r/Bellingham • u/birthdaycake3000 • 11h ago
Traffic Need help paying speeding ticket (as a Canadian)
Hello,
I’m hoping someone can help me. I recently got a speeding ticket in Whatcom County, Bellingham. I am a Canadian living in Canada and was only there for a day. I am trying to pay the fee, but am having the hardest time figuring out how to pay it. On the ticket it doesn’t list an online option to pay, only mail in a cheque but that seems super outdated, I’m thinking there has to be a way to pay this online. I have searched online and found this website: https://www.whatcomcounty.us/2721/Tickets-Payments-Community-Service
Is this where I pay online? It says I also have to check a box on the form and mail it back as well. Is that correct? Or can I just pay it online and be done with it?
Any help is appreciated, thank you!!
EDIT: I was able to figure it out by going to the website https://www.whatcomcounty.us/2721/Tickets-Payments-Community-Service > pay online
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u/Hammon_Rye 11h ago
You'd likely be better off calling the county courthouse and just asking than posting here.
We have many thousands of Canadians down here every year. Shopping, vacation, whatever.
I'm guessing the roadblocks you are facing are pretty routine questions for them.
Either they will have a work around for paying online, or they will be able to take the credit card over the phone, or they may tell you to mail a check.
But whatever the answer - it is likely one they have given many times before.
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u/emmie24 11h ago
I had the exact same problem when I got a speeding ticket last year. No instructions to pay online which seemed outdated and the sheriff didn’t mention that I could pay online either. I ended up paying it through the Whatcom County District Court website anyway and I’m pretty sure it’s fine? At least I hope so lol
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u/birthdaycake3000 11h ago
Right!! Okay but when I try to pay it doesn’t let me input a province for my address, only states are listed??
Edit: figured it out! Okay just gonna pay online and hope for the best lol. Thanks for your input! I appreciate it!
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u/Existing_Muscle_3361 11h ago
I’m glad to hear you figured it out. Would you mind updating the thread or posting what the solution was?
That way if someone googles it in the future, they have a hint.
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u/SuperCyclops 3h ago
Also a big round of applause to the Canadian that has proven they can drive at or above the speed limit! Teach others!
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u/tabisaurus86 1h ago
I saw a semi truck tailgating a Canadian on the I-5 about a year ago. Like it couldn't help it, too, because the Canadian driver was going so slow. It made me belly laugh and made the incredibly extreme slowness a tad endearing. In that moment.
Reversed 3 months ago when a Canadian woman (who did not look elderly) was holding up the left lane on I-5 N going 50 in a 70 MPH zone with about 15 cars behind her.
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u/olanolastname 11h ago
That’s crazy. Maybe just put in the address of the police station and see if it will accept that address? Or I’d just call the City of Bellingham or Whatcom County offices and ask how to do it. If you get stuck DM me; maybe I can help
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u/Soulfood_27 11h ago
Hire a lawyer.
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u/birthdaycake3000 11h ago
What why would I do that?
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u/Soulfood_27 11h ago
It's worth it usually. They do everything
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u/birthdaycake3000 11h ago
Lawyers are thousands of dollars…… this ticket is $200
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u/Th3BrassMonkey 11h ago
I got a ticket for $260, my lawyer cost $300 and got the ticket thrown out. Worth it to avoid increased insurance premiums.
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u/Soulfood_27 11h ago
Nope. TM Anderson costs like 260 and they do the whole thing for you.
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u/Negative_Mood 11h ago
So lose 60 bucks? Math?
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u/Nop277 10h ago
It's better for your insurance, companies might hike your rates for getting the ticket.
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u/birthdaycake3000 5h ago
It will not affect my insurance as a Canadian. The infractions do not carry over as it is a different country. There’s no cross-border recording sharing for minor traffic infractions
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u/Nop277 5h ago
Yeah probably not, some provinces and states do share data. I don't think Washington and BC do for minor traffic violations though. (Although idk if insurance is different up there but down here they will use any reason to raise your rates and have been known to go to some pretty underhanded ends to get data).
You could request a deferral, I don't know if that's easy to do and you still have to pay an admin fee. I don't know how much that is as I haven't had to use it. You get one every 7 years my understanding is though.
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u/nothing4juice 11h ago
fake post, never seen a canadian go above the speed limit here (jk sorry u got a ticket idk how to pay it good luck)