San Diego Traffic Records
Traffic tickets issued in San Diego go to San Diego County Superior Court. The city does not run its own traffic court. All citations within San Diego city limits get processed through the county system. You must schedule an appointment for any courtroom appearance. Walk in visits are not accepted. Most services are available online through the court website. The county handles traffic matters for San Diego and all other cities in the county using the same system and procedures.
San Diego Traffic Court Quick Facts
Which Court Handles San Diego Tickets
San Diego County Superior Court processes all traffic citations for the city of San Diego. This is true across California. No city operates its own traffic court system. When you get a ticket in San Diego, that case gets filed with the county. The county clerk enters it into the system. This usually takes four to six weeks after the citation date in California.
The appear by date on your ticket is not a hearing date. It is the deadline to take action on your case. You do not need to show up at court on that date. You need to respond by that date. Your options include paying the fine, requesting traffic school if eligible, or asking for a trial. The San Diego County court website explains all your choices at sdcourt.ca.gov. This page has detailed information about traffic matters in San Diego and throughout the county.
San Diego County requires appointments for all courtroom appearances. You cannot walk in for traffic court. The court changed this policy to manage scheduling better. If you want to appear in person, you must schedule ahead of time. The website has an appointment system. Most people handle their traffic cases online without ever visiting the courthouse. Payments, traffic school requests, and trial by declaration can all be done through the court portal in California.
Search San Diego Traffic Cases Online
San Diego County uses Tyler Odyssey for case management. You can search cases online through the public portal. Go to portal.prod2.odyssey.sdcourt.ca.gov to access the system. The portal lets you search by name or case number. You can view basic case information for free. Some details require payment to access in San Diego County.
It may take up to three weeks for your citation to appear in the online system. The court needs time to process and enter tickets. Do not call right away if you cannot find your case. Wait at least two to three weeks from the date you got the ticket. If it still does not show up after three weeks, then contact the court to check on the status of your case in California.
The court keeps records for different time periods depending on case type. Traffic infractions stay on file for three years. Misdemeanor traffic cases stay for five years. DUI cases remain on file for ten years. After these periods, the court may destroy old records. If you need information about an older case, contact the clerk office directly. They can check if the file still exists or if it has been archived in San Diego County.
After You Get a Ticket in San Diego
The court mails a reminder notice about two weeks before your appear by date. This notice shows your bail amount and your options. 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. Not every ticket qualifies for school. The notice makes it clear which options apply to your case in California.
You do not need to wait for this notice. Failure to get mail does not excuse you from the deadline. The court says so right on their website. The appear by date on your original ticket is binding. If you want to handle things early, search for your case online or call the court. Do not rely on mail to arrive on time in San Diego County.
If you miss the deadline, the court adds penalties. A civil assessment of one hundred to three hundred dollars gets added to your balance. The DMV puts a hold on your license. You cannot renew your registration until you clear the hold. These problems are easy to avoid. Just respond before your deadline. Even if you need more time, you can request an extension before the due date passes in California.
San Diego County allows extensions in some cases. You must request this before your original deadline. The court may give you extra time to pay or to decide what to do. But you only get one extension. After that, you must take action on your case. Contact the court as soon as possible if you need more time in San Diego County California.
Traffic School for San Diego Tickets
Traffic school keeps a conviction off your DMV record. Your insurance company cannot see it. This prevents rate increases. You must meet certain rules to use traffic school. First, you cannot have attended school for another ticket in the past eighteen months. Second, the violation must be a one point offense. Third, you cannot have been in a commercial vehicle when you got the ticket in California.
The court reminder notice tells you if you qualify. If school is an option, you must choose it before your deadline. Once the deadline passes, you lose the chance to use traffic school for that ticket. The fee to request school is fifty two dollars. This goes to the court. You also pay the full bail amount. Then you pay the traffic school itself. Online schools usually charge twenty to fifty dollars. Your total cost is bail plus fifty two plus school fee in San Diego County.
You have sixty days to complete the course after the court approves your request. Pick a school from the approved list on the DMV website. Most people use online schools. You can work at your own pace. When done, the school sends your completion to the court. The court reports it to the DMV as confidential. But remember the eighteen month rule. If you get another ticket during that time, you cannot use school again and the second ticket goes on your public record in California.
Courthouses Serving San Diego
San Diego County has multiple courthouse locations. Your citation shows which one handles your case. Some courthouses serve specific geographic areas. Others handle certain case types. You must go to the correct location if you need to visit in person. The wrong courthouse cannot help you with a case assigned elsewhere in the county.
Most San Diego residents use the downtown or regional courthouses. Each location has different hours and services. Check the county court website for addresses and phone numbers. The site also shows which areas each courthouse serves. This helps you find the right place for your specific case in San Diego County California.
Remember that appointments are required for any in person court appearance. You cannot just show up. The court turned away walk ins even before the pandemic. Now the policy is permanent. Schedule your appointment through the website. This applies to traffic trials, arraignments, and any other hearing that requires you to appear before a judge in California.
How to Pay San Diego Traffic Fines
You can pay traffic fines online through the court website. Credit cards and debit cards are accepted. Some courts charge a convenience fee for online payments. Check the payment page to see if fees apply. You can also pay by mail. Send a check or money order to the address on your citation or reminder notice. Include your case number on the payment in California.
If you cannot afford to pay the full amount, ask about a payment plan. The court looks at your income and sets up monthly installments. There may be a setup fee for the plan. But spreading out payments makes fines more manageable for many people. Another option is community service. The court sets a dollar value per hour. You work off your fine through approved volunteer work in San Diego County.
The court also participates in the statewide ability to pay program. Go to mycitations.courts.ca.gov if you receive public benefits or have low income. The system asks about your financial situation. If you qualify, the court may reduce your total fine. This program helps many California residents who cannot afford to pay standard amounts.
Other Major Cities in San Diego County
San Diego County includes several large cities. All use the same Superior Court system for traffic cases. These cities also have traffic tickets processed by the county:
San Diego County Superior Court
For complete information about traffic court in San Diego County, including all courthouse locations, fees, and procedures, visit the county traffic court page: