Missouri Public Traffic Records

What are Missouri Public Traffic Records?

In Missouri, public traffic records are a complication several official records maintained and generated by government agencies and courts. These records contain information regarding a subject's driving or traffic history in the state. The Department of Revenue and the courts are responsible for generating these records in Missouri. Contained in these public traffic records are convictions, sentences, and tickets relating to a subject's traffic offenses and general driving history in the state. Missouri state laws allow these records to be easily accessible by members of the public.

Are Traffic Records Public in Missouri?

Yes, traffic records are public in Missouri. The Missouri sunshine law ensures government openness by allowing public records generated and maintained by several public bodies in the state to be accessed by the general public. However, public traffic records are covered by the Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). The DPPA exempts certain personal information contained in these public records from being accessed by the general public except when express consent from the subject of the record can be provided.

Personal information exempted under the DPPA includes:

• Personal/identifying information.
• The driver's license number.
• Phone number.
• Social security number.
• Medical information including disabilities.
• Photographs.

Although traffic records may contain DPPA exempted information, these records are still considered public records. However, requestors that do not have express consent from the subject of a record may request records without personal information. These records primarily highlight traffic offenses, including tickets and other violations committed by an individual.

What do Missouri Traffic Records Contain?

The contents of a Missouri traffic record include an individual's traffic records and history in the state. This information includes and is not limited to:

• Traffic violations
• Traffic tickets and fines
• Drivers licenses suspension and revocation
• Convictions and sentences
• Driving while intoxicated (DWI) fines.

Does a Citation Go on Your Record in Missouri?

Traffic citations can go on an offender's driving records in Missouri. The state uses a point system to keep track of an offender's traffic violations. Depending on an offender's traffic violation, between two (2) to twelve (12) are added to the offender's driving record. A list of violations that offenders can be cited over and the violations' corresponding points are found on the DOR 899 form. Accumulated points can lead to an offender's driving privileges being suspended or revoked in the state.

Types of Traffic Citations in Missouri

There are three types of traffic citations that can be issued in Missouri:

• Parking tickets: These types of tickets are issued due to parking violations. Recipients of parking tickets can either contest or pay for the ticket at the county/city parking bureau in the county where they received the ticket. Most county traffic bureaus have a parking violation fine structure on the county website to aid offenders in payments of parking tickets e.g., the St.Louis county parking bureau.
• Infractions tickets: these types of tickets are issued for minor traffic violations, including failing to appear in court for a traffic violation or speeding. An infraction ticket can also be issued for a motor vehicle equipment violation.
• Misdemeanor tickets: these types of tickets are issued for serious traffic violations like drunk driving or hit and run.

Missouri Traffic Citation Lookup

Interested persons may look up Missouri traffic citations by visiting the appropriate municipal or circuit court website listed on the citation.

On these websites, a violation search tool or portal is usually provided that can be used to lookup citations. The Missouri judiciary's find a court page can be used to find the physical addresses or website of courts in the state. Inquirers may search for courts by providing the city's name where the court is based along with the city's zip code or search by the county/type of court. If the inquirer misplaces their ticket, the Missouri judiciary's case.net portal can be used to retrieve information of tickets by searching for a litigant by name.

Alternatively, requestors may look up traffic citations by querying the court's clerk in the courthouse indicated on the citation. An inquirer may also call the DOR 24/7 interactive voice response system at (573) 526-2407 or visit the DOR central office.

How to Lookup my Missouri Traffic Records

Interested members of the public may access Missouri traffic records by querying the Department of Revenue (DOR). There are primarily two types of driver's records that may be requested from the DOR - they are, records with personal information and records without personal information. The personal information contained in driver records is restricted unless the inquirer is exempted under DPPA or has obtained consent from the subject of the record. This personal information includes an individual's SSN and driver's license number.

To request records without personal information, the requester may visit any Missouri license office and pay a driver's record fee or make a request online at the DOR individual services page. Requestors must include a valid email address when making record requests online since the records are issued via mail. Requestors are also charged per each record requested online, and these fees must be paid when submitting requests.

On the other hand, driver's records with personal information may be requested in person, by email, mail, or fax. Requestors can obtain their own driver's record by submitting their photo I.D. along with the driver's record fee at any Missouri license office. Alternatively, these requests can be made either by email, mail, or fax by submitting a completed Request for Driver License Record Holder form (4681 form) along with the driver's record fee to the Driver License Record Center. All information on the form must be appropriately filled and completed, including the record-holder and notary signatures.

Requests for another person's driver's records with personal information may also be made following the same process. However, the requesting party will be required to obtain the signature of the record holder on the 4681 form.

Requestors are expected to pay the driver record fee of $2.82 and the fax fee of $0.50 per page. However, the driver's record fee does not include the $2 processing fee that is applicable when purchasing records at a Missouri license office. For payment options and fees for requests made using the 4681 form, requestors should refer to the chart provided on the form.

Missouri Traffic Violations

A traffic violation in Missouri is an offense that occurs while operating a motor vehicle on a public road. Traffic violations can range from minor infractions, such as speeding, to more severe crimes, such as DUI or hit and run. Depending on the severity of the offense, traffic violations can result in varying penalties.

