Polk County Clerk & Comptroller Stacy Butterfield is putting the brakes on collection fees – for one day only – for Operation Green Light.
During the special initiative, customers with suspended driver licenses have an opportunity to pay overdue court obligations, including traffic tickets, while saving up to 40 percent in additional fees. Once paid, customers can proceed with the reinstatement of their driver’s license.
Operation Green Light takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7.
Customers can pay by phone, 863-534-4446, or in-person at three convenient locations – Bartow Courthouse: 255 N. Broadway Ave., Lakeland Government Center: 930 E. Parker St., or the Northeast Government Center: 3425 Lake Alfred Road in Winter Haven.
“This is an important opportunity for people to save money, settle their fines, and restore their driving privileges so they can legally drive again,” said Clerk Butterfield. “Driving with a suspended license is a serious issue and can lead to financial burdens, a revoked license or even jail time. It can also prevent people from obtaining jobs or getting to and from work. The Clerk’s office is continuously working to better serve its customers and community, and we made it a priority to participate in this statewide initiative.”
Additional Details:
- Payment methods include cash, money order, credit card or checks.
- *A 3.5 percent processing fee is applied to credit card purchases.
- Late fees and reinstatement fees still apply, if applicable.
Local Statistics:
- There are about 222,518 Polk County civil traffic cases in outside collections, as of September 2020.
- In 2019, 12,046 civil traffic cases were sent to outside collections which averaged out to be 1,003 cases per month. In 2018, the average was approximately 1,034 cases a month.
- The average outstanding traffic fine amount is about $259.
D
uring last year’s event, Polk County customers saved $90,847. This included 452 cases paid in full, 301 cases placed on a payment plan, 61 driver license reinstatements, and 669 driver licenses were made eligible for reinstatement. Approximately $217,343 were collected in total.
“I saved $3,000 and now my life has just changed forever,” said Chad Spencer, a customer during the 2019 event. “Without Operation Green Light, I would have never done this.”
Photo Caption: Chad Spencer celebrates with Katelin Hettmansperger, a customer support specialist at the Clerk’s office, after paying off his fines during Operation Green Light 2019.
Clerk offices throughout the state are participating in Operation Green Light in efforts to provide relief to customers and close-out delinquent cases. For a full listing of participating clerks and their event dates and times, visit the FL Clerks & Comptroller site for details.
