Dukes County Traffic Ticket Records (Martha's Vineyard)

Dukes County traffic ticket records are handled by the Edgartown District Court, the only court on Martha's Vineyard. All civil motor vehicle infractions issued anywhere on the island go to this one courthouse. Whether your ticket was issued in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, or the up-island towns, every Dukes County traffic ticket record is filed at 81 Main Street in Edgartown.

Edgartown District Court

The Edgartown District Court at 81 Main Street, Edgartown, MA 02539 is the sole court for all of Martha's Vineyard. Phone: (508) 627-3751. This court handles civil motor vehicle infractions for all six Vineyard towns: Aquinnah, Chilmark, Edgartown, Gosnold, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, and West Tisbury. The Dukes County Superior Court shares the same location and phone number. Whether your matter is a standard civil motor vehicle infraction or a more serious criminal traffic charge, this is the courthouse you will deal with.

Martha's Vineyard is an island accessible by ferry from Woods Hole, Falmouth, New Bedford, and other mainland ports. There are no bridges. Visitors who arrive by ferry drive on the island's roads, and during summer the population swells well beyond the year-round base of roughly 20,000 residents. Peak season runs from late May through early September, and the island's town roads handle traffic volumes that far exceed what the road system was built for. Enforcement is active during these months, and the Edgartown District Court processes a much higher volume of traffic citations in summer than in winter.

The main roads on the island include Beach Road along the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven corridor, State Road running up-island toward Chilmark and Aquinnah, and the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road. Speeding and cell phone violations are among the most common citation types. Summer visitors who get tickets often return to the mainland before the court processes their citation. The 20-day response window still applies, and you do not need to return to the island to respond. Online and mail options are available.

The Edgartown District Court page has current contact details, hours, and directions from the Edgartown ferry landing area.

All Dukes County traffic ticket records, from both the district and superior courts, are associated with this single building at 81 Main Street in Edgartown.

How to Respond Without Returning to the Island

Most visitors who receive a ticket on Martha's Vineyard are back on the mainland before the citation is even filed in the system. That does not change the 20-day deadline. You have 20 days from the date on the ticket to respond. Your options are to pay, request a Clerk-Magistrate hearing ($25), or request a judge hearing ($50). You can handle all of these remotely.

The state's online payment system lets you pay without mailing a check or traveling anywhere. If you want to contest the ticket, the appeal your ticket page explains how to request a hearing. For a Clerk-Magistrate hearing, the officer often does not appear, and many tickets are dismissed without the driver needing to return to Edgartown. A judge hearing requires the officer to be present. Neither hearing requires you to appear in person in most civil infraction cases, though you should confirm with the court. The hearing expectations page has current guidance.

Look up your citation on MassCourts. Search by your name or the case number. The system is free and shows case status, court location, and any upcoming dates. New citations may take a few days to appear.

The Massachusetts traffic tickets page is a good starting point if you are unfamiliar with the state's process. Out-of-state drivers should note that Massachusetts shares conviction data with most other states through the Driver License Compact. A Dukes County ticket can show up on your record at home.

The Massachusetts Traffic Ticket Portal

The state maintains a central information page for traffic tickets that covers how to pay, how to appeal, and what to expect at hearings. This is where most drivers start when they need guidance on a citation received anywhere in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts traffic ticket information page covers the full CMVI process, including responses, hearings, and payment.

The portal is useful for Dukes County visitors who received a ticket on Martha's Vineyard and need to understand their options from the mainland.

Fines, Surcharges, and License Impact

Massachusetts traffic fines are set statewide. Speeding 1 to 10 mph over the limit is $50. Going 11 or more mph over the limit costs $50 plus $10 for each mph above 10. A mandatory $50 Head Injury Assessment surcharge is added to every citation without exception. That makes the minimum traffic ticket cost $100 after the surcharge.

The hands-free phone law, effective February 23, 2020, fines drivers $100 for a first violation, $250 for a second, and $500 for each one after that. Three speeding tickets in 12 months triggers a 30-day suspension under MGL c. 90, section 20. The habitual offender rule under MGL c. 90, section 22F can bring a four-year suspension for four or more qualifying convictions. See the suspension rules page for the full thresholds. Traffic statutes are in MGL Chapter 90.

If you want to check your driving record, the RMV sells unattested copies for $8 and attested copies for $20. Order through the driving record request page. This shows all surchargeable events that affect your insurance rate. The surchargeable incidents list explains which violations count.

Cities in Dukes County

No communities in Dukes County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. Edgartown is the county seat and the location of the only courthouse on the island. For traffic ticket records, use the Edgartown District Court information above or search MassCourts directly.

Nearby Counties

Dukes County is an island county. The nearest mainland counties are accessible by ferry from the island's ports.