Forsyth accepting online payment for some traffic tickets

CUMMING - The Forsyth County Clerk of Courts office has recently added
a new online feature designed to save residents time and enhance efficiency of the office.

Online payment for certain traffic citations is now offered on the Clerk of Courts' Web site, www.forsythclerk.com.

"We added the online payment mechanism in February, to make the payment of citations more convenient and to enable our office to operate more efficiently," Clerk of Court Greg Allen said. "Paying online allows people to save time and gas, since it keeps them from having to visit us in person."

While not all citations are payable online, many are. Those that can be paid online include citations for parking violations, seatbelt tickets, expired tag, defective equipment, most minor traffic violations, most speeding infractions up to 23 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, most fishing and boating offenses, and minor accident tickets once approved by the Solicitor-General's Office after investigation.

Allen noted that while the online payment is convenient, it is not suitable for all
scenarios.

"By paying the ticket, the citation holder is admitting their guilt to the offense and waiving their right to come to court," Allen said. "If there is any question regarding their guilt or innocence or the effect of the ticket payment to their driving record, they need to speak with the Solicitor-General's Office prior to payment, and seek the advice of an attorney concerning their rights."

The online payment feature has already proven a popular option since its introduction earlier this year.

"We have seen quite a few citation holders utilize the online payment option," Allen said. "At the same time, phone payments and payments in person at our office have decreased, which was anticipated. We foresee a trend of more and more people opting to take advantage of the online payment feature."

To access the online payment portal, visit www.forsythclerk.com and click on 'Court Docket' beneath the E-Services menu on the left side of the home page. Click on 'Criminal Case Records' to search for the citation.

Tickets are available for online payment after they have been received from the SolicitorGeneral's Office, which generally occurs 10 to 12 days before the court date listed on the citation.

For questions or additional information, call the Forsyth County Clerk of Courts at 770.781.2120 or email [email protected]