# Got a California traffic ticket? Start here. Title: California Traffic Ticket Help: Costs, Points, Court URL: https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/ Last reviewed: 2026-10-13 > You have until the due date on your citation to act. Find your ticket type below to see the cost, the DMV points and your options: pay, traffic school, or contest. Most moving violations add 1 point; paying is a conviction. ## I got a ticket for… Pick the line that matches your citation. Each page gives the cost, the points and the next steps for that situation. - Speeding under 100 mph: /codes/22350-unsafe-speed/ and /codes/22349-max-speed/ - Speeding over 100 mph: /codes/22349-max-speed/ - A red light: /codes/21453-red-light/ - A camera flash: /tickets/red-light-camera/ - I missed my court date: /tickets/failure-to-appear/ - I drive commercially: /tickets/commercial-drivers/ ## What do I do before the due date? Your citation or court notice sets the deadline. Work through these steps in order. 1. Find the due date on your citation or notice and write it down. 2. Find your court. The citation names it. Look up the case in that court's online system or call its traffic clerk. The [courts page](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/) lists contacts for four counties. 3. Choose one option: pay, go to traffic school, or contest. The [route comparison](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/traffic-school-vs-contest/) sets the options side by side. 4. Act in writing or online before the due date. Using a court website does not extend a deadline; the Los Angeles court says so on its traffic page. Already past the date? Go straight to [missed your court date](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/failure-to-appear/). ## What will this cost me? Speeding tickets under 100 mph run from $226.16 to $467.90 on the statewide 2026 schedule. Over 100 mph the total is $860.80. The [ticket cost estimator](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tools/ticket-cost/) gives you a figure and the points for your ticket. ## What happens to my record? A conviction for most moving violations adds 1 point to your DMV record. Under [Vehicle Code 12810.5](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=12810.5), the DMV can send a notice of intent to suspend at 3 points in 12 months, 5 in 24 or 7 in 36, and can order probation at 4, 6 or 8 in the same windows. - [How many points your ticket adds, and what insurers do](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/points-and-insurance/) - [Negligent operator hearing: the point thresholds](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/negligent-operator-hearing/) ## Pay, school, or contest? Paying ends the case but records a conviction. Traffic school is open only to eligible drivers. Contesting keeps the case open. - [Compare traffic school and contesting](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/traffic-school-vs-contest/) - [Contest in writing with a trial by written declaration](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/tickets/written-declaration/) ## Find your court Check the court named on your citation, then open its page here for phone numbers and online tools. - [All courts](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/) - [Santa Clara County](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/santa-clara-county/) - [San Francisco](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/san-francisco/) - [Sacramento](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/sacramento/) - [Los Angeles](https://californiaticketlawyerhelp.com/courts/los-angeles/) ## Who can take this off my plate? Some drivers hire a lawyer to handle the ticket. These firms list traffic ticket work on their own websites. ## Our picks for you These firms list traffic ticket work on their own websites. The picks are not a ranking. 1. **Ticket Crushers, A Law Corporation**. San Francisco: 350 Rhode Island St #240, San Francisco, CA 94103, (628) 203-1868; San Jose: 2033 Gateway Pl Ste 500, San Jose, CA 95110, (628) 210-3807; Sacramento: 980 9th St, Sacramento, CA 95814, (628) 212-7076; Los Angeles: 515 Flower St #1951, Los Angeles, CA 90071, (628) 285-1257. Main line (866) 842-5384. 2. **The Nieves Law Firm**. 1100 11th St., 3rd Fl., Rm 311, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 545-1989. Its Sacramento traffic page says it represents clients with a speeding ticket or a red light violation. 3. **Stephen G. Rodriguez & Partners**. 633 W 5th St, 28th Floor, Suite 2874, Los Angeles, CA 90071, (213) 481-6811. Its speeding-ticket page says it offers a complimentary consultation to drivers facing a speeding ticket in Los Angeles. ## Frequently asked questions ### How long do I have to deal with a California ticket? You have until the due date printed on your citation or court notice. Your notice sets the date, and it can differ from one case to the next. Miss it and the case can become a failure to appear. Vehicle Code 40310 also requires a 50 percent late charge on traffic penalties not paid within 20 days. ### Is paying a ticket an admission of guilt? Paying is treated as a conviction. The Sacramento Superior Court describes paying in full as a bail forfeiture: a conviction is reported to the DMV and the option to contest ends. Check how your own court describes payment before you pay. ### Can I handle a ticket without going to court? Often, yes. Vehicle Code 40902 lets you elect a trial by written declaration for any alleged infraction. The Sacramento and Los Angeles courts also list online services for paying, requesting traffic school or contesting. Check your notice, because some cases require a court appearance. ### What if I lost my citation? Search for the case on your court's online system. Santa Clara County has a Case Info website at portal.scscourt.org/traffic. Los Angeles asks for a citation or driver's license number. Sacramento uses its Public Case Access System. Look up the due date before you do anything else. ## Sources - [Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, 2026 (Orange County Superior Court edition)](https://www.occourts.org/system/files/criminal/uniform-bail-and-penalty-schedule-orange-county-edition.pdf) - [Sacramento Superior Court, Traffic ticket options](https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/divisions/traffic/ticket-options) - [Los Angeles Superior Court, Traffic](https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/traffic) - [Los Angeles Superior Court, online traffic services](https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/traffic/v1/) - [Santa Clara Superior Court, Traffic Division](https://santaclara.courts.ca.gov/divisions/traffic-division) - [Vehicle Code 40902 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=40902) - [Vehicle Code 40310 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=40310) - [Vehicle Code 12810.5 (leginfo)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH§ionNum=12810.5)