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Federal speeding ticket for a Canadian

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Zolton

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Ontario
I am from Ontario Canada and was charged for speeding by a park ranger in a federal park in Virginia last week. As such, this is a federal violation, I was given a "United States District Court Violation Notice" and was charged $120.00 for doing 58mph in a 35mph zone. Fine payable to the Central Violations Bureau.
Will this violation show up on my Ontario driving record? I know that a ticket received in Michigan or NY will, but this is a federal violation.
Now...the officer neglected to record my VIN number and Social Security number on the ticket. He also forgot to have me sign it.
If this ticket will follow me here to Ontario and I can fight it considering the officer's mistakes, I would like to do so and am interrested in finding out how.
It has to be paid by September 13 '06.What is the name of your state?
 


You Are Guilty

Senior Member
Zolton said:
What is the name of your state? Ontario
I am from Ontario Canada and was charged for speeding by a park ranger in a federal park in Virginia last week. As such, this is a federal violation, I was given a "United States District Court Violation Notice" and was charged $120.00 for doing 58mph in a 35mph zone. Fine payable to the Central Violations Bureau.
Will this violation show up on my Ontario driving record? I know that a ticket received in Michigan or NY will, but this is a federal violation.
Now...the officer neglected to record my VIN number and Social Security number on the ticket. He also forgot to have me sign it.
If this ticket will follow me here to Ontario and I can fight it considering the officer's mistakes, I would like to do so and am interrested in finding out how.
It has to be paid by September 13 '06.What is the name of your state?
The omissions are not valid defenses to the ticket. However, I don't know the federal reporting rules with Ontario. My guess is they will not report it, but I'll poke around and see if I can find a definitive answer one way or the other.
 
Zolton said:
What is the name of your state? Ontario
I am from Ontario Canada and was charged for speeding by a park ranger in a federal park in Virginia last week. As such, this is a federal violation, I was given a "United States District Court Violation Notice" and was charged $120.00 for doing 58mph in a 35mph zone. Fine payable to the Central Violations Bureau. Will this violation show up on my Ontario driving record? I know that a ticket received in Michigan or NY will, but this is a federal violation.
While this is a US LAW ONLY forum this is what I found on the Ontario Ministry of Transportation website:
*************************
Demerit Points for Out-of-Province Convictions
[Ontario] Drivers convicted of a driving related offence in the State of New York, the State of Michigan or any Canadian province or territory, will have home jurisdictional penalties such as demerit points and/or suspensions applied to their Ontario driver record as if the offence occurred in Ontario.

*************************
Apparently, since it will not appear on your Ontario driver's license record you should follow up by paying the fine, unless you want to make a trip to U.S. District Court. If you do not pay the fine, other fines and court costs could be assessed, which could cause you problems at the border if you ever try to reenter the US. It's easier just to pay the fine.

KTL
 
Last edited:

Zolton

Junior Member
Thanks for the replies. I saw the info on the MTO site. I'm wondering if a Federal speeding ticket will make it's way across the border. I have searched for that info but can't find it. Federal violations fall under the Central Violations Bureau and would seem to me to be a different catagory as compared to an agreement between Ontario and Michigan or NY state. The reply I got from the CVB was "CVB does report moving violations for the western district of Virginia". That's a bit vague. If it said "to the MTO" at the end of the sentence then it would clear things right up. I have asked for clairification but have not heard back. That's why I have asked here.
 
Zolton, you simply received a 'federal' as opposed to a 'state' issued citation due to the fact you were within a national park. National parks fall under jurisdiction of the United States government, and therefore the U.S. District Court system. You could have easily been stopped for a speeding violation outside the national park and in the jurisdiction of Virginia's General District Court system. Either way the citation would not transfer back to Ontario.

The point is, it is not the 'federal' vs. 'state' speeding offense that matters as much as how the department that regulates your driver's license (Ontario Ministry of Transportation) chooses to handle the matter. For instance, as a Pennsylvania licensed driver I could have received the same ticket as you (in Virginia), and it would not have been added to my driving record, nor would I have received any points. Why? That's how Pennsylvania chooses to handle out-of-state speeding citations for its residents. However, if I would have received a 'federal' speeding citation, let's say within Gettysburg National Battlefield (located in Pennsylvania) it would have been added to my record like any other in-state speeding conviction, including the appropriate points attributable to the conviction.

New Jersey drivers on the other hand, who received the same citation in Virginia as you, would have been capped at a maximum of 2 points for either the 'federal' or out-of-state conviction, regardless of the mph over the limit. Why? That's how NJ chooses to handle out-of-state convictions for its residents.

The fact that the citation is federal or state issued really has no bearing on the reporting back to your resident state, or province. If Ontario chooses to transfer traffic convictions for only two U.S. jurisdictions (Michigan and New York), then that's all Ontario is interested in recording. Just take extra care when traveling in national parks located in those two states as those citations would transfer to your Ontario driving record.

Stated another way, it's up to Ontario to decide what information to place on their residents driving records, not the state and/or federal governments of the U.S.

KTL :D
 

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