Court Payments, Payment Plans & Compliance
If a fine and court costs have been imposed as a part of your sentence, prompt arrangement of your payment is important. You have the option to pay in full or enter into a payment plan within 30 days of receiving your court order. If you do not do so, you will violate the order and be subject to driver's license suspension or further court action. Full details of each option are listed below. If you need to pay a civil traffic ticket, please visit our Traffic Tickets page.
There are four convenient ways to pay your fine(s) for misdemeanor, criminal traffic, felony, and county and municipal ordinance cases. You must either pay in full or apply for a payment plan through the Court Payments & Compliance team. Failure to do so can result in suspension of a driver's license or further court action.
Please note that if you have a lien, it is a separate item and must be satisfied by contacting us at 863-534-4000.
Online
How to Pay Online. Visit this web page for step-by-step instructions for the payment process.
*Please note: Online payments will not automatically clear any driver's license suspensions or waive required court appearance(s). If your license is suspended, please allow up to 3 business days for your payment to be reported to the state. You should then contact your local DMV, which in Polk County is the Tax Collector, to complete your license reinstatement.
By Phone (863-733-8045)
Contact our Payment Center. (Court and Traffic Ticket payments only.)
Hours:
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
By Mail
Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Court Payments & Compliance
PO Box 9000, Drawer CC-17
Bartow, FL 33831
In Person
You may also pay in person at our Bartow, Lakeland, and Northeast offices.
Qualified defendants may apply for a payment plan. To do so, a sworn application is completed and reviewed, and individual interviews are conducted. The cases are then monitored by the Compliance officers.
Administrative Fees & Defaults
A $25.00 administration fee will be added to your fine and court costs if you are set up on a payment plan. If you have not paid in full or entered into a payment plan within 30 days of your adjudication date, you will be in violation of your court order and subject to driver's license suspension or further court proceedings. If your driver's license is already suspended or in the process of being suspended, applying for a payment plan does NOT reinstate your driving privilege. Please contact us for further information.
Application Process
Once your application is processed, a compliance officer will be assigned to your case. Within one business day, you will either receive a call for a telephone interview or you will receive an email with your compliance officer’s name and contact information, as well as the terms of your payment plan and payment schedule. Please review the terms of your payment schedule carefully and contact your compliance officer if you have questions or need to discuss the terms. All payment instructions and default information will be provided in the terms of your payment plan.
Alternative Community Service
A community service option could be considered if you do not qualify for a payment plan. The Court MUST have authorized this option on your court paperwork. Your compliance officer will assist you if you qualify for this option. After you are set up for a community service, it will be up to you to find a city, county or non-profit agency to complete the hours and provide documented proof of your hours worked.