Site Navigation

• 4th District Home

• Site Map
• Contact Us

• District Administration

  • Court Records Imaging Project
  • eFile and eServe
  • Research Department
  • Standing Orders and Policies

• Judges & Referees

• Tickets & Fines
• ________________

• Courts

  • Calendars
  • Going to Court
  • Civil Court
  • Conciliation Court
  • Criminal Court
  • Family Court
  • Housing Court
  • Juvenile Court
  • Probate / Mental Health Court

• ________________

• Careers / Human Resources

• Fees
• Forms
• Jury Service
• Legal Terms
• News & Media

• Programs, Services & Initiatives

  • Court Reporter Unit
  • Domestic Abuse Service Center
  • Guardian Ad Litem Program
  • Initiatives
  • Interpreter Services
  • Limited English Proficiency Plan
  • Psychological Services Division

• Records Center
• Self-Help Centers
• ________________

• Resources in Other Languages

  • Hmong / Hmoob
  • Somali / Soomaali
  • Spanish / Español

• ________________
• For Staff Only

Tickets & Fines

Effective June 29, 2012: Any delinquent court or citation fine that has been referred to the MN Department of Revenue (DOR) for collection must be paid directly to the DOR and cannot be paid at any Hennepin County District Court location. Read Paying a Fine in Collection.

	Did you pay to park at an electronic parking meter and you still got a ticket? Learn more...	Snow Emergency Info
	Important: If you pay a citation (ticket), you are pleading "guilty" to the charge(s). You have 21 days from the date when the citation is entered into the court's record system to either pay the ticket or meet with a Hearing Officer. It can be 20 days or longer before a citation gets entered in the court’s system. Look up your citation.

Quick Links
Pay a Ticket Online	Definitions
Pay by Phone, Mail, In-Person	Meet with a Hearing Officer
FAQs - Tickets (Violations Bureau)	FAQs - Hearing Office
Fine Amounts	Withdraw a Guilty Plea to a Citation
Late Fees & Collections	Suburban Courts

	Ticket Search		Tickets & Fines Issued in Other Counties
	Court Calendar Search		MN Driver & Vehicle Services (DVS)
	Tickets & Fines brochure

Types of Tickets & Fines

---

Many types of citations (tickets) and fines issued in cities in Hennepin County are processed at the Hennepin County District Court, including: Parking , Traffic, Criminal, Ordinances, Boating, Fish & Wildlife, and DNR fines.

Payable Citations

A "payable" citation is one that does NOT require a court appearance, and payments are made to the court office called Violations Bureau. View Payment Options.

Administrative Citations

Some citations are called “administrative" and are not payable to the court, but rather must be settled with the city government where they were issued. If the words "District Court" or "Violations Bureau" do NOT appear on the ticket, it is probably an "administrative" ticket. Carefully read the front and back of the ticket to see how and where you can pay or contest the ticket. MN Statute § 169.999 allows local governments to issue administrative tickets in certain situations.

Court Required Citations

“Court Required” citations are those that require the person who got the ticket to appear in court at a specific date and time. If you got a citation that says “court required,” the court will send you a “Notice to Appear” to the address currently listed on your driver's license or ID, or to the address you gave to the court during the case. You must appear at the hearing or a warrant may be issued for your arrest. Call (612)348-2040 if you need to change the hearing date. NOTE: If the court ordered you to pay a "fine," you cannot pay it online. You must pay court fines by mail or in person. View Payment Options for details.

“Not Guilty” or Cannot Afford to Pay a Ticket

---

You can meet with a Hearing Officer about a ticket if you believe that you are not guilty of the charge(s) or you cannot afford the fine. A Hearing Officer can explain possible options for settling a citation besides pleading guilty or paying the fine. In some cases, they can reduce or dismiss the charges, or give you other options to do community service rather than pay money. Approximately 85% of people who meet with a Hearing Officer settle their case. If your case does not settle with a Hearing Officer, it may get scheduled for a court hearing.

News & Public Notices

	Pay Tickets with your hand-held device!
Effective July 1, 2009: Citations issued with multiple charges and an offense date of July 1, 2009 or later will be assessed one "surcharge" per incident. If you have received a multi-charge citation, read more about Fine Amounts on our website.

« Back to 4th District Court Home