Administration Division FAQ's | Civil Division FAQ's
Court Services Division FAQ's

What payment methods do you accept for payment of fines, fees and court costs?

City Court accepts cash, checks made payable to the City of Baton Rouge (no temporary checks), Visa, MasterCard,  American Express and Discover Card. A 5% processing fee is charged to credit card payments. A $65 NSF fee is charged on all checks returned unpaid for criminal/traffic payments. Payments by check can be made in person at 233 St. Louis Street, Baton Rouge, LA or mailed to Baton Rouge City Court, Accounting Division, P.O. Box 3438, Baton Rouge, LA. 70821. A payment postmarked AFTER your court appearance date must include and additional $50 penalty fee. Credit Card payments can be made in person or by telephone by calling (225) 389-5289. Please have your ticket number and credit card number available when you call.

Credit card payments can also be made through the City Court Online Payment Center or through the City Court automated phone payment system, which can be reached by dialing (225) 344-4636, and pressing extension 5050. Only Visa, American Express, MasterCard are accepted through these automated payment systems.

What if I can’t pay my fine?  Can I do community service work in lieu of my fine or make partial payments?

Community Service Work and Partial Payment plans are available in some cases. If you cannot pay your fine by the scheduled court date, you must appear in person in Room 145 to have your case file pulled and reviewed. Failure to appear timely will result in the issuance of a bench warrant for your arrest, withdrawal of your driving privileges, and the assessment of additional penalty fees. All City Court Warrants for arrest are posted on the City Court website Warrant Page.

Can I get an extension or reschedule my court date?

You must appear in person in Room 145 on or before your scheduled court date to have your file pulled and reviewed to see if you qualify for approval of an extension. Another person cannot appear on your behalf to request an extension or reschedule your court date because the violator must sign for notice of the new court date. A personal appearance is required and proper picture identification is required. Another person can, however, appear and pay for your fine.

Do I have to provide proof of insurance for a vehicle that is not mine?

If you do not have proof of insurance, regardless if the vehicle is yours, you will be required to appear in court on the scheduled court appearance date.

How can I keep a ticket or misdemeanor off my record?

There are two Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Laws, Article 892.1 and Article 894 that provide a method to keep a ticket or misdemeanor offense off of your record. To participate in either one of these programs, you must pay the fine and applicable driving school fee. Payment and scheduling can be completed by a personal appearance or a payment can be mailed along with a written request to participate in the program. A court appearance date will be given to you according to the applicable programs indicated below. If your payment and request is made by mail, you will receive your notice by mail.

Article 892.1 Requirements
Traffic Offenses:

• First time offenders, no moving violations on driving record
• Traffic misdemeanor offenses only
• Valid driver’s license in a participating state
• No other dismissals in the past two years from date of offense
• Court date scheduled for 90 days to complete the four-hour defensive driving course
• Affidavit attesting to compliance with court conditions must be signed and notarized. Click here for Affidavit form

Article 894 Requirements
Traffic, Misdemeanor, or DWI Offenses:

• No more than one prior moving violation within last 3 years
• Valid Louisiana or participating state driver’s license
• No other dismissals in the past five years
• Court date scheduled for 6 months to complete the 6 hour defensive driving course
• Six month probationary period–must refrain from any and all criminal conduct and traffic violations
• Affidavit attesting to compliance with Court conditions must be signed and notarized.   Click here for Article 894 Guidelines.pdf
  Click here for Article 894 Affidavit.pdf
• $50.00 fee payable to DPS–Motor Vehicles, for DWI offenses.
• Call (225) 389-3020 for further information.

How do I get a case disposition or copy of court minutes?

You will need to appear in person in Room 145. The following costs will apply:

Court Minutes:   $ .50 per page
Certified Court Minutes:   $ 1.00 per page

My driver’s license has been suspended.  How do I get it reinstated?

You will need to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles at 1-877-368-5463 to find out why your license has been suspended. You may have an outstanding traffic fine owed and must clear this up before your license can be reinstated.

Do I have an outstanding Bench Warrant?

All City Court bench warrants are posted on our Warrant Reports of our website. You can also call our Criminal/Traffic Division at (225) 389-5278 or the Warrant Division of the City Constable’s Office at (225) 389-3889.

Where can I get a Criminal Background check for my job?

Background checks for the city are performed in the Criminal Records Division at the Baton Rouge Police Department located at 504 Mayflower or at Parish Prison.

How long does a traffic ticket stay on my driving record?

A ticket remains on your driving record for 3 years after the final disposition of guilty.

Can I see what is on my Criminal Record for City Court?

You can request a search of the records of charges filed in Baton Rouge City Court by calling the Records Division at (225) 389-8388. There is a $20 record check fee charged for this search.

How can I clear my Criminal Record?

Some arrest charges can qualify for expungement if your case was dismissed or an acquittal was received. Call the Records Division at (225) 389-8388. There is a $100 filing fee for requesting an expungement. 

How can I find out if someone was arrested in court today and taken to jail?

You can find out this information by calling the City Constable’s Office at (225) 389-8433.

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