Is a citation still valid even if the violator does not sign it?

A citation remains valid even if the violator does not sign it because the act of signing is typically not a requirement for the citation to be enforceable. The purpose of the signature is often to acknowledge receipt of the citation, not to admit guilt or consent to the citation itself. Therefore, the lack of a signature does not undermine the legal authority of the citation; law enforcement agencies and the courts recognize it as a formal record of the alleged offense.

The enforcement of traffic laws and issuance of citations depend primarily on the occurrence of a violation and proper procedure followed by the officer issuing the citation. The citation serves as a documentation of the infraction and initiates the legal process, regardless of whether the violator acknowledges it by signing. This ensures that officers can effectively uphold traffic laws and that offenders are held accountable, even if they refuse to sign.