Missouri Traffic Ticket Lookup: Find, Pay & Track Online

The Missouri Courts have publicly warned drivers about scam websites that copy the CaseNet name and design, and fake text messages that pretend you owe money on a traffic ticket. These scams are after one of two things. Your card details, or a chance to install malware on your phone.

Here’s how to stay safe:

• The court will never call or text you asking for payment or card information.
• Only use courts.mo.gov for searching cases or paying fines.
• Ignore links in unexpected text messages, even if the message mentions your name or a court date.
• If you think you were scammed, report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov or contact your local police.

CaseNet has multiple search options, but for traffic tickets only two really matter.

1.Case Number Search (Fastest)

If you have your ticket in hand, the citation number printed on the upper right is usually the same as your case number. This takes you straight to the case file in one step. No guessing, no scrolling through results. See our full Case Number Search guide for details.

2.Litigant Name Search

If you lost the ticket, or you’re checking on someone else’s case, use the name search instead. You’ll need the last name, and the search works much better when you also know the county. Full walkthrough on our Litigant Name Search page.

Other Options

• Filing Date Search: useful if you know roughly when the ticket was filed. Only shows a 7 day window.
• Scheduled Hearings Search: for finding a future court date by judge or attorney.

Here’s exactly how to look up a Missouri traffic ticket. Follow these in order and you’ll have your case file open in under a minute.

This is one of the biggest reasons people can’t find their ticket. A traffic citation does not appear on CaseNet the same day it’s issued. There’s a paper trail it has to travel first.

Here’s what actually happens after the officer hands you the ticket:

1. The officer submits the citation to the prosecutor.
2. The prosecutor reviews and signs it.
3. The signed citation goes to the court clerk.
4. The clerk enters it into CaseNet, which assigns the case number.

This whole process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Some rural municipalities take even longer. The Missouri statute of limitations on most traffic offenses is one year, so courts have time to file even if it feels slow on your end.

If you can’t find your ticket online

• Wait at least 2 to 3 weeks before assuming there’s a problem.
• Check the court listed on your ticket directly.
• Try searching by name instead of citation number.
• Call the court clerk if your court date is approaching and the case is still missing.

Once your case opens, you’ll see several tabs. Each one shows a different slice of your ticket file.

Not always. In Missouri, you can skip court for a traffic ticket if you do one of two things before your scheduled court date:

• Pay the fine in full using Plead and Pay. This counts as a guilty plea.
• Hire an attorney who can appear in court for you.

If you don’t do either, you have to show up on the date printed on your ticket. Skipping court without paying or sending an attorney has real consequences. The court can:

• Issue a warrant for your arrest
• Suspend your driver’s license through the Missouri Department of Revenue
• Add a failure to appear charge to your case

You have three options. Pick the one that fits your situation.

Plead and Pay is the official Missouri Courts feature that lets you plead guilty and pay your fine online for eligible traffic tickets. It saves you a court appearance.

How it works

1. Search for your case on CaseNet using the citation number.
2. Open the case file.
3. Look for the Plead and Pay button on the right side of the case header. It shows the full amount due, including all fines and court costs.
4. Click Continue to Plead and follow the on screen instructions.
5. Pay using a credit card, debit card, or e-check. A convenience fee applies on cards. E-check has a flat $0.50 fee.
6. Save the receipt or have it emailed to you.

Official Plead and Pay info: courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=1917

Pay By Web is for cases that are already disposed. Disposed means you already pleaded guilty, were found guilty, or there’s a final judgment in place.

Use Pay By Web if

• You already had your court date and owe a balance.
• You’re on a court approved payment plan.
• The Plead and Pay window has closed.

Important rules

• Payments must be made within 30 days of your court date to avoid a time payment fee.
• If you miss your payment plan deadline, the case can be sent to debt collection.
• Your Missouri state income tax refund can be withheld to cover an unpaid court balance.

Pay By Web link: courts.mo.gov/pbw

Under Missouri state law, the total fine for minor traffic violations like speeding or running a stop sign is capped at $300. This came from a 2015 law (often called the Macks Creek Law) passed to stop small towns from using traffic tickets as a revenue source.

Important caveats

• The $300 cap applies to the fine only. Court costs and surcharges are added on top.
• Fines in school zones and construction zones can be much higher.
• DWI, reckless driving, and accidents with injury are not “minor” violations and have their own penalty ranges.
• Some municipal courts cap fines even lower. Kansas City Municipal, for example, lists most minor traffic fines around $225 total.

The actual amount on your ticket depends on the violation, the court, and any prior offenses on your record.

If you searched and got nothing, here’s what’s usually going on.

• The ticket hasn’t been filed yet. Most common reason. Wait 2 to 3 weeks.
• You selected the wrong court. Try All Participating Courts.
• You spelled the name differently from the court record. Try variations or add a middle initial.
• The system is offline. CaseNet is closed weekends and from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays.
• Your case is in a court that doesn’t use CaseNet. Some small municipal courts run their own systems.
• The case is sealed or expunged. Rare for traffic tickets.

