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Rule 552.Uniform Tickets—Processing

Article V. Rules on Trial Court Proceedings in Traffic and Conservation Offenses, Ordinance Offenses, Petty Offenses, Misdemeanors, and Civil Law Violations · Part D. Required Court Appearances, Forms and Procedures · Last amended 2023 · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceRule 552 standardizes the paperwork behind every traffic and conservation ticket, telling officers and clerks how and when to file, report, and forward the results.

Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 552

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Uniform Citation and Complaint forms and conservation complaints shall be in forms which may, from time to time, be approved by the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges and filed with this court. The uniform forms shall be adapted for use by municipalities.
The arresting officer shall complete the form or ticket and, within 48 hours after the arrest, shall transmit the portions entitled “Complaint” and, where appropriate, “Disposition Report” and/or “Report of Conviction,” either in person, by mail, or electronically where authorized by the Supreme Court, to the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the violation occurred. A final disposition shall be evidence of the judgment in the case. Upon final disposition of each case, the clerk shall execute a Disposition Report and promptly forward it to the law enforcement agency that issued the ticket. On a plea or finding of guilty in any traffic case, the clerk shall also execute a Report of Conviction, if and as applicable, and such other reports as required by section 6-204 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, as amended (625 ILCS 5/6-204) and promptly forward same to the Secretary of State. This rule does not prohibit the use of electronic or mechanical systems of record keeping, transmitting or reporting.
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Plain-English Summary

Every traffic citation and conservation complaint in Illinois uses a uniform form, approved by the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges and adaptable for use by municipalities. Rule 552 sets the mechanics behind that form: the arresting officer has 48 hours after the arrest to send the complaint — and, where it applies, the disposition report or report of conviction — to the circuit clerk in the county where the violation happened.

Once a case wraps up, the clerk fills out a disposition report and sends it back to the law enforcement agency that issued the ticket. On a guilty finding in a traffic case, the clerk also completes a report of conviction and forwards it to the Secretary of State, along with anything else the Vehicle Code requires. None of this rules out electronic or mechanical recordkeeping and transmission.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Uniform Citation and Complaint?
A standardized ticket form used statewide, approved by the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges and adapted for use by municipalities.
How fast must an officer turn in my ticket to the court?
Within 48 hours of the arrest or citation.
What happens to my driving record after a guilty finding?
The clerk completes a report of conviction and forwards it to the Secretary of State.
Can courts use electronic filing for tickets?
Yes, the rule doesn't prohibit electronic or mechanical recordkeeping, transmitting, or reporting.
Who approves the ticket forms police officers use?
The Conference of Chief Circuit Judges.

Amendment History

Amended effective October 7, 1970; amended February 17, 1977, effective April 1, 1977, in counties other than Cook, effective July 1, 1977, in Cook County; amended December 22, 1981, effective January 15, 1982; amended April 27, 1984, effective July 1, 1984; amended March 27, 1985, effective May 1, 1985; amended June 26, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; amended June 19, 1989, effective August 1, 1989; amended September 30, 2002, effective immediately; amended Dec. 29, 2017, eff. Jan. 1, 2018; amended Sept. 29, 2021, eff. Jan. 1, 2022; amended Oct. 27, 2022, eff. Sept. 18, 2023.

Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026. · Official source
Also known as: how traffic tickets are processed in Illinoisuniform citation formtraffic ticket paperwork rulesreport of conviction driver's license