West Virginia Code §17C-19-6 sets the frame work for the Standardized Traffic Citation.  After several years of discussion with all West Virginia Law Enforcement Agencies, the Courts and State Agencies, the Uniform Traffic Citation was developed, designed and produced.   Between April and June 2006, one million citations were printed and distributed.  The original citations were paid for with federal funding at no cost to user agencies.  It was estimated that each agency would have enough forms to last for 1½ to 2 years, and in some cases longer.  On January 1, 2007, the new Uniform Traffic Citation must be used for all traffic citations issued.  The Magistrate court system will not accept the old citations after January 1, 2007, for traffic offenses.  However, the “old” citations may still be used for summons and offenses other than traffic, i.e. burning out of season, littering, leash law violations, etc.

Over the years individual agencies modified their citations to the extent that the information was not standardized and there were no single unique identifiers that could be used to “track” the violation.  Due to data needs, electronic transfer of information, efficiency, and federal and state requirements, the new citation was developed.  Each citation has a unique identifying number beginning with 100-0000001.  This number will be used by all agencies to track the particular offense. This process is the first phase in the implementation of electronic transfer of traffic and court data, directly from the officer in the field to the appropriate local or state agencies. 

We realize that any change is difficult and since there are “issues” with the new citation, contact information will be provided and we will also devote a page on our website to the Uniform Citation and other developments associated with it.  Your cooperation in this vital project is greatly appreciated.
 

Re-ordering

Each agency will be responsible for reordering citations at the current rate (as of October 27, 2006 - $3.00 per book, (plus shipping charges) – 20 citations per book).  The citations cannot be changed or, individualized in any way.  They will remain as they currently appear until further notice. The current vendor is the West Virginia Correctional Industries.

Contact information for ordering Uniform Citations is listed below:

US Mail:          West Virginia Correctional Industries

          RD2  Box 1
          12^th Street & Grave Creek Road
          Moundsville WV  26041

Telephone:    Greg Gilli - 304-843-4079   or   Fax:  304-843-4081

e-mail:             gilli@mail.wvnet.edu
 

ARTICLE 19. PARTIES, PROCEDURE UPON ARREST AND REPORTS IN CRIMINAL CASES.

§17C-19-6. Form for and records of books of traffic citations.

(a) Every traffic-enforcement agency in this state shall provide in appropriate form approved by the commissioner, the superintendent of the division of public safety and the commissioner of the division of highways, traffic citations containing notices to appear which shall be issued in books with citations in quadruplicate and meeting the requirements of this article.

(b) The chief administrative officer of every such traffic-enforcement agency shall be responsible for the issuance of such books and shall maintain a record of every such book and each citation contained therein issued to individual members of the traffic-enforcement agency and shall require and retain a receipt for every book so issued.