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 Pennsylvania (PA), traffic tickets or citations are issued for moving violations when a driver is alleged to have broken traffic laws while the vehicle is in motion, such as speeding or running a red light. Nonmoving violations involve incidents where the vehicle is stationary, like parking violations, or violations by pedestrians or non-motor vehicle operators. For most traffic violations in PA, the recipient of a ticket can either pay the fine by a specified date or choose to contest the charge in court. Traffic offenses in PA are generally treated as summary offenses, which are the least serious type of criminal offense. However, some serious traffic violations can be classified as misdemeanors or felonies. When a traffic ticket is issued for a summary offense, the case is usually decided by a Magisterial District Judge without a jury. For more serious offenses, the process may involve a trial with a judge or jury to determine guilt or innocence. Civil infractions are adjudicated by determining the responsibility of the driver, without the criminal implications.