A violation designated as an infraction under this chapter shall be heard and determined by an administrative law judge of the office of administrative hearings. If a party desires to contest the notice of infraction, the party shall file a notice of appeal with the department specifying the grounds of the appeal within twenty days of service of the infraction in a manner provided by this chapter. The appeal must be accompanied by a certified check for two hundred dollars, which must be returned to the assessed party if the decision of the department is not sustained following the final decision in the appeal. If the final decision sustains the decision of the department, the department must apply the two hundred dollars to the payment of the expenses of the appeal, including costs charged by the office of administrative hearings. The administrative law judge shall conduct hearings in these cases at locations in the county where the infraction is alleged to have occurred.