Can I keep my traffic ticket “off my record”?
If you have received a traffic infraction, you may be eligible for a deferral if you request a mitigation hearing. (It is the court's general policy to deny deferrals where a contested hearing is requested. In those situations, the defendant does not believe they committed the infraction and a hearing is held to determine whether the prosecution can prove they committed the infraction.) By successfully completing a deferral, the Court will not report your ticket to the Department of Licensing (DOL). You may defer only 1 moving 1 one non-moving infraction each 7 years. The administrative fee for a Deferral is $150. You do not need to pay the original amount of your citation if a Deferral is granted.

To be eligible you must meet the following conditions:
You must have a valid license.
You have not received a deferral in the past 7 years, from any court in the State of Washington, moving or non-moving.
You do not possess a commercial driver's license.
Your infraction is not one of the following: Speeding 25 mph over the limit or more, Speeding in a School Zone or Speeding in a Construction Zone.

The only other way to keep a traffic citation off of your record is if it is dismissed in by a Judge at a hearing (either in-person or written).

Show All Answers

1. Can I keep my traffic ticket “off my record”?
2. How do I ask the court to defer my infraction?
3. What does it cost to defer my infraction?
4. What if I fail to pay the administrative fee for my deferral?
5. What if I commit a new traffic infraction?
6. What infractions do not qualify for deferral?
7. May I have a lawyer at a contested hearing?
8. Will a traffic infraction appear on my driving record?
9. What about a "no liability insurance" ticket?
10. What if I cannot afford to pay the penalty in full?
11. What happens if I don't respond? I don't appear in court? I don't pay?
12. I forgot about my ticket. What do I do now?
13. Is there a right to appeal?
14. How do I know what court to go to for my traffic ticket?