Paying Tickets Doesn’t Keep Your Record Clean
I talk to people quite often who tell me that their driving record should be clean. They say things like “I’ve received tickets, but I paid them.”
Paying a fine doesn’t keep your record clean.
Nope. In fact, if you have to pay a fine, that most likely means you were found guilty of the charge. Whatever you were ticketed for will go on your driving record.
That’s the whole point of driving records. They keep track of your past infractions and criminal traffic offenses. If paying the ticket kept your record clean, most people would have spotless records.
You basically have two options if you get a Virginia traffic ticket:
1. Pay the ticket. Prepaying the ticket is pleading guilty. If you don’t show up to court, you’ll be convicted in your absence and required to pay within 15 days. Either way, the conviction will go on your driving record.
2. Contest the charge by going to court. If you the judge finds you guilty anyway, the charge will still hit your record. Yes, even if you pay.
There are really only two ways that I know of to not have a ticket go on your driving record:
1. Beat it. If you are found not guilty, nothing goes on your record. You don’t pay anything to the court. You’re free and clear.
2. Have it dismissed with driving school or other court-ordered requirements. Sometimes we can get the judge to give you the option to earn your way out of ticket. In these cases, there is enough evidence to convict you. However, the judge sets requirements for you to meet to have the ticket dismissed. If that happens, your record stays clear.
What’s the moral of the story? If you want to keep your record clean, don’t just pay the ticket.
Contact us today at 540-318-5824 to discuss your case and learn how we can help you.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If you pay a traffic fine in Virginia does it stay on your record?
Yes. Paying a Virginia traffic fine is treated as a guilty plea, and the conviction goes on your driving record just as it would if a judge found you guilty after a trial. Many people assume that paying quietly means the ticket disappears, but that is not how it works. The conviction will appear on your DMV record and can affect your insurance rates, and for serious charges like reckless driving, it stays on your record for 11 years.
Does prepaying a Virginia traffic ticket count as a guilty plea?
Yes, prepaying a Virginia ticket without appearing in court is a guilty plea in your absence. You waive your right to contest the charge, and the conviction is entered automatically once payment is received. This is why attorneys consistently advise clients not to prepay traffic tickets for anything serious – or any case involving an accident – without at least consulting a lawyer first to understand what the conviction will actually cost you beyond the fine itself.
What are the only ways to avoid a conviction going on your Virginia driving record?
In Virginia, a traffic conviction can only be kept off your driving record in two ways: having the charge dismissed outright, or earning a dismissal through court-ordered conditions such as a driving safety course or other requirements a judge sets. Simply paying the fine does not accomplish either. An experienced attorney may be able to negotiate a dismissal, a reduction to a non-moving violation, or a deferred disposition arrangement, depending on the facts of your case and the jurisdiction where it is pending.
How long does a reckless driving conviction stay on a Virginia driving record?
A reckless driving conviction stays on your Virginia DMV driving record for 11 years, which is the same duration as a DUI conviction. It also adds six demerit points to your record, the highest demerit point value for any single traffic offense in Virginia. Those points and the conviction itself can trigger insurance surcharges, affect commercial driver’s license holders, and come up on background checks, which is why fighting a reckless driving charge rather than paying it off is so important.
