Does a civil penalty go on your permanent record?

While many Americans have never had any contact with U.S. criminal courts, plenty of us have dealt with the civil court system – commonly, in the form of having to pay a civil penalty.

A civil penalty is a fine that the state assesses against a person to compensate for some harm. A familiar example of a civil penalty is a parking ticket. The driver breaks a rule and the state demands a fine for compensation (for not paying for the parking space, for example). Common traffic violations, such as speeding or running a red light, are also typically considered civil offenses and result in fines.