To pay a 43rd District Court traffic ticket, you have four options: the CLEMIS online payment portal, mail, phone, or in person at the branch handling your citation. The court covers three Oakland County cities — Madison Heights, Ferndale, and Hazel Park — and you have 14 days from the date on your ticket to pay or request a hearing. Important warning before you pay anything: submitting payment counts as admitting responsibility for the violation and waives your right to a hearing. If you want to fight the ticket, read the section on contesting below first.
Paying Online
The fastest route is the CLEMIS payment portal at apps.clemis.org. Look up your ticket by entering either your ticket number and last name, or your driver’s license number and last name.1CLEMIS. CLEMIS – Pay Ticket The ticket number is printed at the top of the citation.
CLEMIS accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, and charges a 3.5% service fee on top of the fine. The fee shows up before you confirm, so you can see the total first.1CLEMIS. CLEMIS – Pay Ticket
The Madison Heights branch also uses a second system called AllPaid, which handles both online and phone payments. The phone number for AllPaid is (888) 604-7888, and service fees apply there too.2City of Madison Heights. Make a Payment If you’re not sure which portal applies to your citation, call the branch listed on the ticket before paying.
Paying by Mail or In Person
All three branches accept cash, check, money order, and debit or credit card at the counter. Checks and money orders are made payable to “43rd District Court.” Out-of-state checks are not accepted. Card payments made in person carry a 4% processing fee charged by an outside agency.343rd District Court. 43rd District Court – Traffic/Parking
To pay by mail, sign the admission of responsibility section on the back of your ticket and send it with your payment to the branch that has jurisdiction. Mail early enough for it to arrive before the 14-day deadline. Including a self-addressed stamped envelope is a sensible way to get written proof of receipt, though it isn’t a formal court requirement.
Each branch has a locked drop box for payments outside business hours. The Ferndale branch has two: one on the parking lot side of the courthouse and another in front of the Ferndale Police Department at 310 E. 9 Mile Road.443rd District Court. 43rd District Court – Court Information Seal your ticket and payment inside an envelope before dropping them in.
Branch Locations and Hours
Your ticket was filed at the branch covering the city where the stop happened. Each location has its own address, phone number, and hours.
- Madison Heights: 200 W. 13 Mile Rd., Madison Heights, MI 48071. Phone: (248) 583-1800. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.5City of Madison Heights. 43rd District Court
- Ferndale: 305 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, MI 48220. Phone: (248) 547-8700. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:25 p.m.643rd District Court. 43rd District Court – Ferndale
- Hazel Park: 43 E. Nine Mile Rd., Hazel Park, MI 48030. Phone: (248) 547-3034. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.7City of Hazel Park. 43rd District Court – Hazel Park Division
Call the branch on your ticket if you have case-specific questions. Clerks at one location can’t pull up records from another branch, so contacting the wrong office only delays things.
If You Want to Contest the Ticket Instead
Do not pay if you plan to fight the citation. Payment is a formal admission of responsibility and ends your right to a hearing. You have two options to contest, and you must request one within the same 14-day window: an informal hearing before a magistrate (no attorneys on either side) or a formal hearing before a judge (attorneys and subpoenaed witnesses permitted on both sides).8Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws Section 257.747 Contact the branch on your ticket to schedule either one.
What Happens If You Miss the 14-Day Deadline
Missing the response window is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make. The court enters a default judgment, meaning you’re found responsible without a hearing, and late fees get added to the original fine.343rd District Court. 43rd District Court – Traffic/Parking
Your license is the bigger problem. After 28 or more days of noncompliance, the court mails a warning to your last known address giving you 14 additional days to pay or appear. Ignore that, and the court notifies the Michigan Secretary of State, who suspends your driving privileges. The suspension stays in place until you resolve every outstanding citation and pay a $45 driver license clearance fee for each one.9Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.321a – Failure to Answer Citation or Notice to Appear in Court Two forgotten tickets means $90 in clearance fees alone, on top of the fines and late charges.
Continued inaction can escalate further. The court can issue a summons requiring you to appear and explain why you haven’t paid, and defiance after that can result in a bench warrant for your arrest.
If You Can’t Pay the Full Amount
Michigan law lets courts grant installment plans for fines and costs over a set period.10Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws Section 257.907 Unless the court specifically approves a plan, the full amount is due immediately. Call the branch handling your ticket before the 14-day deadline and ask about installments. Waiting until after a default judgment makes everything harder and more expensive, so make the call early if money is tight.