Citations or traffic tickets are issued in the State of California for various violations of traffic law. You must respond to a citation, usually by paying a fine or appearing in court, or else a warrant may be issued for your arrest and your driving license may be suspended.

If you wish to dispute the citation, you must appear in court personally on the scheduled date, and enter a "not guilty" plea. Appearing in court gives you an opportunity to fight the traffic ticket in front of a judge or jury, and most people prefer to hire a traffic ticket lawyer to defend them in court.

PAYING A TRAFFIC TICKET - WHAT IT MEANS

When you pay a ticket, you are essentially pleading guilty to a traffic offense. Motorists should be aware that receiving and paying a traffic citation could result in higher car insurance rates and points on your driving record. Your license may be suspended if you accumulate too many points on your driving record.

THE ALTERNATIVE - FIGHT THE TICKET

The alternative to paying a traffic ticket is to fight it in order to save on points, auto insurance increases and keep your driving record clean. The easiest way to fight your ticket is to have a local traffic ticket lawyer handle the case for you. To have a local certified lawyer contact you in order to discuss your case you can submit the TixNix form at the top of this page. They will discuss your case with no obligation to see if its in your best interests to fight this ticket.

HOW TO PAY THE FINE

If you decide to plead guilty to a traffic violation, there are several ways to pay the ticket. Generally, the back of the citation will clearly indicate the deadlines and options for answering the ticket. Usually, you must act within fifteen days of receiving a traffic ticket to avoid additional fines and possible suspension of your license.

1. Pay online. In most counties in California traffic tickets can be paid online using a credit or debit card. Visit the California State Pay your ticket online site to see the list of counties that accept online payment and to determine whether you are eligible to use the online payment system.
2. Pay by mail. Read the instructions on the back of the ticket carefully, then check the "Guilty" box and sign the ticket. Enclose a check or money order for the amount indicated on the ticket and mail to the address given. Be sure to retain a copy of the citation for your personal records.
3. Pay in person. You can pay your traffic tickets at the court house in person (address will be there on the notice, if not just look up your local court on the web). Bring the citation with you, along with a check, money order, Visa or MasterCard. In addition, bring proof of identity (i.e. your driver license).

PLEADING NOT GUILTY

If you decide to plead not guilty and dispute the ticket, read the instructions on the back of the ticket carefully. The instructions will generally indicate when and how to plead not guilty, and information about appearing in court to dispute your ticket. See our general section on Traffic Tickets and Violations for more information about how to dispute a traffic ticket in California State.

DISMISSAL OF CHARGES

Remember that you cannot be found guilty of committing a traffic offense unless there is clear, accurate and convincing evidence that you committed the violation. Charges may be dismissed in court if the citation includes vague or incorrect information. For instance, vehicle information, time, location and circumstances must all be indicated correctly on the ticket. Many motorists choose to consult with a traffic ticket attorney to help them evaluate the validity of the ticket, and whether or not it is likely to be dismissed in court.

LOST TICKETS

If you lost a traffic ticket after receiving it, you must contact the court where the ticket is answerable. If you do not know the name of the appropriate court, contact the local DMV office.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• For more information on how to handle your traffic tickets consult our Traffic Tickets and Violations and Traffic Ticket Attorneys pages.