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Traffic school can lead to a court holding the conviction confidential, but you still pay the full bail plus a fee, and only one conviction within 18 months will be held confidential. Fighting the ticket costs time and can end with no conviction at all — or with the point.
What does traffic school actually do?
Traffic school is a court-approved course that lets the court hold a conviction confidential. Vehicle Code 41501 allows a court to continue your case and hold the conviction confidential once you complete traffic violator school. The court must tell you that only one conviction within 18 months will be held confidential.
The conviction is still a conviction; the court holds it confidential. Ask your court how that shows on your DMV record. You still pay for the ticket, and you also pay for the course.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility is set by statute and by each court's own rules. Sacramento Superior Court lists these conditions:
- A valid non-commercial license.
- You were not driving a commercial vehicle (see VC 15210(b)).
- No traffic school sign-up in the 18 months before the ticket date.
- A moving violation that carries a DMV point.
- No misdemeanor or commercial vehicle charge.
- No mandatory court appearance.
The statewide rule, California Rules of Court rule 4.104, closes the door in these cases: a violation with more than one point (so a 2-point speed over 100 mph under VC 22348(b) does not qualify), a speed more than 25 mph over the limit, a violation within 18 months of a prior traffic school, a commercial-vehicle violation, and a failure to appear unless the civil assessment is paid. Santa Clara County's court says you can attend any school approved by the California DMV, and it will not accept proof from a school that is not. It also says you cannot sign up until the ticket is in its system.
Commercial drivers have narrower rules, covered on the CDL ticket page.
What does traffic school cost?
Two pieces make up the cost. First, the court charges bail. Under VC 42007, the fee equals the total bail for the offense, and a court may set a lesser fee on proof of inability to pay. Second, VC 42007.1 adds a $49 monitoring fee and a TAP fee. Failing to show proof of completion can convert the fee into bail.
The school you attend charges its own fee separately. This guide lists no amount for any court's added fees because we could not confirm one. Ask each court for its current fees. Use the ticket cost calculator to see the bail amount.
What does fighting the ticket involve?
You have two ways to contest, and neither promises a result.
- Court trial. You ask for a trial date and appear, in person or by video where your court offers it.
- Trial by written declaration. Under VC 40902, you contest most infractions in writing and post bail with the request. See trial by written declaration for the forms and steps.
Both routes can end with the ticket dismissed, or with a conviction and its point. Contesting also costs time, and a missed date turns into a failure to appear.
Paying in full, by contrast, ends the right to contest. Sacramento Superior Court says a payment plan also makes the case ineligible for traffic school. Decide first, then pay.
Traffic school vs. contesting: side by side
| Traffic school | Contest in court | Written declaration | Hire a lawyer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point outcome | Conviction may be held confidential | No conviction, or conviction with the point | No conviction, or conviction with the point | Depends on the route the firm uses |
| What you pay | Full bail plus fees | Ask your court whether bail is due first; fines if convicted | Bail with the request; ask the court about a refund | The firm's fee, plus any fine |
| Time | A course to complete | A court date to attend | Paperwork before the due date | You supply facts; the firm handles filings |
| Risk | Eligibility rules; one use in 18 months | A conviction and its point | A conviction and its point, with a new trial possible | Fee paid whatever the result |
When does each make sense?
This guide takes no side. Use these questions to sort your own situation.
- How many points are on your record? If you are near 4 points in 12 months, see how DMV points work.
- Are you eligible? If you used traffic school within 18 months, it is not available.
- Can you attend a court date? If not, consider a written declaration or a lawyer.
- Do you drive for work? Commercial drivers have different rules.
- Do you believe the ticket is wrong? Contesting is the route that puts the question to a judge.
Then check the due date on your citation.
Who can handle the ticket for you?
If you want help comparing the options, these are our picks for you.
Traffic ticket lawyers in California
Firms that handle these cases, with the details each publishes about itself. Picks are not rankings.
Ticket Crushers, A Law Corporation
4.9 stars · 605 reviewsA California traffic ticket defense firm led by Adam Cohen, Esq. It lists speeding, red light and camera tickets, failure-to-appear notices and negligent operator hearings among the matters it handles. English and Spanish.
- San Jose2033 Gateway Pl Ste 500, 95110Directions
- San Francisco350 Rhode Island St #240, 94103Directions
- Sacramento980 9th St, 95814Directions
- Los Angeles515 Flower St #1951, 90071Directions
Shouse Law Group, A.P.C.
The firm's site says its team of California criminal lawyers includes several former prosecutors and former career police officers.
Wallin & Klarich
The firm says it was established in 1981.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do traffic school if I lose at trial?
That is the judge's decision. No rule cited here gives you the right to switch after a loss. Sacramento Superior Court says a payment plan ends eligibility, so rules differ by court. Ask the court before your trial date whether traffic school stays available if you lose.
How often can I take traffic school?
VC 41501 says only one conviction within 18 months will be held confidential, and Sacramento Superior Court's list requires no traffic school sign-up in the 18 months before the ticket date. Ask your own court how it counts the window, and ask before you pay, because paying in full ends the chance to enroll.
Does traffic school remove the ticket?
Not in the sense of erasing it. A court may hold the conviction confidential under VC 41501 once you finish traffic violator school, and only one conviction within 18 months will be held confidential. You still pay the full bail plus fees. Ask your court and your insurer how a confidential conviction is treated.
Can commercial drivers take traffic school?
Under VC 42005, class A, B or commercial class C drivers may attend only if the vehicle needed only a class C or M license, and the offense cannot have occurred in a commercial motor vehicle. See the CDL page for the full rules.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by the California Ticket Guide editorial team