The Rowan County Courthouse is now accepting most major credit cards and debit cards as payment for certain fines and fees says Clerk of Court Jeff Barger.
The county is one of 33 counties who are part of a pilot program that will allow traffic tickets and other select fines to be processed using electronic payment methods. There is an associated processing fee. The processing fee goes to the company that provides this service, Barger said. The goal is to implement the payment system statewide next year. Prior to this new payment system, fines had to be paid in cash or by cashier’s check.
“This is a big benefit for citizens,” Barger said.
He said it’s also more of a convenience for those who have to pay fines.
Barger said he served on the technology committee through the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts who had been looking at ways to be more efficient and this is a step in that direction.
The idea was to implement the system in small, medium and larger counties to see how well it would function. The payment system has been in Rowan County for a couple of weeks.
He said the processing fee depends on the total of the fine. For example, a $25 fine will incur a $1.56 processing fee and a $225 fine will be charged a $6.06 fee. This month so far, the courthouse has processed $35,591.74 in electronic payments. Payments may be made via American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. No transactions can be made for more than $1,000.
Barger said the cashiers will notify customers of the amount of the processing fee.
The court actions that electronic payments will not be used for are — alimony, bond forfeiture, cash bonds, child support purge payments, civil judgments, condemnation awards, disputed funds, rent bonds, trusts and upset bids.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.