The magistrates can accept:

• Cash
• Money Orders
• Cashier’s Check
• Credit or Debit Card (with a 3% convenience fee added)

For a minor equipment violation our local ordinance allows you to have the equipment repaired within 72 hours (excluding Sundays and holidays). You must present your ticket to any law enforcement officer within 72 hours of receiving the ticket to certify that the repairs have been made. You must then deliver or forward the ticket to the court on the address listed on the front of the ticket, before the court date listed on the ticket.

The offender must sign and date the back of the ticket first. Once the ticket is signed by the offender, someone else may present that ticket to the court and may pay the ticket for the offender.

If you have already been to court and entered a plea with the judge, any person may make your scheduled payment for you.

The Municipal Annex Building, Court Magistrate’s Office.

Postal Mail/ FedEx/ UPS or other document service:
Send your ticket and a Cashier’s Check or Money Order to:

Helena Municipal Court
10 Jack Gray Way
Helena, Al 35080

In order to properly credit your ticket, the fine must be received by 1:00 on the scheduled court date.

Payment may be made in the Helena City Hall.

Our normal business hours are Monday- Friday from 8:00AM to 4:00PM.

Please bring your ticket or citation.

Payment can be made with CASH, MONEY ORDER, CASHIER’S CHECK.  Debit or Credit Cards may be used but a 3% convenience fee will be added.

We DO NOT accept personal checks for court payments.

File a report with the police department.

Call the Magistrate’s office to SET UP AN APPOINTMENT to have your report screened. It is up to the magistrate to determine whether or not a warrant will be issued.

Upon arrival, you will file a deposition with a magistrate. If there is probable cause, a warrant or summons will be issued.

Some important points to remember:

It takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to file a warrant.
There is no charge for a warrant.

ONCE A WARRANT IS ISSUED IT CANNOT BE DROPPED OR CANCELLED.

Any citations not paid by the court date are subject to further court action, including but not limited to suspension of a driver’s license or a warrant.

If you believe you have missed your court date, please call the court at 205-663-2161 x111 or x114 to discuss your options.

You must come to court on your court date and plea not guilty before the Judge.

If this is your first moving violation then you may qualify for driving school. You must appear in court on your scheduled court date to have driving school granted by the Judge.

The cost of the school is $200.00 and the classes are held every other month on a Thursday evening. The classes are held at Helena City Hall in the Council Chambers from 6:00P.M.-9:00P.M. If you have questions about whether you qualify for the class, please call 205.663.2161 x111 or x114.

The State of Alabama does not have a Nolo Contendere Law and will not accept pleas of Nolo.

All fines paid by mail or in person to a Magistrate without going before a Judge are pled as guilty.

A Uniform Non-Traffic Citation and Complaint has been issued against you. If you have been charged with one of these offenses and have not been convicted of one or more offenses during the preceding 12 months and would like to plead guilty and pay the fine, please mail or hand deliver your ticket (to be signed on the back- Plea of Guilty- Waiver of Rights, in front of a Magistrate) to the address below:

NOTE: Fine and costs are required when paying before going to court. All fines and court costs are to be paid to the City of Helena, Helena Alabama

Mail a money order or a cashier’s check payable to the City of Helena.  Please sign and mail the Plea of Guilty with your money order or cashier’s check. Payment has to be received no later than 24 hours before the court date shown on the UNTCC. You do not have to wait until your court date to pay the UNTCC. However you should contact the magistrates office to see if you must appear in court. 

If you would like a trial on your charge, you should speak with the Prosecutor during court on your court date. This trial will be in the Municipal Annex. The trial date will be set by the Prosecutor while you are in court. If you do not appear in court the date your trial is set, you may have to pay a substantially greater fine if found guilty of the offense charged or if guilty of failing to appear in court. Failure to appear could result in the suspension of your license and/or a warrant for your arrest.

Helena Municipal Court
10 Jack Gray Way
Helena, AL 35080

A traffic citation has been issued against you. If you have been convicted of more than two violations during the preceding 12 months, State Law requires you to appear in court. If you have not been convicted of two or more violations in the preceding 12 months and would like to plead guilty, pay the fine and court cost, but want to waive your right to appear in court, please mail the full amount to City of Helena, 10 Jack Gray Way, Helena, AL 35080.

Fine and cost are required when paying before court. See section 4 on the back of your ticket. All fines and court costs are to be paid to the City of Helena.

We DO NOT accept personal checks for court payments.

Stopping on Highway (32-5A-136)(a)
Driving Wrong Side Road (32-5-77)
Failure to Dim Headlights (32-5-242)(C)(1)
Failure to Stop at RR Crossing (32-5A-150)
Unattended Motor Vehicle (32-5A-50)
Failure to Yield Right of Way (32-5A-110)
Failure to Maintain Single Lane of Traffic (32-5A-88)
One Way Street (32-5A-87)
Improper Backing (32-5-72)/ (32-5A-51)
Following Too Closely (32-5A-89)
Improper Brakes (32-5-212)
Improper Lights (32-5-240)
Improper Muffler (32-5-216)
Improper Signal (32-5A-133)
Improper Passing (32-5A-84)
Improper or No Rear View Mirror (32-5-214)
Improper Tires (32-5-210)
Improper Window Tinting (32-5C-2)
Improper Use of Clearly Indicated Divided Highway (32-5A-90)
No Passing Zone/ Improper Passing (32-5A-86)
Improper Turn (32-5A-133)
Improper (Expired) Tag (32-6-65)
Switched Tag (32-6-155)
No Helmet (Motorcycle rider) (32-5A-245)
Running Red Light (32-5A-31)
Running Stop Sign (32-5A-112)
Speeding (32-5A-171) LESS THAN 25 MPH over posted speed
Speeding (32-5A-171) 25 PMH or more over posted speed
Reasonable and Prudent Speed (32-5A-170)
Failure to Yield to Emergency Vehicle (32-5A-115)
No Red or Orange Flag or Red Light or Amber Strobe (32-5-211)
Failure to Use Child Restraint (32-5-222)
Spilling Load (32-5-76)(a)

Please call the Magistrate’s Office at (205) 663-2161 ext 111 or 114 for additional information

ADC establishes the rate for copies.
Current rate is $5.00 for 1-20 pages, and $.50 for each additional page.
The rate for certification of copies is $5.00 extra, per page certified.

Copies of public records require filling out a REQUEST OF RECORDS form, which is located in our office. Once filled out, it will then have to be approved by the applicable Department and returned to our office. You will then be contacted with further instructions.

The Municipal Court of Helena exercises jurisdiction over all prosecutions for violations of traffic offenses, municipal ordinances, and state misdemeanors adopted by our Code of Ordinances.

Court personnel consists of a part-time judge and prosecutor, plus two full-time magistrates. Court is held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday each month, unless there is a holiday. Court begins promptly at 3:00PM and ends when the last case has been heard.

Certain charges (which are located on the back of all citations) may be paid in person to a court magistrate without appearing in court, if you would like to enter a plea of guilty.  “In person” meaning the individual whom received the citation.