The phone number for the Hilo traffic court is (808) 961-7470.1Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. HAWAIʻI – Third Circuit That line reaches the District Court of the Third Circuit, which handles traffic citations issued on Hawaiʻi Island. When the automated system answers, ask for the Traffic Violations Bureau to get to a clerk who can pull up your ticket.
When to Call and Where the Courthouse Is
Phone lines run from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.2Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. How May We Help You The court is closed on weekends and state holidays. Mid-morning tends to be quieter than first thing in the morning or right after lunch.
If you need to go in person, the courthouse is Hale Kaulike, 777 Kīlauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720-4212.1Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. HAWAIʻI – Third Circuit Walk-in counter hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. That’s also the mailing address if you’re sending in a payment or a written response.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Have the citation in front of you. Clerks look up cases by the citation number printed on the ticket, and if you’ve already received a formal hearing notice, the case number at the top of that document works too. Expect to give the full legal name on the citation and your driver’s license number so the clerk can confirm they’ve got the right file.
Without the citation number, staff may still find your record from your name and license number, but it takes longer, and the call may get cut short during busy stretches.
What Clerks Can Help With by Phone
A clerk in the Traffic Violations Bureau can tell you the current status of your citation: whether a payment has posted, whether a hearing is scheduled, whether the ticket requires you to appear in person or can be resolved remotely, and the fine amount along with any additional fees.
What clerks generally cannot do over the phone is negotiate the fine, take a verbal plea, or advise you on whether to contest the ticket. Those decisions require a written response or a hearing.
The 21-Day Deadline and Your Options
You have 21 days from the date the traffic infraction notice is issued to respond.3Hawaiʻi State Legislature. Hawaii Revised Statutes 291D-6 – Answer Required That clock is firm. Your response has to take one of three forms:
- Admit and pay the total fine by mail, in person, online, or by phone using a credit or debit card. This closes the case.3Hawaiʻi State Legislature. Hawaii Revised Statutes 291D-6 – Answer Required
- Deny the infraction and request a contested hearing by checking the appropriate box on the citation or the pre-addressed envelope. You can also mail in a written statement, and the court will consider it as though you argued it in person.4Justia Law. Hawaii Revised Statutes 291D-8 – Hearings
- Admit the infraction but ask the judge to consider mitigating circumstances that might reduce the fine, either in person or by written explanation.
If you’re not sure which category your ticket falls into, that’s a good reason to call before the 21 days run out.
Paying Without Calling
The eTraffic Hawaiʻi portal at etraffic.ehawaii.gov accepts credit and debit card payments online.5Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. Pay Traffic Fines Online You’ll need the citation number and your license plate. The system only works for tickets that don’t require a mandatory court appearance and where you’re admitting responsibility.
One catch: it can take 13 days or longer after you receive the citation for it to show up in the court’s system.5Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. Pay Traffic Fines Online If you try to pay online and the ticket isn’t there, that’s usually why. A processing fee applies to online payments and is shown before you finalize.6Hawaii.gov. eTraffic Payments
To pay by mail, send a check or money order made payable to the District Court, and include the citation or a copy so the clerk can match your payment to the case. Cards work online or in person, not by mail.
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline
Ignoring a citation is expensive. If you don’t answer within 21 days, the court can enter a default judgment, meaning you’re found responsible and assessed the fine without a hearing.7Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. Moving or Equipment Violations Undoing a default after the fact is harder than most people expect.
The court can also place a license stopper on your driving record, which blocks you from renewing your driver’s license. Stoppers can be imposed for failing to respond, failing to appear at a required hearing, or failing to comply with a court order. Unpaid amounts can be sent to a collection agency.8Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. Driver’s License Stoppers
For criminal traffic offenses rather than infractions, failing to appear at a scheduled court date can result in a bench warrant.7Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. Moving or Equipment Violations Which category your ticket falls into is usually printed on the citation. If you’re not sure, call (808) 961-7470 before the deadline.
Tickets That Require You to Show Up
Some citations have a specific court date, time, and location printed on them, meaning you’re required to appear in person.9Justia Law. Hawaii Revised Statutes 291D-5 – Notice of Infraction Form Determination Final Unless Contested For those, eTraffic won’t accept payment and the mail-in option won’t close out the case. Go to Hale Kaulike on the date listed. If you truly can’t make it, call the court before the hearing date to ask about rescheduling; skipping the appearance without contacting the court is what leads to bench warrants and stoppers.