Traffic Court in El Dorado County

Traffic court records in El Dorado County move through two courthouse locations in Cameron Park and South Lake Tahoe. All citations issued in the county go to one of these two sites based on where the violation happened. You can search for cases online through the JournalTech portal. The court offers phone and email contact for questions about traffic matters. Processing times run about thirty to forty five days from when you get your ticket until the court sends a courtesy notice. El Dorado County California uses modern online tools to help people manage their traffic cases without needing to visit the courthouse in person.

El Dorado Superior Court Traffic Offices

El Dorado County has two traffic court sites. The Cameron Park office sits at 2927 Meder Road. Phone is 530-621-5047. South Lake Tahoe court is at 1354 Johnson Boulevard. Their phone is 530-573-3044. Which court handles your case depends on where you got the ticket.

Most tickets in the western part of the county go to Cameron Park. Citations from the Lake Tahoe area go to the South Lake Tahoe courthouse. Your citation or courtesy notice will say which location has your case. If you are not sure, call the main number or email infractionservices@eldorado.courts.ca.gov. They can tell you which office to contact in El Dorado County California.

You do not have to visit in person for most things. The online portal handles payments, traffic school requests, and case lookups. But if you need to speak with a clerk or file paper documents, go to the courthouse that has your case. Bring your citation number and photo ID. Staff can answer questions and help you understand your options in California.

Search Traffic Cases Online

The court website at eldorado.courts.ca.gov has links to the traffic division. From there you can access the online portal. El Dorado County uses JournalTech for case management. The public portal is at public-portal-eldorado.journaltech.com. Search by name or case number to find your citation.

The portal shows case status and amounts owed. You can view upcoming court dates if any are scheduled. Payment history displays if you made prior payments. All this info is free to view. You do not pay to search or look at your own case details online in El Dorado County.

Online payments go through the portal with a credit or debit card. The convenience fee is 2.75 percent plus $5.95 per transaction. This fee goes to the payment processor, not the court. It covers the cost of processing card payments online. If you want to avoid the fee, mail a check or pay in person at the courthouse in California.

Traffic Fines and Payment Options

Fines vary based on the violation. Speeding tickets depend on how fast you were going. Other violations have set base fines. Then the court adds state and county fees. These extra charges can double or triple the base fine amount. A ticket with a fifty dollar base fine might cost two hundred dollars total after fees.

Traffic school costs sixty nine dollars as an administrative fee to the court. This is higher than most other California counties. The fee is non-refundable once you request traffic school. You also pay the school itself for the course. Total cost for traffic school in El Dorado County is the full bail plus sixty nine dollars to the court plus the school fee. Many people still choose this to keep their insurance rates from going up.

Payment plans are available if you cannot pay in full. Call or email the court to ask about setting up a plan. They will want information about your income and expenses. If you qualify, they set up monthly payments you can afford. Another option is to request community service instead of paying. The court assigns you volunteer work to do in place of the fine in El Dorado County California.

How Long Processing Takes

The court says it may take thirty to forty five days to receive your citation from the law enforcement agency. This is stated right on their website. Do not call the court the day after you get a ticket. The case will not be in the system yet. Wait at least three weeks before trying to search for your case online or by phone.

Once the court has your citation, they mail a courtesy notice. This notice comes about two weeks before your appear by date. It tells you what you owe and your options. But the notice is just a courtesy. You are still responsible to act by the date on your citation even if you never get the notice in the mail. Do not assume you can wait if the notice does not arrive in California.

After you pay or complete traffic school, the court updates your record. This takes a few business days. The court then reports to DMV. DMV updates usually happen within a week or two. If you need proof your case is closed, wait a reasonable time then request a copy of your court record. This shows the final disposition of your case in El Dorado County.

Traffic School Rules

Traffic school keeps the ticket off your driving record if you qualify. Your courtesy notice will say if you are eligible. Most one point infractions qualify. You must not have gone to traffic school in the past eighteen months. California counts this from violation date to violation date.

You cannot use traffic school if you were speeding more than twenty five miles per hour over the limit. Any alcohol or drug violation is not eligible. Commercial drivers cannot use traffic school for tickets they got while driving their commercial vehicle. Reckless driving does not qualify either. If your ticket resulted from a collision, the court may deny traffic school in most cases.

To request traffic school, contact the court before your due date. You can do this online through the portal. Pay the full bail plus the sixty nine dollar fee. Then enroll in a DMV licensed traffic school. You have sixty days to finish the course. The school sends your completion to the court. The court reports it to DMV as a confidential conviction. This means it does not show up to insurance companies or most employers in California.

Nearby California Counties

El Dorado County borders several other counties in the Sierra Nevada region. If your citation was issued in a different county, you must contact that court. These are the nearby counties:

Placer County | Sacramento County | Alpine County | Amador County