Municipal Court

Mission Statement

To administer justice fairly, efficiently, effectively, and to provide excellent customer service.

Through the authority of the Colorado State Statutes and the City of Salida, the Salida Municipal Court has jurisdiction over municipal code violations and civil traffic infractions within the city limits of Salida. Municipal Court is held in the Touber Building, 448 E. 1st Street, Room 190, Salida, CO.  Please use the C Street entrance.

Certain charges require a court appearance (written as a Summons to Appear and will say 'Court Required') while others do not. If you do not wish to contest your ticket, you can simply pay the fine. The procedures are more specifically outlined on this page.

The Salida Municipal Court is a court of record.  Court staff are not permitted to provide legal advice; however, they are happy to assist you with your procedural questions. A city prosecutor will be available at your court appearance to discuss your case with you should you wish to speak with one. The prosecutor is the only one authorized by law to negotiate your case with you. Some city code violations carry a right to a jury trial, while others do not. The judge will advise you at your initial court appearance of whether you are/are not entitled to trial by jury given your offense.  For all other cases, you have the right to a bench trial.

Any juvenile defendants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when coming to court. 

PHONE APPEARANCES:  

If you live 100 miles or more from Salida, your case may be accommodated with a phone appearance. If you wish to pursue this option, please contact the Municipal Court Clerk in advance at 719-530-2629. Phone docket is held at 8:30am on the date of your appearance, and the court will contact you via phone for your hearing with the judge and prosecutor. You must have a working telephone number where you can be contacted.  Please note that this option is not available for parking related tickets. 

ACTIVE WARRANTS:

If you have an active warrant that you are trying to handle, please turn yourself in at the Chaffee County Detention Center. All Salida municipal warrants are issued with a personal recognizance bond, which means you will not have to post any monetary funds to be released from jail. Once you are processed and released, you will be given a new court date to appear. 

PAYMENT PROCEDURE:

Payments for traffic infractions can be made by mailing a check or money order which identifies your ticket’s citation number to the City of Salida, 448 E. 1st Street, Ste. 112, Salida, CO 81201.  Payment can also be made during office hours in person at City Hall. After hours check or money order (NO CASH PLEASE) may be placed in the drop box on the B Street side of the Touber Building. Payments by credit card can be made online and you will need your citation number to pull up your information. To pay via credit card go to https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/salidaco/court/search.  Court costs of $35 are added 20 days from the issuance of a citation if it is not paid. If you are unable to pay your fine in full, you may request a payment plan when you appear before the judge in court. 

FAILURES TO APPEAR:

Failure to appear in court on the date and time written on your citation could result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest, or your fine being defaulted and/or sent to collections. Any points assessed against your driver's license will be sent directly to the DMV.

Frequently asked questions:

What if I was cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance and I did have active auto insurance but did not have my insurance card with me?

• Failure to provide proof of insurance is a summonsable offense. However, if you can provide proof of insurance for the vehicle on the date and time of the citation, the clerk has the authority to dismiss the charge of No Proof of Insurance and the fines related to that charge. Please email a copy of your valid insurance card to courtclerk [at] cityofsalida.com (courtclerk[at]cityofsalida[dot]com) or call 719-530-2629 with any questions. If you fail to provide proof to the clerk before 4 p.m. on the day prior to your appearance date you must still appear in court. Failure to appear could result in a warrant being issued for your arrest.
• If you were cited for other charges in addition to Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance, you will need to appear in court and/or pay fines related to those charges. Please call the court clerk if you have questions regarding other charges on your citation.

What if I was cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance and I have since purchased auto insurance?

• If you were NOT insured at the time of the citation but have since purchased insurance, you MUST appear in court on the date and time shown on your citation. However, the $500 fine is generally reduced by half to $250 if a copy of your insurance is presented to, and verified by, the court. All other charges listed on the citation will be adjudicated when you appear.

What if I was cited for an Unregistered Vehicle and the vehicle was registered but I did not have the registration card with me?

• If you email or bring a copy of the registration to the court clerk to verify, the charge and fine can be dismissed with proof of registration. Please email this to courtclerk [at] cityofsalida.com (courtclerk[at]cityofsalida[dot]com) or call 719-530-2629 if you have any questions. If, however, you fail to provide proof of registration or fail to pay the fine in full by 4 p.m. the day prior to your scheduled court date, you must appear for court. Failure to appear could result in a default judgement being entered against you.
• If you were cited for other charges in addition to Unregistered Vehicle, you will need to appear in court and/or pay fines related to those charges. Please call the court clerk if you have questions regarding other charges on your citation.

What if I was cited for an Unregistered Vehicle and I have since registered that vehicle?

• Effective April 20, 2026: If you were cited for no proof of registration and have since registered your vehicle, the clerk has the authority to dismiss the charge with proof of registration if the vehicle has been unregistered less than 4 months. A $30 fee will apply. If it was unregistered for more than 4 months, you will still need to appear in court. Failure to appear could result in a default judgement being entered against you.
• If you were cited for other charges in addition to unregistered vehicle, you will need to appear in court and/or pay fines related to those charges. Please call the Court Clerk at 719-530-2629 if you have questions regarding any other charges on your citation.

What if I want to contest a parking citation?

• You have 14 days from the date the ticket was issued to request a hearing before the judge. To do so, contact the court clerk at 719-530-2629. A hearing will be set on your appearance date for 2pm and will involve you (the accused) and the ticketing officer only. The prosecutor does not take part in parking citation hearings. Each side will have a chance to testify and call any witnesses. If the judge rules in your favor, the fine will be dismissed, and you will only be responsible for court costs and surcharges of $35. If the judge rules in favor of The People, you will be responsible for both your fine and court costs and surcharges. 

What if my fine was sent to collections?

• If you have a fine that was sent to collections, please contact Integral Recoveries, PO Box 1388, Englewood, CO. 80150 or 888-528-6226.