Traffic and Criminal Citations
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 paid on or before your court date. Your court date is listed near the bottom of your ticket.
“Waiverable” Tickets and Cost/Fine Amounts most commonly issued:
Waiverable Criminal Violations
For “Non-Waiverable” offenses, you are required to appear before the judge on the court date and time listed on the ticket.
Common non-waiverable offenses
If you are unsure whether you need to appear before the judge, please call the Clerk’s Office at 937-296-2461.
Learn more about your court appearance
Please be aware that if you do not pay your waiverable ticket 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.
Changing Your Court Appearance Date
If you cannot make the initial arraignment date set for you to come to court that you were given when you were ticketed or arrested, you may be able to reschedule by getting a continuance (extension) of your court date for up to one week. Please contact the Clerk’s Office at 937-296-2461—prior to your scheduled court date—to inquire about your eligibility for a continuance. A maximum of one week’s continuance is permitted without written judicial approval.
Finding An Attorney
You are entitled to have an attorney represent you before the Court if you are arrested, ticketed or summoned for a traffic or criminal offense. For help in finding an attorney, you can contact:
Dayton Bar Association
Attorney Referral Service
937-222-6102
www.daybar.org
Please visit our Link/Resources section for additional information.
If you cannot afford an attorney and you are charged with an offense that carries the possibility of a jail sentence, you may qualify to be represented by a public defender. Ask the judge about this option when you appear for your first arraignment.
Proof of Insurance
Ohio law requires all car owners to carry insurance on the vehicles they drive or allow others to drive. This insurance is Mandatory. When you are given a ticket, the Clerk’s Office is required to report the status of your insurance to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). If you do not provide the required proof, your driver’s license will be suspended by the BMV and you will have to pay additional fees and have additional insurance requirements. NOTE: This proof is required for the car you were driving when stopped whether you own the car or not.
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’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) as required by Section 4509.101 of the Ohio Revised Code, 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. For a full list of Financial Responsibility violator penalties and requirements, you can visit the Ohio BMV web site.
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.