San Mateo Traffic Court

San Mateo County Superior Court requires appointments for traffic court appearances. You cannot walk in on the day you want to see a judge. Same day walk ins are not available. The Traffic Division Northern Branch is at 1050 Mission Road in South San Francisco. Call 650-363-4300 or 650-261-5100 option 5 to schedule your appointment. Juvenile traffic cases go through the Probation Department at 650-312-8887. You can request one thirty day extension from your appear date if you need more time to handle your traffic citation in California.

Appointment Only Court Appearances

San Mateo County does not allow walk in traffic court appearances. You must schedule an appointment if you want to see a judge or clerk. Call the court to set up your appointment. Give them your case information. They will tell you when to come. Arrive on time. If you miss your appointment, you may need to reschedule. This can delay your case and add penalties if you miss deadlines.

The Traffic Division is in South San Francisco at 1050 Mission Road. This is the Northern Branch courthouse. Most traffic business happens at this location. The phone numbers are 650-363-4300 and 650-261-5100 option 5. Call during business hours to reach staff. They can answer basic questions and help you schedule your appointment. For complex legal questions, talk to a lawyer in California.

Juvenile traffic cases work differently. If a minor under eighteen gets a traffic ticket, the case goes through the Probation Department. Call them at 650-312-8887. They handle juvenile traffic matters separately from adult cases. The probation office can tell you what needs to happen and how to resolve the case. Juvenile cases often have different options than adult traffic citations in San Mateo County California.

Search Cases Online

San Mateo County uses two online systems. The MIDX system is at web.sanmateocourt.org/midx. This handles case searches. You can also use the Tyler Odyssey Portal for some cases. Search by name, case number, or citation number. Basic information displays for free. You see filing dates, charges, and court dates without paying anything in California.

Document downloads may cost money. Check the portal for current fees. Most counties charge for remote access to court documents. If you need many pages, visiting the courthouse may be cheaper. In person copies cost fifty cents per page in most places. You can review the file before deciding what to copy. Certified copies cost more. The certification fee is forty dollars plus the per page charge under state law.

The portal updates regularly but not instantly. If you just paid your fine or filed documents, wait a day or two to see it online. Court staff process paperwork during business hours. The system updates after they finish entering information. If something urgent is not showing up after a few days, call the courthouse. They can check the physical file and tell you what is happening with your case in San Mateo County.

Extensions and Deadlines

You can request one thirty day extension from your appear date. This gives you more time to handle your ticket. Request the extension before your deadline passes. Once you miss the appear date, late penalties start adding up. A civil assessment of up to three hundred dollars gets added. Your license may be suspended. The DMV holds your registration until you clear the matter with the court in California.

To request an extension, contact the court before your deadline. You can call or use the online system if available. The court will tell you the new deadline. Mark it on your calendar. Do not forget it. Extensions are usually granted once without much trouble. But you will not get a second extension in most cases. Use the extra time wisely to decide how to handle your ticket.

If you already missed your deadline, contact the court right away. Explain what happened. They may be able to work with you. But the longer you wait, the worse it gets. Collection fees pile on. Your license stays suspended. Registration stays blocked. The best move is to call the court as soon as you realize you missed the deadline. Many times they can help you fix the situation if you act fast in San Mateo County.

Traffic School Option

Traffic school in San Mateo County costs fifty two dollars as a court fee. You also pay the full bail amount. The traffic school itself charges a separate fee. Most online schools charge twenty to fifty dollars. Your total cost is bail plus fifty two dollars plus the school fee. Many drivers choose this to avoid insurance rate increases. But you can only use traffic school once every eighteen months under California law.

The eighteen month period runs from the violation date of the first ticket to the violation date of the next ticket. Not from when you complete school or pay your fine. This is a common mistake. People think the eighteen months starts when they finish school. That is wrong. It starts from the date printed on the citation. If your first ticket was May 1, you cannot use school for another ticket until November 1 of the next year.

Some violations do not qualify for traffic school. Speeding over twenty five miles per hour above the limit is not eligible. Alcohol or drug related offenses do not qualify. Reckless driving does not qualify. If you were in a commercial vehicle at the time, school is not an option even if it was your personal time. Check your courtesy notice. It tells you if traffic school is available for your specific citation in San Mateo County California.

Paying Traffic Fines

Fines follow the statewide penalty schedule. Base fines are set by the Judicial Council. Then many fees get added. Court construction fees, state penalty assessments, and county charges all pile on top of the base amount. A fifty dollar base fine can become three hundred dollars after everything is added. Your courtesy notice shows the total bail. That is what you must pay if you choose to handle the ticket without contesting it.

You can pay online, by mail, or in person. Online payments post the fastest. Your DMV hold clears within one to two business days. Mail payments take longer. Personal checks need time to clear. Money orders and cashier checks process like cash. If you need to clear a hold quickly for license or registration purposes, use the online system or visit the courthouse with cash or a money order in California.

If you cannot pay the full amount at once, ask for a payment plan. The court reviews your financial situation. They look at income, expenses, and other debts. Based on that, they set monthly payments you can handle. A setup fee may apply. You must make payments on time. Missing a payment can trigger collection actions. Another option is community service. The court assigns a dollar value per hour of volunteer work. You complete hours at approved sites to work off your fine in San Mateo County.

Cities in San Mateo County

San Mateo County has no cities over the 100,000 population threshold. The largest city is Daly City. All traffic matters for the county are processed through the Superior Court Traffic Division in South San Francisco. Tickets issued anywhere in San Mateo County go to that court.

Neighboring County Courts

If your citation was issued outside San Mateo County, contact that county court. San Mateo County only handles tickets issued within its borders. Check these nearby counties:

San Francisco County | Santa Clara County | Alameda County | Santa Cruz County