Some of the most common traffic violations in Missouri include:

• Speeding: Speeding is one of the most common traffic offenses in Missouri. Drivers can be cited for speeding if they drive over the posted speed limit or drive too fast for specific conditions. Speeding tickets typically come with a fine, and drivers who accumulate too many points on their driving record can have their license suspended.
• DUI: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a severe offense in Missouri. Persons caught driving while intoxicated can face jail time, a loss of their driver's license, and steep fines. DUI offenses stay on their driving record for years and make it difficult to get insurance.
• Hit and run: Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime in Missouri. Persons involved in an accident are required by law to stop and exchange information with the other driver. Failing to do so can result in hit and run charges, which can be punishable by jail time and a loss of the offender's driver's license.
• Reckless driving: Reckless driving is a catch-all offense that covers a variety of dangerous driving behaviors. Some examples of reckless driving include speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, and running red lights.
• Driving without insurance: It is illegal to drive without insurance in Missouri. Persons caught driving without insurance can face fines, have their license suspended, and be required to obtain sr-22 insurance.

Missouri License Plate Lookup

License plates are essential in traffic records because they can be used to identify the owner of a vehicle. A person can look up Missouri license plates by visiting to the Missouri Department of Revenue website and searching for the plate number. To look up a license plate number, requesters will need to provide the registered owner's name, the make of the car, and the model year. The Missouri Department of Revenue website also lists all registered vehicles in Missouri.

How to View Traffic Case Records for Free in Missouri

Traffic case records in Missouri are accessible for free through the Missouri judiciary case.net website. On the case.net website, traffic case information is available from the information entered by the judiciary staff in the court computer database. This information is a combination of several court records retrieved from different courts in the state. Although different types of traffic cases information can be retrieved from the site, confidential court records and information are not available on the site.

Alternatively, requestors may request traffic case records in person or by mail. In this case, the requestor must visit the court's physical location where the traffic case was heard (for in-person request) or contact the court's clerk to inquire whether the court accepts record requests by mail. The courts may charge the requester a fee for duplicating these records. Requestors may also use the Missouri Courts Online Directory to obtain the contact information of courts within the state.

How Long do Traffic Offenses Remain on Public Records in Missouri

The length of time that traffic offenses can remain on public records in Missouri depends on the type and severity of the offense. According to Missouri courts operating rules 8, minor traffic infractions case documents are retained for three (3) years while all other cases are retained for five(5) years after the case disposition. These retained records include all amendments to cases documents and the final dispositions. Any other remainder of a felony case file is disposed of one year after the case final disposition, while for both misdemeanors and infractions, the remaining case files are disposed of after 6 (six) months.

Judgment records and index of cases that result in acquittal, conviction, judgments, or suspended imposition are retained permanently. Amendments to case documents and waiver of counsel for minor infractions and misdemeanor offenses are retained for 50 years after the case's final disposition. Any remainder of the case file is retained for 12 years after the case's final disposition. Felony offense records with sentences other than life imprisonment or death penalties are retained for 50 years, while those with life imprisonment sentences or death penalties are retained permanently.

How to Remove Traffic Records from Public Websites in Missouri

According to Missouri sunshine law, public records, including traffic records generated and maintained by government agencies, can be requested and reviewed by the general public. Oftentimes, these public records are not made available through government agencies alone but through other public websites that act as data brokerage firms. However, record-holders may opt to remove their record(s) from public view.

The most effective way to remove traffic records from public websites is to petition the relevant court to expunge the records. When records are expunged, these records become inaccessible to the general public. However, not all records can be expunged in Missouri. Inexpungable records in Missouri include class A felony offenses, offenses involving an element of deaths, and other offenses mentioned/referred to on the Missouri judiciary's criminal forms page. Petitions to have records expunged are made using the CR 360 petition for expungement form, or the CR 145 petition for expungement of arrest records form. These forms will be appropriately filled and filed with the clerk of a relevant court. A surcharge of $280 would be assessed by the court when the petition is filed with the court. If the petitioner cannot pay the fee, a motion and affidavit to support may be filed with the court to waive the amount. The form for the affidavit of support can be found on the general form page of the Missouri judiciary website page.

Alternatively, requestors may query the website to opt-out of their public searches. Some public websites provide opt-out services at a fee. However, requestors may also obtain or dedicate a new P.O. Box address and phone number to protect their personal/identifying information from public view. Requests can be made to relevant government agencies such as the DOR to update personal information in their records.

Do Motoring Offenses Affect Criminal Records in Missouri?

Motoring offenses can affect an individual's criminal record in Missouri. In Missouri, motoring offenses can be classified as civil or criminal offenses. Minor offenses such as an infraction are considered civil offenses, and the penalties of such offenses often revolve around paying fines. These types of motoring offenses may appear on an individual's driving record but not on their criminal records.

On the other hand, criminal offenses can either be misdemeanors or felony offenses. These offenses are considered serious traffic offenses and typically result in serious injury or death. They can appear on an individual's driver's record and criminal record and may show up on background checks.