How to Search Yakima County Traffic Court Records
Traffic records in Yakima County are searched through two official state tools. The Washington Courts case search holds district and municipal court records, including the case types you want for traffic: Criminal Traffic and Infraction Traffic. The second tool, Find My Court Date, is the official way to find a future district or municipal court date. Most traffic infractions are limited-jurisdiction court records, so the statewide case search is usually the right starting point rather than the Superior Court Odyssey Portal.
Before you start, gather what you have. The citation number helps most. A full legal name works too. A basic search costs nothing. You may pay later only if you order copies from the court or choose to pay a fine.
- Open the Washington Courts case search and accept the terms.
- Choose the District and Municipal Courts level, then pick the court such as Yakima District Court.
- Search by citation or case number, or by name if you do not have the number.
- Narrow by case type, choosing Criminal Traffic or Infraction Traffic, and add a year if needed.
- Review the case details and disposition, then pay, contest, or request a certified copy.
The Washington Courts case search and Find My Court Date both update on their own schedule, so a result is a pointer, not the final word. Confirm anything important with the court of record.
Which Courts Handle Traffic Cases in Yakima County
Yakima County District Court is the main traffic court. It hears traffic and non-traffic infractions, plus criminal-traffic offenses at the misdemeanor and gross-misdemeanor level. District Court also provides municipal court services for Union Gap, Grandview, Mabton, Tieton, and Moxee. The county runs two District Court offices, one in Yakima and one in Grandview for the lower valley.
Several cities run their own Municipal Courts. Yakima, Sunnyside, Toppenish, Wapato, Selah, Granger, and Zillah Municipal Courts all appear in the Washington Courts dropdowns. The court that wrote your citation is the one that holds the record, so check the ticket for the court name before you search.
| Court | Traffic Cases Handled | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Yakima County District Court | Traffic and non-traffic infractions, criminal traffic | 128 N 2nd Street, Room 225, Yakima, WA 98901 |
| District Court - Grandview | Lower-valley infractions and criminal traffic | 1313 W Wine Country Road, Grandview, WA 98930 |
| City Municipal Courts | City code traffic and infractions | Union Gap, Sunnyside, Toppenish, and other cities |
The Records Request line for District Court is 509-574-1848, and the Yakima office can be reached at 509-574-1804.
Types of Traffic Cases on Record
Traffic records cover more than just a speeding ticket. Washington splits these matters into infractions, which are civil, and criminal traffic, which is treated as a crime. The case type in the court file tells you which side of that line a case falls on. Yakima County District Court handles both.
- Infraction traffic - civil violations like speeding or running a stop sign, resolved by a fine.
- Criminal traffic - misdemeanor or gross-misdemeanor driving offenses that can carry jail time.
- Non-traffic infractions - civil violations that are not driving offenses but appear in District Court.
- Commercial driver cases - violations by holders of a commercial license, which carry stricter rules.
- DUI and physical control - serious criminal-traffic charges with their own restrictions on relief.
What Yakima County Traffic Court Records Show
A traffic court record holds the facts the court used to track and decide the case. The court file shows the case or citation, the court, the charge or infraction type, the hearing date, the disposition, fines and fees, and court actions where public. Search results in the statewide system list the case number, file date, type, location, and party name. Some details, like sealed items or personal identifiers, stay hidden.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Citation / Case Number | The official ID for the ticket or case; used to pull the full file. |
| Court | The District or Municipal Court that holds the case. |
| Charge / Infraction Type | The violation cited, such as criminal traffic or infraction traffic. |
| Hearing Date | The scheduled court date; future dates appear in Find My Court Date. |
| Disposition | The recorded outcome, such as found committed, dismissed, or reduced. |
| Fines and Fees | The monetary penalty and any court costs assessed. |
The court file is the case record. It is not the same as your state driving history, which is covered further down.
Searching by Citation Number vs by Name
The two search methods each have a best use. A citation or case number search is the cleanest, since it points straight at one file. A name search is the fallback when you do not have the number, but a common name can return many rows. Adding a year or a court narrows the list. The case search form asks for the court level, court name, search type, case type, year filed, and a name or case number.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court Level | Radio | Yes | District and Municipal Courts. |
| Court Name | Dropdown | Yes | Yakima District Court, Grandview, Yakima Municipal, Sunnyside, Toppenish, Union Gap, and others. |
| Search Type | Radio | Yes | Name, case number, or business name. |
| Case Type | Dropdown | Optional | Criminal Traffic or Infraction Traffic. |
| Year Filed In/After | Dropdown | Optional | 1975 through 2026. |
| First / Last Name | Text | Required for name search | Use the full legal name. |
| Case Number | Text | Required for number search | Use the citation or court case number if known. |
Note: A name search can return more than one person, so confirm the case number and court before you act on any result.
