New York handles driver offenses through two completely separate systems. Conflating them is the most common mistake motorists make. Parking summonses, red-light camera captures, and bus-lane violations inside the five boroughs fall under the jurisdiction of the NYC Department of Finance parking tickets division. These infractions are civil claims against the vehicle registration, not the driver. They carry monetary penalties ranging from $45 to $115, but they never add points to your driver record.
Moving violations operate under a far more punishing framework. When an officer hands you a ticket for speeding, improper lane usage, or running a red light in New York City, that citation heads directly to the New York DMV Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB). The TVB is notorious among defense attorneys. Unlike standard town or village courts elsewhere in the state, the TVB forbids plea bargains. Administrative Law Judges decide guilt or innocence as a binary outcome. If found guilty, state surcharges attach automatically, points hit your record, and insurance underwriters recalculate your risk profile within months.
