Rule 17 Community Service in Lieu of Payment of Monetary Assessment

If you get a traffic ticket and can't afford to pay the fine, you can ask the court to let you do community service work instead. The judge will only allow this if you can show that you truly don't have the money to pay.

This option only applies to the fine itself. It does not cover any other costs or fees connected to your case. Those still have to be paid separately, even if the court agrees to let you work off the fine through community service.

If you're in this situation, you'll need to speak up and ask the court directly. The judge decides based on your financial situation, so be ready to explain why you can't pay before community service will be considered.