Austin Traffic Citation Records
Austin Municipal Court handles Class C misdemeanor traffic citations issued by Austin Police Department officers within city limits. The court runs a main location and two substations, with an online inquiry portal, phone payment option, and mail-in payment available. This page covers how to find your case, pay your fine, and understand your options for keeping a conviction off your driving record.
Austin Quick Facts
Austin Municipal Court
The main Austin Municipal Court is at 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, Suite 175, Austin, TX 78744. Phone: 512-974-4800. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The court's case inquiry portal is at austintexas.gov/municipal-court/public-inquiry. The city's citation handling guide is at austintexas.gov/services/handle-citation.
Two substations serve different areas of Austin:
| North Substation | 2121 W. Parmer Ln, Suite 116, Austin, TX 78727 |
|---|---|
| South Substation | 5701 S. Mopac Expy, Austin, TX 78749 |
Check your citation or call 512-974-4800 to confirm which court location handles your case. The substations may have different operating hours than the main location.
How to Search Austin Citation Records
Use the Austin Municipal Court public inquiry portal at austintexas.gov/municipal-court/public-inquiry to look up your case. This portal shows case status, court date, and outstanding amounts. It is the primary online tool for Austin citation records.
The statewide TOPICs tool at topics.txcourts.gov/CitationsPublic also covers Austin Municipal Court. If you are not sure whether your ticket went to Austin Municipal Court or a Travis County JP court, try TOPICs first. It searches across all Texas courts with a single query.
If your ticket was issued by a Travis County constable, sheriff deputy, or DPS trooper in an unincorporated area, the case is in a Travis County JP court, not Austin Municipal Court. The city and county systems are separate. Check the agency listed on your citation to know which applies.
Note: Paying your fine in Texas is treated as a guilty plea under Art. 27.14(c) CCP. DPS records the conviction. Moving violations can affect your insurance premiums. Consider defensive driving or deferred disposition before paying, especially for speeding tickets.
Payment Options
Pay online through the Austin Municipal Court inquiry portal at austintexas.gov/municipal-court/public-inquiry. The portal accepts credit cards and debit cards. Online payment is available at any hour, so you do not need to call or visit during business hours.
Phone payment is available by calling 512-974-4640. Have your citation number and card information ready. This option is useful if you prefer talking to someone rather than using the online portal, or if you run into trouble with the website.
Mail-in payment by check or money order is accepted. Send to PO Box 2135, Austin, TX 78768-2135. Write your citation number on the memo line. Allow several days for mail processing, and send well before your court date if you are close to the deadline. In-person payments are taken at the main court and both substations during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Defensive Driving (DSC)
Austin Municipal Court allows eligible drivers to take a state-approved defensive driving course in exchange for a citation dismissal. Under Art. 45.0511 CCP, you must request DSC before your court date. You cannot have completed a DSC course in the past 12 months. CDL holders driving a commercial vehicle when cited are not eligible. Certain violations such as passing a school bus or failing to stop after an accident also do not qualify.
Once approved, pick a course from the TDLR-approved list at tdlr.texas.gov. Many providers offer online courses that can be completed in a single day. Submit your certificate to Austin Municipal Court after completing the course. The case gets dismissed, and DPS records it as a Type 3A dismissal rather than a conviction. Your insurance rate is not affected by a dismissed case the way it would be by a guilty finding.
Call 512-974-4800 to confirm court costs for the DSC option and any specific steps Austin Municipal Court requires beyond the state minimum procedures.
Deferred Disposition
Deferred disposition under Art. 45.051 CCP gives the judge the option to pause your case for 90 to 180 days. If you meet the court's conditions and avoid new violations during that period, the case is dismissed at the end. No conviction goes on your record.
This is especially useful if you already completed defensive driving within the past year and cannot use DSC again. The judge has full discretion to approve or deny deferred disposition. Call 512-974-4800 ahead of your court date to ask whether deferred disposition is an option for your type of violation. Come prepared with your citation and ready to explain your situation to the judge.
County Connection
Austin is in Travis County. Citations from Travis County constables, sheriff deputies, or state troopers in unincorporated areas go to Travis County JP courts, not Austin Municipal Court. The two systems are entirely separate. If your ticket was not issued by Austin Police, you likely need the Travis County JP system instead.
Travis County Traffic Ticket RecordsState Resources
The statewide TOPICs portal at topics.txcourts.gov/CitationsPublic covers Austin Municipal Court and all other Texas courts. If you missed a court date and suspect an OMNI hold on your license, check texasfailuretoappear.com. OMNI adds a $10 fee and blocks license renewal under Transportation Code Ch. 706.
Texas driving records are available through Texas DPS. After your case closes, order a Type 2A record to check how the outcome was recorded. This matters particularly after a DSC dismissal or deferred disposition, when you want to confirm no conviction was entered.
Austin's citation handling guide at austintexas.gov/services/handle-citation walks through every option for responding to a traffic ticket, from payment to defensive driving to contesting the charge in court.
The Austin handle-a-citation page explains the full range of options for resolving a traffic ticket issued within Austin city limits, including payment, DSC, deferred disposition, and trial.
The City of Austin's main portal at austintexas.gov links to the municipal court, public inquiry portal, and other city services related to traffic citations and court records.
Austin's city portal connects residents to municipal court resources including case lookup, payment, substation locations, and citation handling guides for traffic tickets issued by Austin Police.