315 South Lowry St | Smyrna, TN 37167 | Monday-Friday , 8:00 AM- 4:30 PM |
(615) 459-2553
Traffic FAQ
Traffic FAQ
YES!! We are excited to announce that we now have an online payment system. If you are pleading guilty to a traffic violation and are wanting to pay the amount in full, you can pay the citation here.
If you want to make sure we received your payment, you can call the Court Clerk’s Office at 615-355-5732.
If you want to make sure we received your payment, you can call the Court Clerk’s Office at 615-355-5732.
ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF PAYMENT:
If you would like a receipt, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope so we can mail the receipt back.
- Credit Card
- At the Court Clerk’s service window or over the phone at 615-355-5732.
- Pay online HERE
- All credit/debit cards are subject to a processing fee and/or convenience fee assessed by the vendor
- Cash
- At the Court Clerk’s service window. Please DO NOT mail cash.
- Check
- NO personal checks are accepted. Business or Cashier Checks are acceptable. Please make checks payable to "Smyrna Municipal Court".
- Money Order
- Make payable to "Smyrna Municipal Court". Please include the citation number on the note section.
If you would like a receipt, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope so we can mail the receipt back.
Depending on the type of moving violation you received, either the conviction or the points may be removed from your driving record by attending traffic school.
All moving violations other than speeding - You may keep the conviction and the points from appearing on your driving record by attending traffic school. You may opt to attend traffic school in lieu of submitting to a fine and costs.
Speeding Citations - If you have a speeding citation, you may only have the points, not the conviction, removed from your driving record by attending traffic school after submitting to a fine and costs. You will have 90 days after submitting payment of fine and costs to pay for and attend traffic school.
You may sign up and pay for traffic school via our court payment website, by phone with the clerk's office, or in person.
Per Federal Law (https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/commercial-driver-license/cdlcitation.html),
Traffic School is not an option if you carry a Commercial Driver’s License.
All moving violations other than speeding - You may keep the conviction and the points from appearing on your driving record by attending traffic school. You may opt to attend traffic school in lieu of submitting to a fine and costs.
Speeding Citations - If you have a speeding citation, you may only have the points, not the conviction, removed from your driving record by attending traffic school after submitting to a fine and costs. You will have 90 days after submitting payment of fine and costs to pay for and attend traffic school.
You may sign up and pay for traffic school via our court payment website, by phone with the clerk's office, or in person.
Per Federal Law (https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/commercial-driver-license/cdlcitation.html),
Traffic School is not an option if you carry a Commercial Driver’s License.
If you have been cited for one of the following offenses, you may be eligible for a dismissal by presenting proof of compliance and paying any required dismissal fee:
You may contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 615-355-5732 for more information. All compliance documentation and fees must be presented on or BEFORE the compliance date shown on the citation.
| Violation | Requirement for Dismissal | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Driver's license to be carried | Valid at time of stop | $35 |
| Driver's license expired | Present a valid Tennessee driver's license | $85 |
| Driver's license address change | Present corrected Tennessee driver's license | $35 |
| Learner's Permit | Present valid Tennessee driver's license | $85 |
| Driving without a license | License was valid at time of stop | $35 |
| Driving without a license | License was not valid at stop but is valid now | $85 |
| 30-day out-of-state driver's license | Present valid Tennessee driver's license | $85 |
| Light (head/tail) violation | Compliance Form required | $35 |
| Handicap Parking | Present valid handicap placard/registration that was valid at the time of citation | $35 |
| Registration to be carried | Valid at time of stop | $35 |
| Expired registration | Obtain valid registration after stop | $85 |
| Vehicle registration required | Present valid registration | $85 |
| Registration address change | Present corrected registration | $35 |
| Surrender Registration / Driver's License | Present valid registration or driver's license | $85 |
| Improper display of tag | Compliance Form required | $35 |
| Insurance violation | Insurance was valid at time of stop | $0 |
| Muffler violation | Compliance Form required | $85 |
| Window Tint | Compliance Form required | $85 |
| Brake equipment violation | Compliance Form required | $35 |
| Red/Blue Light violation | Compliance Form required | $85 |
| Operation of Motor Vehicle without Safety Equipment | Compliance Form required | — |
| No Bumper violation | Compliance Form required | $85 |
You may contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 615-355-5732 for more information. All compliance documentation and fees must be presented on or BEFORE the compliance date shown on the citation.
A CDL endorsement is not eligible for Traffic School diversion pursuant to Federal regulations. Your options are to pay the citation or contest the citation.
Click here for more information from the TN Department of Safety regarding your CDL.
Click here for more information from the TN Department of Safety regarding your CDL.
If you cannot pay your traffic citation by the compliance date on the citation,you need to contact the Court Clerk’s Office at 615-355-5732 on or before your compliance date to find out if a Payment Plan is available to you. There may be other options available that suit your situation.
If you wish to contest the citation or a violation listed on the citation (some citations list one violation and others may have multiple violations listed), fill out the Contested form HERE and contact the Court Clerk’s Office at (615) 355-5732 by 4:00PM on the compliance date to obtain a court date. The Court Clerk’s Office can also provide a hard copy if you rather fill the form out in person. This must be done on or before the compliance date.
If you neglect to pay your traffic ticket either by accident or design by the compliance date listed on the ticket, you will be reported to the Tennessee Department of Safety for “Failure To Appear/Pay.” Your driver’s license may be suspended, canceled or revoked. You will be required to pay a greater amount of taxes and fees to the court as well as any reinstatement fee to the TN Department of Safety. A “Failure To Appear/Pay” is considered by the TN DOS as a “guilty” plea.
Traffic School Overview
- Traffic school is a 4-hour class available once every 12 months for a moving violation. Must be a state approved defensive driving class. If eligible, you may attend an in person class or the Smyrna Court's online class.
- For all moving violations other than speeding, a request for traffic school is considered a conditional plea of guilty. The conviction and points for that violation will not appear on your driving record if you complete the class.
- For speeding citations, per T.C.A. 55-10-207(f), a person may, in addition to the submission of a fine and costs in lieu of appearing in court, register for a department-approved driver education course. The course must be successfully completed within ninety (90) days of the conviction to remove points charged to the person's driving record.
Eligibility Requirements
You may attend traffic school if:
- Your citation is for a moving traffic violation, AND
- You have not attended traffic school anywhere within the past 12 months.
Registration Process
- You must register and pay before your compliance date.
- Payment is required at the time of registration.
- You may register for traffic school online, in person, or by contacting the Clerk’s Office at 615-355-5732.
- You may choose to receive a link to complete the course online, or
- Choose to attend the in-person class.
Failure to Complete the Class
If you do not complete the class:
- You will be found guilty of the violation.
- You may owe additional fees beyond what you already paid.
- The violation will be reported to the Department of Safety and added to your driving record.
If you pay a citation (moving violation), it will be reported to the Department of Safety and the applicable points will be recorded as a part of your driving history. Points are usually removed from your record within a year as long as you do not receive any other violation. Click here for a list of point values.
