The District Attorney’s Office receives more than 175,000 traffic cases every year in Mecklenburg County. To assist community members and ease the burden that the high volume of traffic cases puts on the local court system, the DA’s Office offers options that allow members of the public to address their traffic tickets prior to the scheduled court date. The DA’s Office is unable to reschedule court dates or negotiate pleas over the telephone, so if you have received a traffic citation, please come to court or utilize one of the options described below before your court date.
NOTICE
In February 2023, the DA's Office learned that speed detection devices, such as radar and lidar equipment, used by some local law enforcement to track motorists' speeds have not been properly certified. If you have been charged with a speeding citation in Mecklenburg County, you or your attorney should appear in court on your court date to discuss available options. Do not pay for your speeding citation online to resolve the matter because, if you use the online service, the DA's Office will be unable to review your case to determine whether it was affected by this issue.
Resolving your traffic citation in Mecklenburg County
Come to court
Your traffic citation should list a court date. If you’d like to come to court to resolve a traffic citation or contest the citation, you should appear at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse on your scheduled court date. If you’d like to address your traffic citation prior to your court date, you may utilize one of the other options provided below.
Hire an attorney
You may wish to hire an attorney. The DA’s Office cannot provide legal advice or advise you as to whether you should hire an attorney.
Visit the prosecutor-staffed station at the courthouse
Assistant District Attorneys (ADAs) are available to discuss traffic matters 1:30-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday in courtroom 1130 on the first floor of the Mecklenburg County Courthouse. The ADA in this courtroom may reduce speeding tickets and dismiss compliance cases if proof of compliance is provided. (Compliance cases include citations such as expired registration, lapsed insurance, and expired driver’s license.) The ADA cannot move future court dates.
payNCticket
Some traffic citation fines issued in North Carolina and related costs can be paid online with a credit card using the payNCticket system. If you plan to not contest this citation and want to pay your fine and related costs online, visit www.payNCticket.org. If you or your attorney have negotiated a reduced charge, you should not use payNCticket. Before proceeding to pay your citation fine and costs, please carefully read the "Notice to Defendant" on your citation. It contains important information about your obligations and options.
Electronic Compliance and Dismissal
Through the online Electronic Compliance and Dismissal (ECAD) system, you can request the dismissal of traffic violations pertaining to your driver’s license, registration and inspection if you have obtained compliance with the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This system, which is linked to the DMV database, allows you to electronically submit a request for a dismissal to the District Attorney’s Office. Requests for a dismissal through ECAD must be made prior to seven business days from your scheduled court date. Whether a request is approved or denied, ECAD will notify you by email if you need to appear in court on the assigned date. There is no cost associated with requesting dismissal of a case via ECAD. Some exclusions apply. For more information and to access ECAD, visit the North Carolina court system’s online services.