Suffolk County Traffic Court (SCTPVA)
The Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency is the main traffic court for Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, and Smithtown. Here is what to expect if your ticket is answerable at SCTPVA.
Suffolk County, NY
Court Information
SCTPVA at a Glance
- Address
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H. Lee Dennison Building, Ground Floor, North Entrance
100 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788 - Mailing Address
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SCTPVA
PO Box 9000
Smithtown, NY 11787 - Phone
- (631) 853-3800 Answered Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Walk-In Hours
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM No appointment necessary
- Official Page
- suffolkcountyny.gov/tpva
MyTicketFairy is not affiliated with SCTPVA or Suffolk County. Confirm hours and procedures directly with the agency before you appear.
Jurisdiction
Is Your Ticket Answerable at SCTPVA?
SCTPVA was created by county legislation on April 1, 2013. It adjudicates parking summonses, red light camera citations, and moving violations issued in the five western towns of Suffolk County: Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, and Smithtown. If your ticket was issued by a town, county, or state police officer within one of these towns, it is likely answerable at SCTPVA.
Some incorporated villages within these towns maintain their own village court and may retain jurisdiction over tickets issued by village police, rather than SCTPVA. If your ticket was issued inside one of these villages, check whether it lists a village court instead:
Town of Babylon
Town of Brookhaven
Town of Huntington
Town of Islip
Town of Smithtown
Misdemeanor Charges Go Elsewhere
SCTPVA does not handle tickets that charge a misdemeanor, including driving with a suspended license (Aggravated Unlicensed Operation), reckless driving, or DWI. Those charges are returnable to the Suffolk County First District Court at the Cohalan Court Complex, 400 Carleton Avenue, Central Islip.
Eastern Suffolk County Towns
Tickets issued in the eastern Suffolk County towns, including East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton, and Southold, are handled by those towns' own courts, not by SCTPVA.
Parking summonses issued in the five western towns are also within SCTPVA's jurisdiction, alongside red light camera citations and moving violations.
After You Receive a Ticket
Your Options After an SCTPVA Ticket
Pay the Ticket
Paying a ticket is legally the same as pleading guilty. A conviction is entered and points are applied based on the date of the violation, not the date you paid.
Plead Not Guilty by Mail
Mail a written not guilty plea to SCTPVA, PO Box 9000, Smithtown, NY 11787. The agency will schedule a conference or hearing date and notify you.
Use the Online System
Register a not guilty plea at courtinnovations.com/TPLEAS. This option is available for 30 days from the date your ticket enters the SCTPVA system, and the site asks you to wait at least 72 hours after the violation date first.
Retain an Attorney
An attorney can enter a not guilty plea and appear on your behalf for eligible conferences and pretrial matters, so you may not need to take time off work or travel to Hauppauge yourself.
What Happens Next
How the SCTPVA Process Works
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Respond
You or your attorney enter a plea by mail, in person, or online within the deadlines on the ticket.
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Conference
If you pleaded not guilty, SCTPVA schedules a conference where the case may be resolved or a trial date set.
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Hearing or Trial
If the case is not resolved at conference, it proceeds to a hearing or trial where the matter is decided.
If You Do Not Respond
Failing to respond by the date on your ticket can lead to a license suspension for failure to answer, and your case may be resolved against you by default. Responding by the deadline, even to plead not guilty, keeps your options open.
Nothing on Your Record Yet
Receiving a ticket does not put anything on your license. Points, fines, and any effect on your insurance follow a final resolution of your case, not the ticket itself.
Why SCTPVA Is Different
SCTPVA Looks at Your Whole Driving Record.
Unlike many village courts, SCTPVA applies its own plea guidelines and reviews several years of your driving history when evaluating a case, including prior tickets even if they were reduced elsewhere. That makes outcomes at SCTPVA more dependent on your full record than in a smaller village court, so the strategy that works in one court will not necessarily apply in another.
MyTicketFairy reviews your ticket and driving history before recommending a course of action, and can appear on your behalf for eligible matters at SCTPVA.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Red Light & School Bus Camera Tickets
Red light camera and school bus stop-arm camera citations are civil penalties issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, not to a driver license. They carry no DMV points, but they do carry a fine and are handled and paid through separate channels from moving violations. See the payment directory below for the correct payment method for each ticket type.
