A traffic ticket or citation is a document written by a police officer that alleges the driver (operator) of a motor vehicle committed a violation of state or local traffic laws while the motor vehicle was moving (also known as a moving violation).

A ticket or citation issued to the owner of a motor vehicle for violation of a state or local law that is alleged to have occurred while the vehicle was not moving (such as a parking violation)—and tickets or citations issued to pedestrians or operators of bikes, skateboards, or other non-motor vehicles for illegal use of streets, sidewalks, and other driveways—are known as nonmoving violations. A ticket or citation for illegal parking or another nonmoving violation usually requires the person to pay a fine by a certain date or appear in court to contest the charge.

A traffic ticket or citation usually requires the driver to pay a fine by a certain date or appear in court to contest the charge. In some states traffic violations are low-level misdemeanor criminal offenses—but in other states traffic tickets are classified as infractions or civil offenses. If a ticket or citation is classified as a criminal offense the driver's guilt or innocence will be determined by a jury or judge. But if a ticket or citation is classified as a civil infraction, violation, or offense the driver will be determined (adjudged) to be responsible or not responsible.

In Michigan, traffic tickets or citations for moving violations are issued by police officers to drivers who are alleged to have violated state or local traffic laws while operating a motor vehicle. These violations can range from speeding to running a red light. Nonmoving violations, on the other hand, typically involve parking infractions or offenses committed by pedestrians or operators of non-motor vehicles, such as bicycles. For both types of violations, the individual cited is usually required to pay a fine by a specified date or appear in court to contest the charge. In Michigan, most traffic violations are considered civil infractions, which means they are not criminal offenses. The determination of responsibility for a civil infraction is made by a judge or magistrate, not a jury. However, some serious traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence (DUI) or reckless driving, can be classified as misdemeanors or felonies, which are criminal charges and may require a court trial to determine guilt or innocence.