Temple Traffic Ticket Records
Temple traffic ticket records are filed with the Temple Municipal Court for citations issued by Temple police officers within city limits. Temple is located in Bell County in Central Texas, roughly midway between Austin and Waco on I-35. Tickets from Bell County deputies or state troopers outside city limits go to Bell County JP courts instead. This page covers how to find your citation in either system, what it will cost, and what options you have before your court date.
Temple Overview
Temple Municipal Court
The Temple Municipal Court handles all Class C misdemeanor traffic citations issued by Temple Police Department officers within city limits. This is the primary court for city-issued traffic tickets in Temple. It is separate from the Bell County JP courts, which handle county citations in rural and unincorporated parts of Bell County.
| Court | Temple Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 2 N First St, Temple, TX 76501 |
| Phone | (254) 298-5600 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | templetx.gov |
The city's website at templetx.gov has court information, payment links, and other city services. For Bell County JP citations, contact the Bell County courts directly. The Bell County courthouse is in Belton, the county seat, a short drive south of Temple on I-35.
How to Search Temple Traffic Citations
The TOPICs statewide portal at topics.txcourts.gov/CitationsPublic is the easiest way to look up a Temple traffic ticket. It searches courts across Texas, including Temple Municipal Court. Enter your citation number, name, or driver's license number to find your case, check the current status, and confirm your court date.
You can also call Temple Municipal Court at (254) 298-5600 to ask about your ticket. Have your citation number ready. Staff can tell you the fine amount, your court date, and whether your ticket is eligible for defensive driving or deferred disposition. In-person visits are welcome at 2 N First St during regular business hours.
If your ticket was issued on a county highway or in an unincorporated area by a county deputy or DPS trooper, your case may be in Bell County JP court rather than Temple Municipal Court. Bell County has JP precincts across the county. Use TOPICs to confirm which court has your case before you call the wrong office.
Note: Paying a Texas traffic fine is a guilty plea under Art. 27.14(c) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The conviction goes to Texas DPS and can increase your auto insurance rates. Consider your options before paying, especially if the ticket is for a moving violation like speeding.
Payment Options
Temple Municipal Court accepts payment online through the city portal at templetx.gov. You can also pay in person at 2 N First St, by phone during business hours, or by mail with a check or money order. Write your citation number on any check or money order to make sure it is applied to the right case.
Always confirm the total amount you owe before submitting payment. The base fine on your ticket does not include mandatory state fees and court costs that Texas law requires courts to collect. The actual total is usually higher. Call the court, use the online portal, or visit in person to get the exact figure.
If you miss your court date, Temple Municipal Court can enter a judgment and notify the OMNI program. An active OMNI hold blocks your Texas driver's license from renewal. You cannot renew until you pay the fine plus a $10 OMNI fee. Clear OMNI holds at texasfailuretoappear.com. Transportation Code Chapter 706, at statutes.capitol.texas.gov, authorizes the OMNI program.
Defensive Driving Dismissal
Art. 45.0511 of the Code of Criminal Procedure allows Temple Municipal Court to dismiss an eligible traffic citation when you complete a TDLR-approved defensive driving course. Ask for this option before your court date. Once you enter any plea, this path is typically no longer available.
To be eligible, you cannot have completed a defensive driving course to dismiss another ticket in the past 12 months. CDL holders who were driving a commercial motor vehicle at the time are excluded. Some offenses, particularly those involving accidents with serious injury, are also excluded by statute. If the court approves your request, it sets a fee and gives you typically 90 days to finish an approved course and return the completion certificate.
Pick a course from the TDLR-approved list at tdlr.texas.gov. Online and in-person options are both available. Once you file your certificate with Temple Municipal Court, the case is dismissed. DPS records it as a Type 3A dismissal, not a conviction. Hold onto your certificate copy even after the case closes.
Deferred Disposition
Art. 45.051 of the Code of Criminal Procedure lets Temple Municipal Court defer a traffic case for a probation period, typically 90 to 180 days. If you comply with the judge's conditions and have no new violations during that period, the case is dismissed. You end up with no conviction on your record.
Deferred disposition can work even when you are not eligible for defensive driving dismissal, such as when you used it within the past year. The judge has wide discretion on whether to grant deferral and what conditions to set. Some judges require defensive driving as a condition. Others may just require a clean record during the deferral period. Ask the court before your court date what to expect in Temple for these requests.
Bell County Court Connection
Bell County covers Temple and the surrounding region, including the county seat of Belton. If your ticket was issued by a county deputy or state trooper outside Temple city limits, your case is in Bell County JP court rather than Temple Municipal Court. Both handle Class C traffic violations but are completely separate systems. For full details on Bell County JP courts, visit the county page.
State Resources
The TOPICs statewide citation portal at topics.txcourts.gov/CitationsPublic searches Temple and Bell County records. For your Texas driving record, visit dps.texas.gov to order a record online or request one by mail using Form DR-1. A Type 2A record shows the full history including any convictions reported from court.
For OMNI holds, use texasfailuretoappear.com to identify which court placed the hold and what you need to pay. The Temple city portal at templetx.gov is the main gateway for municipal court services, payments, and city contact information.
The Temple city portal at templetx.gov provides access to municipal court services, online payment tools, and contact information for traffic citations issued in Temple, Texas.