Find Los Angeles Traffic Records

Traffic citations in Los Angeles are handled by Los Angeles County Superior Court. The city does not have its own traffic court. All tickets issued within Los Angeles city limits get filed with the county court system. Los Angeles County processes more than one million new traffic citations each year. The county operates sixteen traffic court locations throughout its jurisdiction. Los Angeles tickets go through these courts based on where the violation took place. You can search for your case online, pay fines, request traffic school, or schedule a court appearance through the county system.

Los Angeles County Traffic Courts

Los Angeles County Superior Court handles all traffic cases for the city of Los Angeles. This is standard across California. Cities do not run their own traffic courts. When you get a ticket in Los Angeles, it gets filed with the county. The officer submits the citation. The clerk enters it into the case system.

This process takes time. Most tickets appear in the system within three to four weeks. Some take longer depending on how busy the court is. Do not call immediately after getting your ticket. The court does not have it yet. Wait at least two weeks. If three weeks pass and your case still does not show up online, then contact the court to ask about it in California.

The date on your citation is not a court date. It is the deadline for you to take action on your case. You do not appear in court on that date. You respond by that date. Your options include paying the fine, requesting traffic school if you qualify, or asking for a trial. The court website at lacourt.org explains each option and the steps you need to follow in Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles County has sixteen different traffic court locations. Your citation shows which courthouse handles your case. This depends on where the violation occurred. Some courts serve specific areas or cities. Others cover larger regions. You must use the courthouse assigned to your case. If you need to appear in person, go to the location printed on your ticket. The wrong courthouse cannot help you with a case assigned elsewhere in the county.

Search Traffic Cases Online

Los Angeles County provides online case search through their website. You can look up cases by name or case number. Basic case information is available for a fee. Name searches cost four dollars and seventy five cents per name. This fee applies each time you search. Viewing or downloading court documents costs extra. One to five pages cost one dollar per page. Six or more pages cost forty cents per page. The maximum fee per document is forty dollars in California.

The online services FAQ page at lacourt.org/paos/v2public/faq explains how to use the case search system. The page lists what information you can find and how fees work. It also shows where to go for certification of court records. The Certification Unit is at one eleven North Hill Street, Room one twelve C, Los Angeles, CA nine zero zero one two in Los Angeles County.

The system contains criminal case records going back to nineteen eighty for felonies and nineteen eighty eight for misdemeanors. Most traffic tickets are infractions, not crimes. These show up in a separate search. Traffic infractions typically stay on file for three years after the case closes. Older records may be archived or destroyed. If you need info about an old case, contact the clerk office directly in California.

Remember that it takes time for tickets to show up in the system. Allow at least two to three weeks from the citation date. If you search too early, the case will not be in the database yet. The court needs time to receive the citation from the officer and enter it into their records. Be patient and check again after a few weeks if your case does not appear right away in Los Angeles County.

What Happens After You Get a Ticket

The court sends a reminder notice before your deadline. This notice is also called a courtesy notice. It lists your options and shows the bail amount. Bail is what you pay if you plead guilty or no contest. The notice also tells you if traffic school is available for your violation. Read it carefully to see what applies to your case in California.

Do not wait for this notice to take action. Failure to receive the notice does not excuse you from the deadline on your ticket. The court states this clearly on their website. The appear by date is binding whether you get mail or not. If you want to handle your case before the notice arrives, search online or call the court. Do not rely on the postal service to get you the info on time in Los Angeles County.

Missing your deadline creates problems. The court adds a civil assessment to your fine. This penalty ranges from one hundred to three hundred dollars. The DMV also puts a hold on your license. You cannot renew your vehicle registration until you clear the hold. These consequences are avoidable. Just respond before the deadline. If you need more time, request an extension before your original due date passes in California.

Los Angeles County may allow extensions in some situations. You must ask before your deadline. The court looks at each request individually. If approved, you get extra time to pay or decide what to do with your case. But extensions are not automatic. Contact the court early if you need one in Los Angeles County California.

Traffic School Option

Traffic school keeps a conviction off your public DMV record. Your insurance company will not see it. This prevents rate increases. You must meet eligibility rules to use traffic school. You cannot have attended school for another ticket in the past eighteen months. The violation must be a one point offense. You cannot have been in a commercial vehicle when cited in California.

Your reminder notice shows if you qualify. If traffic school is an option, choose it before your deadline. Once the deadline passes, the option disappears. You pay the full bail amount plus a court fee. Then you pay the traffic school. Online schools typically charge twenty to fifty dollars. Your total cost is bail plus court fee plus school fee in Los Angeles County.

After the court approves your request, you have time to complete the course. Most courts give sixty days. Pick an approved school from the DMV website. Online schools are popular because you work at your own pace. When you finish, the school notifies the court. The court reports completion to the DMV as confidential. But the eighteen month rule still applies. If you get another ticket during that period, you cannot use school again in California.

Some violations never qualify for traffic school. Speeding more than twenty five miles per hour over the limit makes you ineligible. Alcohol or drug violations do not qualify. Failure to appear charges are excluded. Commercial vehicle violations are not eligible. Check your notice or call the court to confirm if your specific ticket qualifies in Los Angeles County California.

Traffic Court Locations

Los Angeles County operates sixteen traffic court locations. Your citation assigns you to a specific courthouse. This depends on where the violation happened. You must use that courthouse if you need to appear in person. Each location has its own address, phone number, and hours. Check the county court website for details about your assigned location in California.

Many people handle traffic cases without visiting the courthouse. You can pay online. You can request traffic school online. You can even have a trial by written declaration. This option lets you submit your defense in writing. The officer also submits a statement. The judge reviews both and decides. You avoid taking time off work or dealing with courthouse parking in Los Angeles County.

Paying Your Fine

Pay fines online through the court website. Credit and debit cards work. There may be a convenience fee. Check the payment page for fee info. You can also pay by mail. Send a check or money order to the address on your citation. Write your case number on the payment in California.

If you cannot afford to pay in full, ask about a payment plan. The court reviews your income. They set up monthly payments. There may be a setup fee. Spreading out payments helps many people manage fines. Another option is community service. The court assigns a dollar value per hour. You do approved volunteer work to reduce your fine in Los Angeles County.

The court participates in the ability to pay program. Visit mycitations.courts.ca.gov if you receive public benefits or have low income. The system asks about your finances. If you qualify, the court may reduce your fine. This statewide program helps California residents who cannot afford standard fines.

Traffic Records and Your Driving Record

Court records and DMV records are separate. The court handles your case. The DMV keeps your driving record. When you get convicted of a traffic violation, the court reports it to the DMV. The DMV adds points to your record. Points stay for three to ten years depending on the violation. Too many points can lead to license suspension in California.

You can request your driving record from the DMV. Online requests cost two dollars. Mail requests cost five dollars. The DMV website at dmv.ca.gov explains how to order your record. This shows what violations are on file and how many points you have. Check it regularly to know where you stand in California.

Traffic school prevents a conviction from appearing on your public record. The DMV still knows about it. But they mark it as confidential. This means insurance companies cannot see it when they check your record. That is why traffic school saves you money on insurance premiums in Los Angeles County California.

Other Major Cities in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County includes many large cities. All use the same Superior Court system for traffic cases. These nearby cities also have tickets processed by the county:

Long Beach | Pasadena | Torrance | Pomona | Santa Clarita

Los Angeles County Superior Court

For complete information about traffic court in Los Angeles County, including all courthouse locations, fees, and procedures, visit the county traffic court page:

Los Angeles County Traffic Court Records