FAQ
Is Traffic School an Option for Me?
Once the ticket is filed with the court, you may receive a reminder notice in the mail. This notice will indicate whether you may be eligible to attend traffic school. You are INELIGIBLE for traffic school if the following apply:
- You attended traffic school for a violation occurring within 18 months of the current violation.
- For those with a commercial license, you were driving a commercial vehicle when the violation occurred.
Your conviction will be reported to the California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV). However, if you have a noncommercial driver’s license, the DMV will make the conviction confidential, such that it would not appear on your driving record. If you have a commercial driver’s license, the conviction will appear on your driving record, but the DMV may choose not to count it as a violation point.
If you attend traffic school despite being ineligible, your conviction will remain on your non-confidential driving record. If you are ineligible for traffic school or are eligible but decide not to attend, your automobile insurance, as well as other areas, may be adversely affected.
Do I Have to Pay a Fee to the Court and the Traffic School?
Yes, a fee is paid to the court in the amount of the total bail plus an amount to your court. The total will be indicated on your reminder notice in the “Traffic School” amount listed under the “Total Bail” amount in the upper right corner, see sample below.
You may pay the fee in full or set up a payment plan online or in person. A fee must also be paid to the traffic school you attend. Methods of instruction and class fees vary. You may want to call a variety of schools before you determine which school you attend.
If you have a financial hardship and can show that you are unable to pay the full amount for the offenses on your ticket, you may request the court consider:
- Your ability to pay and/or your request to reduce the bail amount; or
- Your request for an installment plan or reduced payment amount (for payments less than $35/month) based on your ability to pay;
- Your request for community service/volunteer work in lieu of the fine.
Who is not eligible?
You cannot go to school for any:
- Equipment or non-moving violation
- Misdemeanor
- Violation that has a mandatory Court appearance
- Alcohol related violation
What are the advantages of attending school?
If you are eligible for traffic school, hold a non-commercial driver’s license and successfully complete traffic school, the Court will notify DMV of a conviction that will be kept confidential. It will not show on your public record, nor will the point be assessed to your DMV record.
If you hold a commercial driver’s license and you were not driving a commercial vehicle, the record of conviction will not be held confidential but the conviction will not add a point count to your DMV record.
How long do I have to complete traffic school?
If you go to Court and the Commissioner says you can go to traffic school, the Commissioner will also order a deadline for you to complete traffic school. The deadline will be on the order you get in Court.
If you do not go to Court, you must pay the traffic school fee to the Court by the due date on your ticket or courtesy notice. Your completion date will be noted on the traffic school agreement form that you receive from the court. In most cases you must complete within 60 days from the date you pay the Court.
How do I tell the Court that I have finished traffic school?
The California DMV approved Traffic School will notify the Court of your completion. You don’t have to come in or call the court.
Can the course be completed in one day?
Do I have to complete the course in one sitting?
How many chapters are there?
Our course has twelve chapters. At the end of each chapter there is a 4 question quiz, which will prepare you for the final exam.
How long is the final exam?
What if I fail the final exam?
DMV allows us to give you a second final exam for free. They are not the same questions, but very similar to first exam. If you fail even the second time, we also provide a free course.
What if I'm a Commercial Driver, can I still take an online traffic school?
The court may approve traffic school for a driver with a commercial driver’s license if the eligible offense occurred in a noncommercial vehicle. After completion of an approved program by a driver with a commercial driver’s license, a conviction will appear on the driving record at the DMV, but a point will not appear for the offense.
Commercial Drivers must complete form DL207 – Driver License Record Correction Request – (Traffic Violations/Convictions Only) to have their driver’s license corrected. For additional information contact the Mandatory Actions Unit at (916) 657-6525.