On this page
Your ticket is handled by the superior court of the county where you were cited, at the courthouse named on the citation. Look up the case on that court's website before the due date to pay, ask for traffic school or request a trial.
How do you find your court?
Look at your citation. It names the court and the courthouse. A California traffic ticket is handled by the superior court of the county where you were cited, so the county of the stop decides, not the county where you live.
Gather three things before you contact the court: your citation number, your driver's license number and the due date. Then go to that court's website.
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County traffic tickets, including those issued in San Jose, go to the Superior Court's Traffic Division. The court runs an online portal for case lookup and payments, and a Traffic Clerk's Office you can call. Read the Santa Clara County traffic court page.
San Francisco
San Francisco traffic tickets for moving violations go to the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. Get the address, phone and hours from the court's official site, where they stay current. Read the San Francisco traffic court page.
Sacramento
The Sacramento Superior Court's Traffic Division offers payment, court dates and traffic school requests through an online system, a call center, a Zoom counter and in person. Read the Sacramento traffic court page.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County traffic tickets are handled by the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, and you should check your citation or notice for the courthouse. The court's CourtHelp for Traffic Citations lets you look up your citation, make a payment and access available traffic services. Read the Los Angeles traffic court page.
| County | Main traffic contact | Online services |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara | Traffic Clerk's Office, (408) 556-3000 | Traffic Cases Online and Traffic E-Payments at portal.scscourt.org; court-date reservations |
| San Francisco | See the court's website | See the court's website |
| Sacramento | Call Center (916) 875-7800 (card payments); more options by phone (916) 669-5712 | Public Case Access System; Virtual Public Counter by Zoom |
| Los Angeles | Traffic Call Center (213) 633-6300 | CourtHelp for Traffic Citations at lacourt.ca.gov: look up a citation, make a payment, access available traffic services |
What can you do online at most courts?
The courts above list most of the same actions online: look up a case, pay, request an extension or a court date, and ask for traffic school. Some also offer a way to ask for a fine reduction if you cannot afford the amount. Every court runs its own system, so a function that exists in one county may not exist in another.
Do the work before the due date, and keep confirmations. If you miss your date, see failure to appear. To see what your ticket should total, use the ticket cost calculator, and return to the guide home page for other topics.
Frequently asked questions
Can I handle a ticket in a different county?
The ticket belongs to the court of the county where you were cited, so that court handles it. Its website is where you look up your case. Ask the citing court whether a case can be handled anywhere else. Do not wait; the due date still applies wherever you live.
When will my ticket show up online?
It varies by court. The Santa Clara court's FAQ says you cannot sign up for traffic school until the ticket is in its system. If you cannot find it, call the court's traffic office before the due date. Do not treat a missing record as a missed deadline.
What if I lost my ticket?
You may still be able to find the case. Los Angeles Superior Court lists a ticket search among its online services, and Santa Clara and Sacramento offer online case lookups too. Search before the due date, since the date on the lost citation still controls. If you cannot find it online, call the court.
Do I need to go in person?
Often not. Santa Clara, Sacramento and Los Angeles let you look up, pay or arrange options online or by phone. Sacramento also offers Zoom appearances and a Virtual Public Counter. A court trial needs an appearance, and some tickets carry a mandatory appearance, so read your citation.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by the California Ticket Guide editorial team