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Questions & Forms /  Traffic Tickets

Application and Waiver - Traffic Infractions


When do I have to appear for court?

  • Any Misdemeanor offense – you must report to court on the date written on the ticket.
  • Any Violation offense – The ‘return by date’ on the ticket is not a court date, it is just the date to have your plea entered by.  A plea must be entered on the ticket where indicated and returned to the court by mail or in person before the date stated on the ticket. To enter a plea, complete Part A for Guilty or Part B for Not Guilty. Your correct phone number and mailing address are required.

What happens if I plead guilty?

  • A guilty plea will result in fines and/or surcharges being assessed. A fine letter will be mailed to you. Please be sure to give us your correct mailing address and phone number.

What happens if I plead not guilty?

  • You will receive a letter from the Town Prosecutor informing you of any plea offer that may be available to you. Please read carefully as there may be time sensitive requirements for you to fulfill in order to obtain a plea offer.
  • If you were involved in a property damage or injury accident, the Town Prosecutor may require you to provide proof of insurance coverage on the date of the accident before offering you a reduced plea. This MUST come from your insurance company on their letterhead.
  • The Town Prosecutor may require you to complete a Driver Improvement Program as a condition of your plea. You can take either an in person course or online so long as you are provided with a certificate at the end to submit to the court.
  • Once a plea offer is made by the Town Prosecutor, you must return the letter by either accepting or rejecting the offer by the date indicated.
  • If the court receives the letter from you accepting your plea offer, the assigned judge will review it. If the judge accepts your plea, the judge will set a fine and you will receive a fine notice in the mail. If the judge rejects your plea offer, you will receive a notice to appear in court in the mail.
  • If the court receives the letter from you rejecting your plea offer, you will be mailed a notice to appear in court.

What happens if I receive a notice to appear in court?

  • When you appear in court, you will have the opportunity to meet with the Town Prosecutor to discuss your case. If your case cannot be resolved on this date, a future trial date will be scheduled for which you must appear in court.
  • If you fail to respond to your traffic ticket, your license will be suspended and a fee must be paid before the suspension can be lifted. This means that you must resolve your ticket either by a plea of guilt to the charge, a reduced charge or by a dismissal by the court on the record or in writing. If your ticket is not resolved in one of these ways, your license will be suspended.
  • Payment of a suspension left fee alone will NOT resolve your case. You must resolve the ticket itself or your license will be suspended again, resulting in further fines.

How can I pay my fine?

  • For payment of fines, the court accepts payments in cash, money order or credit card only. NO PERSONAL CHECKS ACCEPTED.
  • At this time, there is no way to pay for your traffic ticket fine online. You may pay in person Monday through Friday between 8:30 AM and 3:15PM. You may also mail in a money order or your credit card information to the court.

About Amherst

The Town of Amherst was established in 1818 and celebrated its 200th Anniversary in 2018. The town has a geographical area of 53.6 square miles and a population of greater than 122,000.

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  • General Information:
    (716) 631-7000
  • Email:
    toainfo@amherst.ny.us
  • Address:
    Municipal Building (Town Hall)
  • 5583 Main Street
  • Williamsville, NY 14221