If none of this works, call the court listed on your ticket. The court clerk can confirm whether your ticket is in the system.

The Missouri Fine Collection Center handles many minor traffic tickets from courts across the state. It exists so people can resolve simple violations without going through a full court process.

If your ticket is being handled by the FCC, your court documents will mention it. You search for your case the same way on CaseNet, and Plead and Pay still works for FCC eligible cases.

The FCC mainly processes

• Minor moving violations
• Some equipment violations
• Tickets where no court appearance is required

For more serious offenses, your case goes to the local circuit court instead.

Missouri uses a points system that adds points to your driving record for moving violations. Get too many points and your license gets suspended or revoked.

Common point values

• Speeding (state highway): 3 points
• Speeding (local road): 2 points
• Running a stop sign or signal: 2 points
• Careless and imprudent driving: 4 points
• DWI (first offense): 8 points
• Leaving the scene of an accident: 12 points

How points come off your record

Points reduce over time if you stay clean. After 1 year of no new violations, your total drops by one third. After 2 years, by half. After 3 years, all points are removed from your record.

Points are tracked by the Missouri Department of Revenue, not the courts. Check your record at dor.mo.gov or call 573-526-2407.

It depends on your situation. Honestly, fighting a single 2 point speeding ticket on an otherwise clean record usually isn’t worth the time or attorney fees. Pay it and move on.

But fighting it is worth considering if

• You’re close to a points threshold and a conviction would suspend your license.
• The ticket carries 3 or more points.
• You have a CDL (commercial driver’s license).
• The officer made a clear error.
• Your insurance rates would jump significantly.

If you do fight it, an attorney can often negotiate the charge down to a non moving violation. In some Missouri courts, this is routine. Defective Equipment, for example, carries no points.

You can find a traffic attorney through the Missouri Bar’s lawyer search.

Your driving record is separate from your court case record. Court records (CaseNet) show the case. Driving records (DOR) show the points and conviction history.

To get your record

• Online: Use Form 4678 through the Missouri DOR website. Costs $2.82 per record.
• By mail: Submit Form 4681 with payment to the Driver License Record Center, P.O. Box 2167, Jefferson City, MO 65105.
• In person: Any Missouri license office.

Two record types

• Personal driver record (uncertified): for your own review.
• Certified driver record: for employment, court, or insurance use.

After paying a ticket, check your driving record a few weeks later to confirm the points (if any) were applied correctly.

CaseNet has a free Track This Case feature. After you find your case, you can sign up for email or text alerts whenever new activity is filed. This is especially helpful if you have an upcoming court date you don’t want to miss.

To use it, you need a free CaseNet account. Once signed in, open your case and click Track This Case.

Useful for

• Confirming your court date doesn’t change at the last minute
• Knowing when a warrant has been recalled after you paid
• Tracking docket entries while represented by an attorney

If you’re handling your traffic case without an attorney, the Missouri Courts offer a free service called Manage My Case. It lets you file documents and submit requests online for eligible traffic and ordinance violations.

More info: courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=162648

CaseNet shows full case history for older tickets, but the actual filed documents are only available online for cases filed on or after July 1, 2023.

For tickets older than that

• You can still see docket entries and case details on CaseNet.
• To view the actual documents, you’ll need to visit the courthouse public access terminal in the county where the case was filed.
• Very old records (before mid 1990s) may only exist in the Missouri State Archives.

If you’re dealing with an old ticket that’s causing license issues, contact the court clerk first. They can usually walk you through resolving it.

Some traffic offenses can be expunged under Missouri law (RSMo § 610.140), but the rules are strict.

Eligible

• Misdemeanor traffic offenses where charges were dropped or dismissed
• Some misdemeanor convictions after the waiting period (3 years for misdemeanors, 7 years for felonies)

Not eligible

• DWI and DUI offenses
• Tickets received while operating a commercial vehicle on a CDL
• Cases where you have other unrelated convictions on your record
• Cases with pending civil action

Expungement requires filing a petition in the county where the offense happened, plus a $250 filing fee. The court can waive the fee if you can’t afford it.

• Use the citation number whenever possible. It’s the most reliable.
• If searching by name, try the last name alone first. Add the first name only if needed.
• Select the correct court before searching. Wrong court means no results.
• Pick the right case type from the dropdown. Choose Traffic / Municipal to filter out unrelated records.
• Try the search at different times. CaseNet runs from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. CST and weekend access is limited.
• If your name is common, add a middle initial or date of birth.

Finding a Missouri traffic ticket online is straightforward once you know where to look. CaseNet is the official tool, the citation number on your ticket is the fastest way in, and Plead and Pay handles most simple cases without you ever needing to step inside a courthouse.

The two things that trip people up most often:

• Searching too soon after the ticket is issued.
• Missing a court date because they assumed the case would auto resolve.

Give the system 2 to 3 weeks to process the ticket, and always confirm whether your case requires a court appearance before you decide to just pay.

Bookmark courts.mo.gov/casenet, and remember that no one from the court will ever call or text you asking for payment.

This guide is based on information directly from the Missouri Courts and verified through official state pages.