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 South Carolina, traffic tickets or citations are issued to drivers who are alleged to have violated state or local traffic laws. These violations can be classified as either moving violations, which occur when the vehicle is in motion (e.g., speeding, running a red light), or nonmoving violations, which occur when the vehicle is stationary (e.g., parking violations). Nonmoving violations can also apply to pedestrians or operators of non-motor vehicles like bikes or skateboards. Upon receiving a traffic ticket, the individual is typically required to either pay a fine by a specified date or appear in court to contest the charge. In South Carolina, most traffic violations are treated as civil infractions rather than criminal offenses. This means that the determination of responsibility is made by a judge rather than a jury, and the standard of proof is typically a preponderance of the evidence rather than beyond a reasonable doubt. However, some serious traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence (DUI), can be classified as criminal and may carry more severe penalties, including the possibility of a jury trial.