How to Search Broward County Traffic Court Records
The Clerk's case search includes a Citation Number Search tab. The search is for traffic citations only. Boating citations must be searched by Party Name. If a citation has not been entered into the Clerk's case management system, it will not appear on the Clerk website. Traffic and misdemeanor cases filed before 2011 were routinely purged from the main system and may need a records request.
Citation number search uses one field. The user types the citation number with no dashes or spaces. For ticket information by name, use the Party Name Search. For full court detail, click into the case detail to read the docket.
Which Courts Handle Broward Traffic Cases
Traffic cases run through the County Court. Civil traffic infractions and ordinary traffic citations are docketed in County Court. DUI, driving while license suspended, reckless driving, and other criminal traffic charges go through the same County Court but follow the criminal docket structure. Felony traffic matters route to the Circuit Court. For DUI and criminal traffic detail, see Broward criminal records.
Counter services run at four courthouse locations. The phone for all traffic locations is 954-831-6565 option 1. Counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
- Traffic Central - 201 SE 6th Street, West Building, 1st Floor, Room 01130, Fort Lauderdale.
- Traffic North - 1600 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Room 181, Deerfield Beach.
- Traffic South - 3550 Hollywood Boulevard, Room 200, Hollywood.
- Traffic West - 100 North Pine Island Road, Room 110, Plantation.
Types of Broward Traffic Cases on Record
Broward traffic case files fall into several buckets. Each bucket has its own docket structure and its own access rule.
- Civil traffic infractions - speeding, red light, equipment, and similar citations.
- Photo enforcement citations - red light camera citations issued by local agencies, where applicable.
- Criminal traffic - DUI, driving while license suspended, leaving the scene, racing, and similar charges.
- Boating citations - searched by party name, not citation number.
- Commercial driver matters - CDL violations that may have additional reporting under federal and state rules.
- Juvenile traffic - subject to additional protections under Florida law.
Broward Citation Lookup Search Fields
The Citation Number Search uses a short field set. The table below maps each field.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation Number | Text | Yes | Do not enter dashes or spaces. Example format: 1234ABC. |
| Search | Button | n/a | Executes the citation search. |
| Reset | Button | n/a | Clears the field. |
| Party Name | Tab | For boating citations | Boating citations must use Party Name search. |
What Broward Traffic Court Records Show
A typical Broward traffic case detail page holds the fields below. Some fields are blank until the next docket event posts.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Citation Number | The agency citation number assigned at the stop. |
| Case Number | The Clerk case number once the citation is filed. |
| Defendant or Driver | Name listed on the citation. |
| Law Enforcement Agency | Agency that wrote the citation. |
| Charge or Statute | Florida statute or local ordinance cited. |
| Court Date | Hearing or arraignment date when required. |
| Plea and Election | Plea entered or traffic-school election where applicable. |
| Disposition | Final or current outcome. |
| Fine and Court Costs | Amount owed and payment status. |
| Capias / FTA Entry | Capias issued, failure-to-appear, or recall events. |
Searching by Citation Number vs by Name
Citation Number Search is the most precise. It returns one case in most situations. The number must be typed exactly. Most printed citations show spaces, hyphens, or agency formatting. Strip those out before searching. If the citation does not return a match, the case may not yet be filed in the Clerk's system or the citation may be a boating citation that uses Party Name search.
Party Name Search is the path for boating citations and for anyone without the citation number in hand. Names under three characters return only exact matches. The search runs across multiple case types, so traffic citations may appear alongside other Broward filings. Filter by court type and use a filing-date range to cut down on hits.
Paying or Contesting a Broward Traffic Ticket
The Clerk publishes payment and contest options on the traffic counter pages. The step-by-step below walks through a Broward traffic ticket from receipt to resolution.
- Read the citation for the issuing agency, charge, due date, and required court appearance.
- Search the citation in the Broward Clerk Case Search using the Citation Number tab.
