Mississippi Traffic Tickets

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Most Mississippi traffic citations are heard in either justice court (county-level, for citations issued by the highway patrol or sheriff's deputies) or municipal court (city-level, for citations issued by city police). Both are limited-jurisdiction trial courts that handle misdemeanor traffic violations, and both can offer some form of non-adjudication for first-offense drivers with otherwise clean records.

The 30-day response deadline

Every Mississippi traffic citation prints a court date or a "respond by" date typically 30 days from issuance. Before that date, the driver must do one of the following:

Pay the fine listed on the citation (an admission and a conviction).
Appear in court on the assigned date to contest the ticket or negotiate a plea.
File a written request for a continuance or for non-adjudication.

Failure to appear or pay by the deadline triggers an automatic Failure to Appear (FTA) suspension by MS DPS. The driver loses driving privileges until the underlying citation is resolved and a $100 reinstatement fee is paid — see Mississippi suspended license. FTA suspensions are separate from the underlying citation and require independent clearance.

Justice court vs. municipal court

The court of jurisdiction depends on who issued the citation:

Justice court — Citations from Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers, county sheriff's deputies, and most non-municipal law enforcement. Each Mississippi county has at least one justice court; larger counties have multiple posts.
Municipal court — Citations from city police departments. Each Mississippi city operates its own municipal court for ordinance and traffic violations within city limits.

The citation lists the court of jurisdiction. Decisions in either court can be appealed to the circuit court of the county within 30 days.

Non-adjudication

Mississippi judges and prosecutors have considerable discretion to offer non-adjudication to first-offense drivers. The terms vary by court but typically:

The driver pays the fine (often the standard ticket amount, sometimes higher).
The driver completes a probationary period (typically 6-12 months without further citations).
The driver may be required to attend a defensive driving course (provider varies by court).
If the conditions are met, the case is dismissed without a conviction posting to the Mississippi driver record, and no points are assigned under the Mississippi point system.

Non-adjudication is not available for DUI, reckless driving, or any felony traffic violation. It's also typically limited to one use within any rolling 5-year window. The judge has discretion to deny non-adjudication based on the driver's prior record or the severity of the violation.

Plea reductions

Some Mississippi prosecutors will accept a plea to a reduced or non-moving charge in exchange for the dismissal of the original moving violation. Common reductions:

Speeding 20+ mph over reduced to "obstruction of traffic" or "improper lane change" (a non-moving or lower-point violation).
Reckless driving reduced to "careless driving" or "improper passing."
Stop-sign or red-light violation reduced to an equipment violation.

The reduction typically costs the same fine as the original citation but avoids the higher point assignment. Drivers should not expect a reduction without negotiation — either through their own appearance in court or through an attorney. Drivers operating CDLs face strict federal limits on plea reductions for citations received in commercial vehicles.

Contested hearings

Drivers who want to fight a Mississippi citation appear in court on the assigned date and request a trial. The trial is bench (judge-only) for civil traffic infractions and can be a jury trial for misdemeanor traffic offenses. The driver may:

Cross-examine the citing officer.
Present witnesses and physical evidence.
Submit photographs, dashcam, or GPS records.
Be represented by an attorney (recommended for misdemeanor and CDL-related citations).

If the citation is upheld, the driver pays the fine and the conviction posts. If dismissed, no points or fines are assessed. Decisions can be appealed to the circuit court within 30 days.

Criminal traffic violations

Some traffic citations are charged as misdemeanors or felonies, not civil violations. These include:

Reckless driving (MS Code § 63-3-1201).
Driving on a suspended license (MS Code § 63-1-57).
Hit-and-run / leaving the scene of an accident (MS Code § 63-3-401).
DUI — covered separately on the Mississippi DUI laws page.

Criminal traffic citations carry potential jail time, which means the driver has a constitutional right to court-appointed counsel if they cannot afford an attorney. These cases cannot be diverted through standard non-adjudication and typically require formal arraignment, plea, and sentencing.

Paying online

Most Mississippi justice and municipal courts accept online payment through their court website or through county-provided payment portals. The fee is the citation amount plus court surcharges, typically a small ($3-$5) processing fee. Once paid, the citation is resolved as a conviction with points assigned, unless the driver elected non-adjudication or contested the citation in court instead. Drivers should also confirm 25/50/25 Mississippi insurance remains active, as insurers can adjust premium at the next renewal based on the new conviction.