Kern County Traffic Court
Kern County Superior Court handles traffic citations at the Metropolitan Traffic location in Bakersfield. The main address is 3131 Arrow Street. Call 661-610-7000 for traffic questions. Revenue recovery for unpaid fines is at 5555 California Avenue Suite 100 with phone 661-610-7500. Night court runs twice per month from five in the evening until seven thirty. This helps people who work during regular hours. Proof of correction costs twenty five dollars per violation when you fix the issue on time. Search your case through the Tyler Odyssey portal at odyprodportal.kern.courts.ca.gov. Be aware of payment scam texts claiming to be from the court. Kern County never requests payment by text message in California.
Kern County Traffic Court Quick Facts
Traffic Court in Kern County
The Metropolitan Traffic court sits at 3131 Arrow Street in Bakersfield. This is where most traffic cases get handled. Call 661-610-7000 with questions about your citation. Office staff help with payments, traffic school requests, and trial scheduling in California.
Revenue recovery handles unpaid fines and collection cases. Their office is at 5555 California Avenue Suite 100. The phone is 661-610-7500. If your case went to collections, contact this office instead of regular traffic court in Kern County.
Night court happens twice a month. Sessions start at five in the evening and wrap up by seven thirty. This option works for people who cannot take time off work. Check the court website for the night court schedule. You may need to request this option in advance in California.
The main traffic court page is at kern.courts.ca.gov. This site lists all services, forms, and contact information. You can find fee schedules and frequently asked questions there too.
Search Kern County Cases Online
Kern County uses Tyler Odyssey for case management. The public portal is at odyprodportal.kern.courts.ca.gov. Search by name or citation number. Case details show your balance, due date, and case status in California.
The traffic court main page at kern.courts.ca.gov provides access to the online portal and explains how to use it. You can pay fines, view documents, and check court dates through the system in Kern County.
New citations take several weeks to enter. Wait at least a month after your ticket date before searching. If your case does not show up, try again in a week or two. The system updates as court staff processes incoming tickets in California.
Scam Alert for Kern County
The court never sends text messages asking for payment. If you get a text claiming to be from Kern County Superior Court, do not click any links. Do not give personal information or payment details by text. This is a scam.
Real court notices come by mail. They are printed on official letterhead. Email notices may be sent if you signed up for electronic service. But the court will never text you about fines or threaten arrest by text in California.
If you are unsure whether a notice is real, call the court directly at 661-610-7000. Do not use a phone number from the suspicious text. Look up the official number yourself on the court website in Kern County.
Traffic School Options
Most one point violations qualify for traffic school. Your courtesy notice tells you if this option is available. The court charges an administrative fee plus your full bail amount. Then you pay the traffic school course fee on top of that in California.
The eighteen month rule applies. Count from the violation date of your last traffic school ticket to the violation date of your new ticket. If less than eighteen months passed, you cannot use traffic school this time in Kern County.
Speeding over twenty five miles per hour above the limit does not qualify. Alcohol or drug violations are not eligible. Commercial drivers in commercial vehicles cannot attend. Reckless driving is also excluded from traffic school options in California.
Pick a school from the DMV approved list. Online courses are common and convenient. You get sixty days to finish the course. The school sends completion to Kern County Superior Court. The conviction stays confidential on your DMV record for eighteen months in California.
Fines and Payment Plans
Base fines come from the state uniform schedule. Kern County adds state and local fees. A simple traffic ticket often costs two to three hundred dollars once all fees are included in California.
If you cannot pay the full amount, ask about a payment plan. The court reviews your income and bills. They set up monthly payments. You must stay current on each payment. Missing one puts you in default in Kern County.
Community service is another choice. You work off the fine at a set hourly rate. This requires court approval. Ask when you appear or call the traffic office in California.
Low income people may qualify for reduced fines. Visit mycitations.courts.ca.gov to apply. You need proof of public benefits or income under 250 percent of poverty level. The court decides if you get a reduction in Kern County California.
Unpaid fines go to the revenue recovery office. They add collection fees on top of your balance. Your license gets suspended. Vehicle registration renewal gets blocked. These problems are avoided by contacting the court before your deadline in California.
Proof of Correction
Fix it tickets require you to correct the problem then show proof. Common issues are broken lights, expired tags, or missing insurance proof. Once fixed, get a signature from law enforcement or an authorized station in California.
Submit the signed proof to Kern County Superior Court by your deadline. The fee is twenty five dollars per correctable violation under California Vehicle Code 40611. If you are late, full bail plus penalties apply.
Mail your proof to the court or bring it in person to 3131 Arrow Street. Include your citation number on all paperwork. The court processes proof within a few business days in Kern County California.
Major Cities in Kern County
Kern County includes one city with population over 100,000. All traffic tickets in these areas are handled by Kern County Superior Court:
Nearby Counties
If your ticket was issued in a neighboring county, contact that court. Kern County does not handle cases from other areas. Check these nearby counties:
Tulare County | San Luis Obispo County | Ventura County | Los Angeles County | San Bernardino County | Inyo County