- Confirm the case number, charge, and payment amount on the case detail page.
- If choosing to pay, use the Clerk's online payment options before the deadline.
- If electing traffic school, complete the form and pay the required cost by the deadline.
- If contesting, plead not guilty in writing or appear at the scheduled court date.
- Track the docket for hearing dates, capias entries, and final disposition.
- If the deadline is missed, check for late fees, license suspension, failure-to-appear, or a capias.
Public Access Laws for Broward Traffic Court Records
Traffic court records are public unless sealed, expunged, or otherwise restricted by court order. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes sets the agency-records framework. Florida Rule 2.420 governs judicial branch records. Section 119.07 requires custodians to allow inspection and copying at reasonable times.
Driver license information held by Florida Highway Safety is subject to the Driver's Privacy Protection Act and state privacy rules in addition to Chapter 119. That is one reason the driver record is treated differently from the Clerk traffic case file. Juvenile traffic matters and sealed traffic cases run under tighter rules.
Court Traffic Records vs State Driver Records
Broward traffic users should keep two files apart. The court traffic record is the Clerk case or citation file. The state driver record is maintained by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Paying or contesting a ticket affects the court case. Convictions can affect the driver record.
| Feature | Court Traffic Record | State Driver Record |
|---|---|---|
| Custodian | Broward Clerk of Courts | Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles |
| What it shows | Citation, case number, charge, court date, plea, disposition, fine, payment status | License status, convictions, points, suspensions, driving history |
| Where to access | Broward Clerk Case Search | FLHSMV driver license check |
| How to correct errors | Through the Broward court division that handled the case | Through Florida Highway Safety with court records as support |
| Impact | Court obligation: fine, hearing, capias, traffic school | License obligation: points, suspension, reinstatement |
The Florida driver license check page above is the official source for license status and is separate from the Broward Clerk traffic case file.
CDL and Commercial Driver Records
Commercial driver license holders should treat Broward traffic citations with extra care. Federal and state CDL reporting rules differ from those for ordinary Class E drivers. A CDL holder cannot always elect traffic school or take a deferred-adjudication outcome the way an ordinary driver can. The State Attorney and the Clerk can confirm options, but legal advice is the safer path before pleading or paying.
DUI and DWI Cases in Broward
DUI cases route through the County Criminal docket as misdemeanor or felony charges depending on level. The case shows on the Clerk's case search like other criminal cases. Convictions feed into the Florida driver record. For the criminal-records walkthrough, see Broward criminal records. For arrest detail, the BSO Arrest Search returns current custody status during the early part of the case.
Deferred Adjudication and Defensive Driving
Florida traffic procedure offers traffic school for many civil infractions. Election rules differ by citation type and prior driving history. CDL holders should not assume eligibility. Florida's withhold-of-adjudication tool exists in some criminal traffic cases under judge discretion. Withhold adjudication is the Florida disposition where the court does not enter a formal finding of guilt despite a plea or finding, subject to conditions. It is not the same as a dismissal.
Sealing or Expunging Broward Traffic Records
Most civil traffic infractions are not eligible for sealing or expunction because they are not criminal cases. Criminal traffic cases can sometimes qualify. The same FDLE Certificate of Eligibility process applies. Sealing runs under section 943.059. Expunction runs under section 943.0585. For a deeper comparison, see criminal records. The Clerk states that sealed or expunged traffic records are only sold by the division that originally filed the case.
Fees for Broward Traffic Record Copies
Traffic case copy fees follow the standard Clerk schedule. The amounts owed on the citation itself are separate and depend on the charge and the court's order.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy of a court document | $1.00 per page |
| Certification | $2.00 per document |
| Records search | $2.00 per year searched |
| Electronic certified court document | $8.00 per document |
Fines, court costs, and driver-school costs are set per citation by Florida law and local court order. The Clerk's traffic counter handles those payments. The driver-record copy is ordered separately from Florida Highway Safety.