The NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Rochester Traffic Violations Bureau office is permanently closing as of April 21, 2018. This changes where and how motorists answer moving violation tickets issued in the City of Rochester.
This will leave New York City as the only location in New York State where traffic tickets are adjudicated by the Department of Motor Vehicles. At the TVB there is no plea bargaining and beating a traffic ticket is very difficult. The closure of the Rochester TVB is a win for any motorist who is issued a traffic ticket. Now motorists with Rochester City traffic tickets can plea them down to a less serious charge.
Hopefully, New York City will follow the paths of Suffolk County, Rochester and Buffalo in abandoning this unfair and draconic TVB system. Meanwhile, below is some useful information from the DMV about the upcoming closure.
Answering your NY traffic ticket
Traffic tickets issued prior to April 21, 2018
If a traffic ticket is issued prior to 4/21/18 and is returnable to the NYS DMV Rochester Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB), you may answer the ticket and enter your plea with the Rochester TVB prior to 4/21/18. Failure to answer your ticket in a timely manner may result in your license or privilege to drive in New York State being suspended and a suspension termination fee may be due regardless of the final disposition of the ticket.
If you do not answer the ticket with NYS DMV, on 4/21/18 any unanswered tickets will be transferred to the new city agency, the Rochester Traffic Violations Agency (RTVA). If your license or privilege was suspended for failure to answer your traffic ticket, you are still required to pay the Traffic Violation Bureau any suspension termination fees required to clear the suspension.
To enter your plea or make a payment for your Rochester TVB ticket, please contact:
Online:
https://transact2.dmv.ny.gov/pleadnpay/
In person:
Any Traffic Violations Bureau. For office locations visit:
https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/find-tvb-office-locations
By mail:
Traffic Violations Division Plea Unit
PO Box 2950-ESP
Albany, NY 12220-0950
By phone:
(518) 474-0941
Traffic tickets issued after to April 21, 2018
If a traffic ticket is issued on or after 4/21/18 and is returnable to the new city agency, the Rochester Traffic Violations Agency (RTVA), you must answer the ticket with the RTVA. If you do not answer the ticket, your license or privilege to drive in New York State may be suspended and a suspension termination fee may be due regardless of the final disposition of the ticket.
Traffic tickets issued on or after 4/21/18 must be answered to the:
Rochester Traffic Violations Agency
200 East Main Street, Suite B-002
Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: 585-428-6555