Tickets and Summons

Types of Notices

A ticket is an “offence notice.” You must action your ticket by selecting one of the three options listed on the ticket within 15 days of receiving your ticket.

Common ticket types Include: a ticket issued at the roadside, Automated Speed Enforcement, York Region Transit.

A summons is an order to appear in front of a Justice of the Peace. You or someone on your behalf must attend court at the time and place shown on the ticket. 

Ticket Options

If you receive an offence notice (also called a traffic ticket), you must respond to your ticket by selecting one of the three options listed on your ticket within 15 days. If you choose not to respond to your ticket, you may be convicted and additional costs will apply.

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Option 1. Pay your fine

By choosing this option, you are admitting guilt and you must pay the total payable amount listed at the bottom of your ticket. The total payable amount consists of the set fine, plus costs and victim fine surcharge.

There are four ways of paying your fine:

• Online
• By phone
• In person
• By mail

For more information about paying your fine, please see Pay a Ticket or Fine

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Option 2. Plead of guilty — submissions as to penalty

Please call the courthouse listed on your offence notice to schedule a time to speak with the Justice of the Peace to plead guilty with an explanation.

You may request the Justice of the Peace reduce your fine or extend your time to pay. It will be up to the Justice to decide if your request will be fulfilled.

It is important to understand that a Justice of the Peace cannot remove or reduce demerit points and cannot reduce the charge. Demerit points are applied by the Ministry of Transportation upon conviction and the court cannot change the demerit points to be applied. More information on the demerit point system is available from the Ministry of Transportation.

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Option 3. Request a Trial (Not Guilty)

If you believe you are not guilty of the charge noted on your ticket, you may request a trial by signing your ticket under Option 3 on the second page or reverse side of your offence notice or ticket. There are three ways to submit this information:

1. Scan and email to @email (4960) or @email (4961)
   • Acceptable file formats: JPEG, PDF or PNG
2. Mail or deliver your trial request in person at

Note: You can book an appointment for one of our court offices online to submit your trial request form in person. Online booking is available 24/7 for your convenience.

Make sure to keep a copy of your ticket for your records. You will be notified of your upcoming trial date by mail or email. Notify the court office of any change in address to ensure your trial notice is sent to the proper address.

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Can I get advice on which option to choose?

Court administration staff cannot provide legal advice on how you should proceed. If you are unable to make a choice from the three options listed on the reverse side of your ticket, you may wish to get advice from a lawyer or licensed paralegal.

What happens if I do nothing

Offence Notice (ticket):

The ticket will be reviewed by the Clerk of the Court who may convict you in your absence and impose the set fine for the offence. Once convicted, you cannot choose any of the options indicated on the back of your ticket.

Summons:

If you receive a summons, you or someone on your behalf, must attend the court hearing at the time and place indicated on the summons. If you or your representative do not attend the scheduled court date, it is your responsibility to find out from the court office what happened, including whether a trial date was set and for which courtroom, time and date.

One or more of the following could apply if you do not pay your fine:

• Additional court and administrative costs
• Licence suspension
• Licence plate denial
• Addition of unpaid fines to a municipal tax roll
• Wage garnishments and property liens
• Involvement by third party collection agencies
• Credit bureau may be notified and your credit rating may be impacted

Pleading guilty after the trial is set

If you have scheduled a trial but want to pay your fine instead, you can: pay your ticket online;  call the court office up to three days before the trial date, or visit the courthouse in person at any Provincial Offences Court in Ontario.

You can also book an appointment before your trial to speak with the Justice of the Peace to plead guilty with an explanation.

To contact a court office by phone please call:

Newmarket (4960)

905-898-0425 or 1-877-331-3309
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Richmond Hill Prosecution Office (4961)

905-762-2105 or 1-866-758-0750
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

Parking Infraction Notices (also called Parking Tickets)

If you have received a Parking Infraction Notice, also called a parking ticket, please select the municipality below noted on the back of your ticket for additional information.

• Town of Aurora*
• Town of East Gwillimbury
• Town of Georgina
• Town of Newmarket
• Township of King*
• Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville*
• City of Markham
• City of Vaughan
• Town of Richmond Hill

*If you have received a Notice of Fine and Due Date (Unpaid Fine) from Aurora, East Gwillimbury, King or Whitchurch-Stouffville municipalities as noted above, you can pay the parking fines at any provincial court office in-person or by calling the Newmarket or Richmond Hill court office. 

Demerit points

Visit the Ministry of Transportation's website for more information on demerit points. Driving-related demerit points are automatically imposed by law if you are found guilty of certain driving offences. The Justice of the Peace cannot remove or reduce demerit points.