Are you struggling to afford a traffic ticket before the deadline? If you do not pay your traffic ticket off on time, you will have to face increasingly severe consequences, until you pay it off. This usually starts with late fees and fines, but it can escalate to losing your driver’s license or even having a warrant issued for your arrest.
In this guide from Idaho Title Loans, Inc., we will outline the consequences of paying a traffic ticket late. After explaining Idaho traffic ticket penalties, we will discuss ways to handle these consequences and methods for paying the ticket on time. Learn how to get an Idaho cash advance, title loan, or personal loan to afford your ticket and avoid late fees, license revocation, and potential legal action.
4 Consequences Of Paying A Traffic Ticket Late
Most drivers receive a traffic ticket at least once in their lives. Humans are flawed and can make honest mistakes that can cost them. According to Insurify, about 7.1% of Idaho drivers were ticketed for speeding in 2024, a top-5 rate for states in the US.
The average traffic ticket cost can vary based on the state and infraction, but ticketed drivers, on average, have to pay at least $150. That can be hard for someone living paycheck to paycheck. Missing this cost can lead to major financial and legal consequences.
Here are four Idaho traffic ticket penalties:
1. Late Fees
The first thing you’ll have to worry about after missing a traffic ticket is late fees, which will increase the cost of your ticket. Anything 30 days past the due date is considered late and will lead to possibly over $100 in extra fees. Depending on where you live, you will have a certain amount of time to either pay off the ticket or enter a plea deal in court.
Usually, the court system gives you a couple of months to decide whether you will pay the ticket or challenge it. If you have not done either of these things by then, you will probably have to pay a “Civil Assessment” fee that could be several hundred dollars, in addition to the original cost of the ticket.
To avoid late fees, you could request an extension. By citing your financial situation, you could get the leeway of a few extra weeks to save money to pay off your ticket. However, traffic ticket late fees can escalate to license suspension.
2. License Suspension
The next major consequence of paying a traffic ticket late is that you could have your driver’s license suspended. This situation can become even more frustrating. For instance, you might choose not to pay your traffic ticket due to financial hardship.
However, this financial stress will only worsen if your driver’s license is suspended. You’ll have a very hard time getting to and from work, and you might even lose your job because of it. Additionally, running important errands becomes nearly impossible with a suspended driver’s license.
You can keep your license as long as you respond to court notices, appear in court, and pay any late fees. During your court appearance, you can explain your financial situation and why you missed your payment to avoid losing your license. However, failure to appear for court can lead to even worse consequences.
3. Arrest Warrant
Ignoring a late traffic ticket and failure to appear in court can lead to a warrant for your arrest. This means that you can be arrested if caught doing a traffic violation or if you are stopped during a routine encounter with police. This warrant is intended to get you to handle the fees associated with your late ticket.
Depending on the severity of your initial traffic infraction and how long you’ve gone without paying the ticket, you could spend up to six months in jail.
Avoid this terrifying consequence by keeping in touch with law enforcement and appearing in court when scheduled. You can negotiate a payment plan and ask for extensions to pay the ticket and avoid jail time.
4. Lowered Credit Score
The long-term effects of unpaid traffic tickets can affect your credit score, leading to a major credit score drop of over 50 points. If you fail to pay the traffic ticket for over 90 days, the debt can enter collections. The agency handling the collection can report this to the major credit bureau.
This can negatively affect your payment history and lower your score the same way as missing rent, credit card payments, or student loan payments. Make sure you prioritize paying your traffic ticket on time to avoid lowering your score and affecting your ability to get approved for bank, auto, and home loans.
How Can Loans Help You Afford Traffic Tickets?
When you cannot afford a traffic ticket, an emergency loan can help. At Idaho Title Loans, Inc., we offer quick loans that you should only go for in an emergency situation. They can help with traffic tickets to help you avoid the serious consequences we outlined above.
Here are some of the loans you can get to afford to pay a traffic ticket on time:
- Title loans – This emergency loan lets you borrow up to $15,000 based on the value of your vehicle. You must own your car, truck, or van outright to get approved. The required items you will need are your driver’s license, a lien-free vehicle title in your name, and a vehicle for inspection.
- Payday loans – Also known as a cash advance, a payday loan lets you borrow up to $500 from a future paycheck after providing your income. How much you can borrow depends on your income level. You will need a state-issued photo ID, your most recent pay stub, and a blank check from an active checking account in your name. You will need to repay the loan with your next paycheck.
- Installment loans – These personal loans allow you to borrow up to $1,500 after agreeing to repay the loan in fixed installment payments. To get approved for an installment loan, you will need a state-issued photo ID, proof of income, and a checking account statement in your name.
While these loans can help, they should only be used for emergencies. If you cannot possibly pay the traffic ticket on time, these are last resort options to avoid late fees, lowered credit, losing your license, and an arrest warrant. Approval only takes a few steps, as long as you have the required items mentioned above.
Getting Approved For Idaho Loans Today
The approval process takes less than one day. We have just a few simple steps for you to complete. You can begin the process online from your home or office before visiting the nearest Idaho store location to complete the process in less than 30 minutes.
The following is a step-by-step guide to getting approved for our loans:
- Fill out our online inquiry form with your basic information
- Speak to a loan representative about loan details and how to get approved
- Bring your required items to the nearest Idaho store for verification
- If you’re getting a title loan, have your vehicle inspected for its value
- Sign the loan agreement to complete the process
- Receive your loan cash later that day or by the next business day
Get Approved For An Emergency Loan – Pay Your Late Traffic Ticket Today!
Traffic tickets can be expensive, but the consequences only get steeper the longer you go without paying. This is why you should always avoid paying traffic tickets late with the help of Idaho Title Loans, Inc. Our title loans, payday loans, and installment loans can get you emergency cash within 24 hours.
Ready to get quick funds for a late traffic ticket? Just fill out our online loan form, and we will call you today to explain how you can get approved within 30 minutes.
Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.
