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 North Carolina, traffic tickets or citations for moving violations are issued 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 violations related to the improper use of streets and sidewalks by pedestrians or operators of non-motor vehicles. When issued a traffic ticket in North Carolina, the recipient is generally required to either pay the fine by a specified date or appear in court to contest the charge. Traffic violations in North Carolina are usually classified as infractions, which are non-criminal offenses. This means that the adjudication process for a traffic ticket does not involve a jury but is handled by a judge or magistrate who determines whether the driver is responsible for the infraction. However, some serious traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence (DUI), can be classified as misdemeanors or felonies, which are criminal charges and may require a more formal legal process, including the possibility of a jury trial.