Paying or Contesting a Yakima County Traffic Ticket
You have choices after a ticket, but each one has a deadline. Yakima County District Court links a "Pay a Court Fine, Fee or Infraction" option through Point and Pay, plus "Traffic Ticket," "E-Mitigation/Contested," and "Traffic Safety Program" resources. Pay only through the official District Court payment link. If you choose to fight the ticket, you must follow the court's instructions and submit your hearing request by the deadline on the citation.
Missing the deadline carries real cost. Failure to appear or comply can trigger a bench warrant, added penalties, or license consequences depending on the case type. The step-by-step below lays out the order.
- Read the ticket or citation for the court name and the response deadline.
- Search Find My Court Date to confirm whether a court date is already set.
- Use District Court's Traffic Ticket or E-Mitigation/Contested resources if the case is in Yakima County District Court.
- To pay, use the official District Court online payment link only.
- To contest, follow the court's instructions and submit the hearing request by the deadline.
- Confirm your court date and keep your contact information current with the court.
Public Access Laws for Traffic Court Records
Traffic court records follow court rules, not the general public-records law. Washington separates court records from ordinary agency records. Yakima County's own public-records page says the Public Records Act covers county departments but excludes the courts. Court case records, including traffic, follow Washington General Rule 31 instead. So a request for a traffic case file goes to the court, not through a Public Records Act request.
Key Statutes:
Washington General Rule 31 - court case records, including traffic, are open unless a law, rule, or court order restricts them.
RCW 42.56 - the Public Records Act, which covers county offices but not the courts.
Court Traffic Records vs State Driver Records
This is the distinction drivers miss most. The Yakima County court file is the record of a single case. The state driver record is a separate file held by the Washington Department of Licensing, and it tracks your license status and driving history across all your cases. A dismissed ticket may close the court file but still show up differently on the state side, so you may need to check both.
| Record Type | Source | What It Shows | How to Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court Traffic Record | Yakima District or Municipal Court | Case or citation, charge, hearing date, disposition, fines and fees | Washington Courts case search or the court |
| State Driver Record | Washington Department of Licensing | License status, driving history, convictions, suspensions, administrative actions | Department of Licensing driver-record request |
To fix an error, you go to different places. A court-file mistake is corrected through the court that holds the case. A driving-history mistake is corrected through the Department of Licensing.
CDL and Commercial Driver Records
Commercial drivers face stricter rules than other drivers. A holder of a commercial driver license carries federal reporting duties, and a traffic conviction can affect that license even when the person was driving a personal vehicle. Options that reduce a charge for an ordinary driver are often closed to commercial drivers. Anyone with a commercial license who gets a Yakima County traffic citation should treat it seriously and ask the court how the case affects the commercial record before choosing how to respond.
DUI and DWI Cases
A DUI is not a simple infraction. It is a criminal-traffic charge, so it routes through the criminal side of District Court rather than the standard infraction track. These cases can carry jail time, license action, and long-term restrictions, and the relief available later is limited compared with a minor ticket.
For full Yakima County DUI and DWI case information, see Yakima County arrest records. The county also runs a District Court DUI Court program tied to treatment and monitoring.
Mitigation and the Traffic Safety Program
Washington gives drivers a few ways to soften an infraction rather than fight it outright. Yakima County District Court links an E-Mitigation/Contested option and a Traffic Safety Program. Mitigation lets a driver admit the infraction but explain the circumstances, which a judge may weigh in setting the penalty. The Traffic Safety Program is a District Court resource that can affect how an infraction is handled. Each path has its own rules and deadlines, so ask District Court which options apply to your citation before the response date passes.
Sealing or Vacating Traffic Records
Washington usually says "vacate," not "expunge," when it comes to clearing a conviction. A civil infraction is not a conviction, so it is handled differently from a criminal-traffic case. For a criminal-traffic conviction, vacation may be possible under state law, and Yakima County District Court links a "Vacate a Record of Conviction" resource. Misdemeanor and gross-misdemeanor vacation runs under RCW 9.96.060, which is the rule most relevant to District Court traffic crimes.
DUI and physical-control convictions carry their own limits and are harder to clear. A person seeking relief files in the court of conviction and must show eligibility. The arrest records page covers the sealed-versus-vacated distinction in more detail.
Fees for Traffic Record Copies
The District Court charges set fees for copies and related services. A plain copy costs less than a certified one, and a certified copy is the kind a court or agency may demand. A recording of a court proceeding is sold on a CD. These rates come from the District Court fee page.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| General copy per page | $0.50 |
| Certified copy | $5 first page, $1 each added page |
| Document certification | $5 first page, $1 each added page |
| Exemplified copy | $15 |
| Court proceeding CD | $20 per CD |
| Criminal history copy | $0.25 per page |
For Superior Court copy fees and the Clerk's full schedule, see the Clerk of Superior Court page.