Payments
Where to Pay Your SCTPVA Ticket
| Ticket Type | Payment Vendor | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moving Violations | TPVA Payments Portal (nCourt) | (888) 274-0888 | tpvapayments.com |
| Parking Violations | TPVA Payments Portal (nCourt) | (888) 274-0888 | tpvapayments.com |
| Red Light Camera Citations | Cite-Web | (866) 637-0008 | cite-web.com |
| School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Citations | AlertBus | (877) 504-7080 | alertbus.com |
Payment vendors and phone numbers are set by Suffolk County and may change. Confirm current details at suffolkcountyny.gov/tpva before paying.
SCTPVA Common Questions
- Do I have to appear in person at SCTPVA?
- Not always. If you hire an attorney to represent you, your attorney can appear on your behalf for most conferences and pretrial matters. You may still need to appear in person for a trial or to address a pending license suspension. Submitting your ticket to MyTicketFairy is the fastest way to find out whether your case requires you to be there.
- What happens if I ignore my SCTPVA ticket?
- Ignoring a ticket does not make it go away. If you fail to respond by the date on your ticket, New York can suspend your license for failure to answer. If a trial date is set and you do not appear, the trial can be held in your absence and you may be found guilty or liable for the associated penalties.
- How many points can lead to a license suspension?
- Accumulating 11 points within 24 months can trigger a suspension of your license. Points are counted from the date of the violation, not the date of conviction, so a ticket you have not yet resolved can still count toward that total once it results in a conviction.
- Can my SCTPVA ticket be reduced?
- SCTPVA applies its own plea guidelines and reviews your driving history when evaluating any reduction, so outcomes are not guaranteed. An attorney can review your ticket and record and discuss what options may be realistic for your situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
- Do red light camera tickets carry points?
- No. Red light camera and school bus stop-arm camera citations are civil penalties issued to the registered vehicle owner, not to a driver license, so no DMV points are assessed. They still carry a fine and are paid through separate channels from moving violations.
- How do I plead not guilty to an SCTPVA ticket?
- You can mail a written not guilty plea to SCTPVA at PO Box 9000, Smithtown, NY 11787, appear in person at the Hauppauge office, or register online at courtinnovations.com/TPLEAS. The online option is only available for 30 days from the date your ticket enters the SCTPVA system, and the site asks you to wait at least 72 hours after the violation date before registering.
- What towns does SCTPVA cover?
- SCTPVA handles parking summonses, red light camera citations, and moving violations issued in the towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip, and Smithtown. A ticket issued within an incorporated village in one of these towns may instead be handled by that village’s own court rather than SCTPVA.
- Where do I pay my SCTPVA ticket?
- Moving and parking violations are paid through the TPVA payments portal at tpvapayments.com or by calling (888) 274-0888. Red light camera citations are paid through Cite-Web at cite-web.com or (866) 637-0008. School bus stop-arm camera citations are paid through AlertBus at alertbus.com or (877) 504-7080.
- What if my ticket charges a misdemeanor?
- SCTPVA does not handle misdemeanor charges such as driving with a suspended license, reckless driving, or DWI. Those charges are returnable to the Suffolk County First District Court at the Cohalan Court Complex, 400 Carleton Avenue, Central Islip, not to SCTPVA.
- What is the 30-day online plea window?
- SCTPVA’s online system at courtinnovations.com/TPLEAS lets you enter a not guilty plea within 30 days of the date your ticket enters the SCTPVA system. Once that window closes, you will need to respond by mail or in person instead.
- Is paying my SCTPVA ticket the same as pleading guilty?
- Yes. Paying a ticket is legally the same as pleading guilty. A conviction is entered, points are applied based on the date of the violation, and the court can notify your insurance carrier. Nothing appears on your license until your case is resolved, which is why it is worth speaking with an attorney before you pay.
- Does SCTPVA handle parking tickets?
- Yes. Parking summonses issued in the five western towns fall within SCTPVA’s jurisdiction alongside red light camera citations and moving violations, and are paid through the same payments portal used for moving violations.
- Can MyTicketFairy represent me at SCTPVA?
- Yes. MyTicketFairy represents drivers with moving violation tickets answerable at SCTPVA. When you submit your ticket, we review your case and can appear on your behalf for eligible matters. Call (631) 944-8778 or submit your ticket to get started.