is hereby created a value adjustment board for each county, which shall consist of two members of the governing body of the county as elected from the membership of the board of said governing body, one of whom shall be elected chairperson, and one member of the school board as elected from the membership of the school board, and two citizen members, one of whom shall be appointed by the governing body of the county and must own homestead property within the county and one of whom must be appointed by the school board and must own a business occupying commercial space located within the school district.”

Education and Resources

Section 194.011(5)(b), Florida Statutes, states:

“(b) The department shall develop a uniform policies and procedures manual that shall be used by value adjustment boards, special magistrates, and taxpayers in proceedings before value adjustment boards. The manual shall be made available, at a minimum, on the department’s website and on the existing websites of the clerk of circuit courts.”

DOR – The Florida Department of Revenue (Department) has developed this uniform policies and procedures manual as prescribed by statute and other resources the public may find helpful. Click on the links below for more information.

FLORIDA STATUTES – The Florida Statutes pertaining to the Value Adjustment Board and its processes are available at the Bay County Public Library and online. Suggested statute references are Chapters 193, 194, and 196.

Florida Statues Online

FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE (F.A.C) – In addition, Chapters 12D-9 and 12D-10 of The Florida Administrative Code can be found online.

Florida Rules Online

FLORIDA SUNSHINE LAW – To access the Sunshine and Public Records Law click here for the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual.

Fee to File a Petition

There is a $15.00 non-refundable filing fee to file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board. Petitions sent without the appropriate filing fees are deemed incomplete and cannot be processed unless the Clerk to the Value Adjustment Board receives the fee.

Petitioners filing a single joint petition containing multiple parcels or TPP accounts must first submit, to the Bay County Property Appraiser’s Office, a Florida Department of Revenue form DR-486MU, listing the contiguous parcels or similar accounts. The Property Appraiser’s Office must first approve the parcels or accounts as contiguous or like and similar in nature before the petition can be filed. The cost to file this type of petition is $15.00 + $5.00 each additional parcel or account after the first.

FILING FEES PERTAINING TO THE DENIAL OF HX EXEMPTION OR HX TAX DEFERRAL

Persons filing a petition due to the denial, by the Property Appraiser or the Tax Collector, of a timely filed application for a homestead exemption or a timely filed application for homestead tax deferral, are not subject to a filing fee. However, if the application was filed after the March 1st deadline and was denied, the $15.00 petition filing fee would apply.

FILING YOUR PETITION IN PERSON OR THROUGH THE MAIL

You will file your petition with the Clerk of the Value Adjustment Board who is located at the Bay County Board Finance Office building located at 225 McKenzie Avenue, Panama City, FL 32401. Payment can be in the form of cash, check, cashier’s check, or money order made payable to the Clerk of the Value Adjustment Board. ALL PETITIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CLERK OF THE VALUE ADJUSTMENT BOARD BY THE END OF THE BUSINESS DAY ON THE DEADLINE DATE PROVIDED ON YOUR TRIM NOTICE. PETITIONS POSTMARKED ON AND RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL BE CONSIDERED LATE. REFER TO 12D-9.015(11) FOR LATE FILING PROCEDURE.

FILING YOUR VALUE OR TPP PETITION ONLINE

To file a petition online and pay with a credit card, click on the link below. Credit cards are subject to a 3.5% non-refundable processing fee. Note: Single joint petitions containing multiple parcels must be filed in person or by mail and accompanied by a letter of approval from the Property Appraiser’s Office.

File a new petition or check the status of a petition

Value Adjustment Board Downloads

Notices

Information

Forms

Download links above open in a new tab

Contacting the Value Adjustment Board

Deputy Clerk to the VAB
Patrice Smart
Phone : (850) 767-3314
Fax : (850) 747-5212
225 McKenzie Avenue
Panama City, FL 32401
Email Value Adjustment Board

Criminal Traffic

A Criminal Traffic Offense is a violation that may subject a defendant, upon conviction, to incarceration. Criminal offenses require a court appearance and can carry penalties including fines/costs, probation, and/or incarceration (jail time). Some examples are driving under the influence, driving while license suspended/revoked, or reckless driving. Persons charged with a criminal offense will find a court date indicated at the bottom of their citation or the date can be found on their first appearance paperwork they received from the jail upon release. Example of first arraignment court dates is Monday at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and Friday at 8:30 a.m. Court is usually held in the County Courtroom on the 1st floor of the Bay County Courthouse. Criminal Traffic Laws can be found in Florida Statutes Chapter 316, 320, and 322. They are defined by the Florida Rules of Court as a violation that may subject a defendant upon conviction to incarceration.

Traffic Infraction Point Schedule

Violation	Points
Pedestrian/Bicycle Violation	0 Points
Non-moving Violation	0 Points
Move Over Act [F.S. 316.126(1)(a)]	3 Points
Moving Violation	3 Points
Moving Violation (involving an accident)	4 Points
Speeding 1 – 15 mph over limit	3 Points
Speeding 16 or more mph over limit	4 Points
Speeding Violation involving an accident	6 Points
Fail to Obey Traffic Control Device (Running a red light)	4 Points