Below are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Traffic & Criminal cases.
Can I pay my ticket without a court appearance?
How do I pay my ticket – and what forms of payment do you accept?
How much do I owe?
How do I show proof of insurance (financial responsibility)?
Can I pay my ticket online?
Can I Pay My Ticket without a Court Appearance?
Waiverable Offenses:
Many traffic and some criminal citations (also known as tickets) are payable in the Clerk’s Office and do not require a court appearance in front of the judge. These are called “waiverable” tickets. You can choose to appear before the judge on your court date for these offenses. Or, you can choose to waive your right to a hearing in court, plead guilty and pay your costs and fines for these offenses in the Clerk’s Office, over the phone or online. Waiverable tickets must be taken care of on or before your court date. Your court date is listed near the bottom of your ticket.
Follow the links below to view the most commonly issued traffic and criminal waiverable tickets and their cost/fine amounts:
Waiverable Criminal Violations
Non-Waiverable Offenses:
If your offense is “non-waiverable,” you are required to appear before the judge on the court date and time listed on the ticket. If you are unsure whether you need to appear before the judge, please call the Clerk of Court’s Office at 937-296-2461.
Common Non-Waiverable Offenses
Learn more about your court appearance
Please Take Care of Your Citation On Time
Please be aware that if you do not pay your waiverable offense or appear before the judge (if this is required by your offense) by your court date, your driver’s license may be suspended, a warrant may be issued and your license or vehicle registration may be blocked. All of these will result in additional costs to you.
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How do I pay my ticket and what forms of payment do you accept?
You can pay your court costs and fines in person at the Clerk’s Office, online, over the phone, or through the mail. Payments are accepted in the Clerk’s Office on Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Please note that the Clerk’s Office does NOT have a drop-box.)
We accept cash, credit/debit card (Mastercard or Visa), certified cashier’s check, money order or personal check made payable to Kettering Municipal Court. There is a $4 convenience fee for all credit card transactions.
For Mail Payments:
If your ticket is payable without a required court appearance, please sign the waiver on the back of your ticket and mail it, along with your check or money order and proof of insurance if necessary (see note below) to:
Kettering Municipal Court Clerk’s Office
2325 Wilmington Pike
Kettering, OH 45420
Your mail payment must arrive in the Clerk’s Office by your court date to ensure that you do not receive any additional charges or consequences. Your court date is located near the bottom of your original citation or ticket. If you would like a receipt, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Proof of Insurance (Financial Responsibility):
Please remember to bring, mail or email proof of insurance with your payment if the officer did not mark the “Financial Responsibility Proof Shown” box on your ticket. Ohio law requires all car owners to carry insurance on the vehicles they drive— and requires the Clerk’s Office to report the status of your insurance at the time you are cited. If the Clerk’s Office does not receive your proof of insurance within three business days after your case is paid/heard by a judge, we will be required to send a “no insurance” status to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)—which could result in a license suspension under Ohio law. View more information on Proof of Insurance.
Be Sure to Appear in Court or Pay Your Citation by Your Court Date:
Keeping your court date is important. Please be aware that if you do not pay your waiverable offense or appear before the judge as required by your court date, your driver’s license may be cancelled, your license and vehicle registration may be blocked and a warrant may be issued for your arrest.
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How much do I owe?
Court costs and fines for citations within our jurisdiction are set by the judges of Kettering Municipal Court.
If your citation can be paid without a required court appearance (this means it is “waiverable”), follow the links below to determine how much you owe. If you do not see your particular violation listed, please call the Clerk’s Office at 937-296-2461 for more information.
Waiverable Criminal Violations
If your citation requires a court appearance and you are found guilty, the amount of your court costs and fines will be determined by the judge. Please be aware that additional court costs may apply.
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How do I show proof of insurance (financial responsibility)?
Ohio law requires all car owners to carry insurance on the vehicles they drive or allow others to drive (Ohio Revised Code section 4509.101). This insurance is Mandatory. This proof is required for the car you were driving when stopped whether you own the car or not. When you are given a ticket, the Clerk’s Office is required to report the status of your insurance to the Ohio BMV.
Please check the area on your ticket that says “Financial Responsibility Proof Shown.” Make sure the “Y” box is checked. If you did not show proof when you were cited or if the officer did not mark “Y” to indicate you showed proof of insurance, please bring in, mail, fax or email your proof of insurance to the Clerk of Court’s Office. Please include your ticket number or court case number on the proof when you send it in. You may also ask your insurance agent to fax in the proof and then call the Clerk’s Office to make sure we received it.
When you send in proof of insurance, the Clerk’s Office will look for the following: A copy of your insurance card (with company listed) showing that the vehicle you were driving had insurance in effect before the date and time you received your ticket, or a statement from your insurance company stating that the vehicle you were driving was insured before the date and time of your violation.
If you choose to go to court, this proof must be received within three business days after your case is heard by a judge and has a finding. If you paid your ticket without going to court, insurance must be received within three business days after you paid your ticket. If we do not receive proof of insurance in this time frame (financial responsibility), we must notify the BMV as “no insurance shown.” The BMV will then send you a letter (at the last known address on file with the BMV), giving you the opportunity to show this proof to their agency. If you don’t comply within the time frame specified in the letter, the BMV will take away your driving privileges for a period of time as determined by the BMV based on your driving record history. You will also have to pay additional fees and have additional insurance requirements. The BMV maintains a full list of financial responsibility violator penalties and requirements.
It is your responsibility to make sure we receive your proof of insurance showing that the vehicle had insurance prior to and during the time of your ticket. Please check online (Search Public Records) to verify that we received it when mailing or faxing the proof in. You may also call our office. If you choose to email the proof of insurance, the Clerk’s office will reply to the email so you know that it was received.
Mail your proof of insurance to the Clerk’s Office at:
Kettering Municipal Court Clerk’s Office
2325 Wilmington Pike
Kettering, OH 45420
Fax your proof of insurance to the Clerk’s Office at:
937-534-7017
When faxing, please call our office at 937-296-2461 to make sure your proof was received.
Email your proof of insurance to the Clerk’s Office at:
For more information regarding types of automobile insurance and your rights and responsibilities within the State of Ohio, please visit the Ohio Department of Insurance Consumer Services section – Automobile.
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Can I pay my ticket online?
Yes! For your convenience, the Clerk of Court’s Office has created an e-payment service to allow you to pay your court costs and fines online through a secure server.
Click here for more information.