Hennepin Violations Bureau & Hearing Office

IMPORTANT! If you pay a citation, you are entering a plea of "guilty" to the charges. You have 30 days from when the citation (ticket) is entered into the court's record system to either pay the fine or meet with a Hearing Officer. It can take 20 days or longer for a citation to be entered in the court’s system. Check the status of a citation.

Ticket Holder Does Not Respond within 30 Days

When there is no response to a citation, or the fine is not paid within 30 days from the date when the citation (ticket) is entered into the court's record system, a late fee of $5 is added to the fine amount due. The court mails a late notice to the defendant at the address listed on the defendant's driver's license or ID with the options for handling the ticket by the due date.
 

Ticket Holder Does Not Respond within 55 Days

If the defendant fails to pay the fine (plus $5 late fee) within 55 days of the due date, another delinquency (late) fee of $25 is added to the fine amount due.
 

Collections

All unpaid fines and late fees may be sent to a collection agency for collection. This agency uses collections methods such as Minnesota tax refund recapture, notices, phone calls and other typical collection methods. The court may hire a private collection agency or use the services of the MN Department of Revenue (DOR). NOTE: A 20% collection fee is added to cases the are sent to collections.
 

Paying a Fine in Collection

Unpaid court or citation fines that are in collection with the MN Department of Revenue (DOR) must be paid directly to the DOR and cannot be paid at any courthouse or using the District Court online payment system.

• In Person: You may pay in person at the office of the MN Department of Revenue located at 600 North Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. Cash, checks, and money orders are accepted in person between 8:00am and 4:30pm, Monday-Friday. Credit and debit cards not accepted for in person payments.
• Online or Phone: Go to DOR Payment Options or call 1-800-657-3666. Payments made on the DOR website may take up to ten (10) days to be remitted to the DOR. NOTE: To make a payment online or by phone, you must have the collection notice that the DOR mailed to you. Do not try to make a payment without that notice because it gives you identifying information required to process the online payment. If you were told that your fine has gone to collections, but you have not yet received your collection notice, please contact the DOR at 1-800-657-3909.
  • Payment With Credit Card: Select the "Credit or Debit Card" payment category on the screen. NOTE: There is an additional fee for using this payment method.
  • Payment With Bank Account: Select the "Bank Account" payment category on the screen. 
• By Mail: Go to DOR Payment Options and select "Check or Money Order" payment category to use the Payment Voucher system. Payment with a voucher is sent to:

                                    MN Department of Revenue
                                    Collection Division
                                    P.O. Box 64564
                                    St. Paul, MN 55164-0564
 

Questions on Paying a Fine in Collection?

• Website: Collection Information
• Phone: (651) 556-3003 or (800) 657-3909 outside of the Metro area
• Fax: (651) 556-5116
• Email: Fill out the Contact Form at Collection Information site
• Mail: Same as directly above.