How to Pay Traffic Tickets in California
Receiving traffic tickets in California may result in high fines and fees, high car insurance premiums and even driver’s license suspensions or revocations. Drivers may choose to fight traffic tickets in court by pleading “not guilty”, or accept their guilt and submit ticket violation payments as soon as they receive their citations.
Drivers are required to pay traffic citations using various available methods prior to the due date written on their tickets. If you want to find out more information about paying a speeding ticket in California, continue reading the sections below:
- How to pay a traffic ticket fine in California
- California traffic ticket attorneys
- Pleading not guilty in California
- Dismissal of charges in California
- Lost tickets in California
How to Pay a Traffic Ticket Fine in California
Drivers can pay traffic citations in California using various methods, which depend on the county where the ticket was received.
The ticket violation payments may be submitted online, by mail, by fax, by Express Drop Box by phone (by using an automated telephone system) and by visiting a local office of the CA Superior Court in person.
Traffic tickets payments must be submitted prior to the due date of the citation, in order to avoid additional fees and penalties such as driver’s license suspensions or revocations.
How to Pay a Traffic Ticket Online
Paying traffic tickets online in California is the fastest and most convenient method for drivers who want to admit their guilt before the due date written on their tickets. However, before initiating the traffic fines online payment, drivers need to browse through their tickets in order to check the court that issued their citations and to find out whether the court’s website offers the online method.
To pay traffic fines online, drivers need to visit the proper court website and follow the several steps in order to successfully pay the fines. To begin the online speeding ticket payment, drivers can either enter their citation numbers or docket number.
Moreover, drivers can also pay CA traffic fines by entering their last name and date of birth, or their driver’s license number or organization name.
Traffic Ticket Attorneys
When holding California traffic tickets, drivers are expected to either fight them or pay the applicable traffic fines. Either way, motorists must have knowledge of state road laws and regulations before settling their tickets. For that reason, they are encouraged to hire a traffic ticket attorney who is familiar with citation and speeding laws.
The attorney may help motorists avoid driver’s license suspensions or revocations, dismiss traffic citations and reduce the number of demerit points on their driving records.
Additionally, traffic ticket attorneys may assist drivers in the process for fighting tickets or for lowering the amount of driving fines they are required to pay. You may find a traffic ticket attorney quickly and conveniently online by snapping a picture of your ticket and answering a few basic questions about the citation.
Pleading Not Guilty
When dealing with California traffic tickets, drivers can choose to fight them by pleading “not guilty” for the traffic offense they are charged with. One of their options for fighting traffic tickets is to prove their innocence is to appear at a court trial on the date written on their “Notice to Appear.”
When fighting traffic tickets, drivers need to schedule an appointment if they want to make a personal appearance at court. Moreover, drivers can also contest the traffic citation by submitting a written declaration when they do not want to show up in court.
Motorists can choose to write a declaration only if their case involves a violation of the Vehicle Code. When drivers choose to dismiss traffic tickets by written declaration, they have to pay a full bail that will be returned when they are proved to be innocent.
Those who wish to avoid appearing in court but do not want to write a declaration may hire a knowledgeable lawyer online to represent them.
Dismissal of Charges
Drivers can dismiss traffic citations in California in order to avoid paying high traffic fines and fees. Additionally, drivers who believe that they hold traffic tickets with incorrect information may dismiss them.
Therefore, make sure to always check the details written on the traffic citations, such as: the model of the vehicle, the place of issuance of the ticket, or the date and time of the offense committed.
Moreover, drivers who want to mask traffic tickets need to prevent demerit points from being added on their driving records. For that reason, drivers are encouraged to enroll in a state-approved traffic school.
Lost Tickets in California
Drivers who want to challenge speeding tickets in California or to pay traffic fines need to have the tickets in their possession in order to continue with the procedure.
When facing a lost traffic citation, motorists may not be able to contest it before the due date. Therefore, drivers will have to find their traffic tickets in order to continue with either fighting or paying the tickets. California traffic citation information may be found online via certain court websites.
To use the online service for retrieving citation information, drivers need to enter their case number, citation number, valid CA driver’s license number or ID number or their Xref number. Once you obtain the necessary traffic ticket information, you may continue handling your traffic fines payments.