Fort Worth Municipal Court: traffic ticket guide

Fort Worth traffic tickets go to the Fort Worth Municipal Court at the A.D. Marshall building downtown. You have 21 days from the citation to respond, which is shorter than many North Texas courts.

The court's former Golden Triangle Library location stopped in-person services in March 2022. Use the downtown building.

The 21-day deadline

Fort Worth's court rules say a plea must be filed with the clerk within 21 days after the citation is issued. Its warrant page says a warrant can be issued if you do not respond within 21 days. If you want deferred disposition or a driving safety course, ask inside that window.

Your options for a Fort Worth traffic ticket

Pay the fine

Pay online, by phone, by mail (check, money order or cashier's check to City of Fort Worth, no cash) or in cash at participating retail stores for a $1.50 fee. Paying is a conviction on your driving record.

Deferred disposition

You plead no contest or guilty and pay court costs plus any special expense fee, and the ticket is dismissed if you complete the probation terms. The court says you are not eligible if you are under 17, hold a CDL, or have had probation in the last 12 months, and you may not be eligible for an accident, speeding more than 24 mph over, passing a school bus, or a construction zone with workers present.

Driving safety course (defensive driving)

Request it within 21 calendar days of the citation; after that, a judge has to approve it. You need to be 17 or older, hold a Texas license that is not a CDL, have proof of insurance, be no more than 24 mph over, and not have taken a course in the last 12 months. The court says not to take the course or order your driving record until it approves your request.

Both requests can be made online, by mail or in person. Do not send money with a mailed request.

Plead not guilty

Mark not guilty on the citation, choose a judge or jury trial, sign it and mail or bring it to 1000 Throckmorton, or enter the plea online.

Payment plans and community service

A judge sets payment plan terms, and you must apply in person; mailed applications are not accepted. A $15 state fee applies if you pay more than 30 days after judgment. Community service can be requested through virtual court.

Fort Worth virtual court

Fort Worth runs virtual courtrooms on Webex for pleas, payment plans, community service, compliance dismissals, deferred disposition, driving safety course and warrant questions. Start by calling (817) 392-6700 or using the court's web chat.

If you miss your Fort Worth court date

The court lists the triggers for a warrant: not responding within 21 days, missing your court date, not paying, failing deferred disposition or driving safety course terms, or defaulting on a payment plan. A $50 warrant fee is added to the case, and to contest a warrant you have to post bond.

How an attorney handles a Fort Worth ticket

Fort Worth requires an attorney to appear in writing by email to the court's docket address, and the court does not reset a case just because an attorney appears. At a virtual attorney plea setting you do not have to attend; at an in-person one you do. Hiring an attorney early keeps the 21-day options open.

Nearby court guides

Arlington · Bedford · Mansfield · All courts · No insurance tickets

Questions, answered

How long do I have to respond to a Fort Worth ticket?

21 days. The court's rules say a plea must be filed within 21 days after the citation is issued, and a warrant can be issued if you do not respond within 21 days.

Can I take defensive driving for a Fort Worth ticket?

If you are eligible: 17 or older, a Texas license that is not a CDL, proof of insurance, no more than 24 mph over, and no course in the last 12 months. Request it within 21 days, and wait for court approval before taking the course.

Is the Fort Worth court open on Fridays?

Since October 5, 2026, in-person service is Monday to Thursday, and Friday is virtual service only, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Does Fort Worth add a fee if a warrant is issued?

Yes. The court says a $50 warrant fee is added to your case if a warrant is issued.

Sources

• City of Fort Worth: Municipal Court
• Payments
• Citations
• Deferred disposition (probation)
• Driving safety course
• Warrants
• Virtual court
• Rules of the court

Checked 2026-11-10. Court rules and fees change; the court has the final word.