This event has ended.
For one day only, Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Stacy Butterfield is putting the brakes on collection fees and getting drivers back on the road during Operation Green Light.
During the special initiative, customers with suspended driver licenses have an opportunity to pay overdue court fines, including traffic tickets, while saving up to 40 percent in collection agency 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, April 2.
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
- 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. COVID-19 has devastated so many within our community, and Operation Green Light is one way the Clerk’s office is working to better serve its customers and community during these difficult times.
Additional Details:
- Customers must pay the fine in the county they received the fine.
- 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 74,888 active Polk County civil traffic cases in outside collections, as of December 2021.
- In 2021, 11,327 Civil Traffic cases were sent to outside collections, which averaged 944 cases per month.
- The average outstanding traffic fine amount is about $299.
During the 2021 event, Polk County customers saved $116,660. Along with this, there were 363 cases paid in full, 440 cases placed on a payment plan, 47 driver license reinstatements, and 427 driver licenses were made eligible for reinstatement.
During the 2020 event, Polk County customers saved $65,190. During the 2019 and 2020 events combined, there were 526 cases paid in full, 470 cases placed on a payment plan, 68 driver license reinstatements, and 766 driver licenses made eligible for reinstatement. Approximately $273,835 in fines were collected in total between 2019 and 2020.
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 www.FLClerks.com/GreenLight.