Riverside Traffic Citation Search

Traffic citations in Riverside are processed by Riverside County Superior Court. When you receive a traffic ticket in Riverside, the citing officer files it with the county court system. Riverside Police Department and California Highway Patrol issue most citations within the city. You can search for your ticket online through the court portal, pay fines using multiple methods, or request traffic school for eligible violations. The court handles thousands of Riverside traffic cases each year along with violations from other cities throughout the county. All citations must be resolved by the deadline to avoid additional penalties and license suspension.

Riverside County Traffic Division

All Riverside traffic violations go through Riverside County Superior Court. The court operates a traffic division that serves Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, and all other cities in the county. When an officer gives you a ticket in Riverside, the citation gets filed with the county court within days.

The Riverside County Superior Court traffic division can be reached at (951) 222-0384. The court has multiple locations throughout the county. The main courthouse in Riverside handles many traffic cases for the city and surrounding areas. You can find detailed information at riverside.courts.ca.gov traffic division.

The court sends a courtesy notice by mail after your ticket is filed. This notice shows the fine amount and your deadline to respond. It typically arrives within a few weeks of the violation date. You do not have to wait for the notice to handle your ticket. You can search for your case online using your citation number as soon as you receive the ticket from the officer.

Riverside County offers a 60-day extension from your appearance date if you need more time. This extension gives you additional time to pay or decide how to handle your citation. You must request the extension before your original deadline passes. The court may charge a small fee for the extension.

Search Riverside Tickets Online

Riverside County provides an online public portal for traffic cases. Access the portal at riverside.courts.ca.gov public portal. The system allows you to search for your Riverside citation, view case details, and check your case status.

To search for your ticket, enter your citation number in the portal. The number appears on the ticket the officer gave you. The system pulls up your case and shows the violation type, fine amount, due date, and other case information. You can use this tool to check your case status at any time.

If your ticket does not appear online, wait a few more days. The court needs time to process new citations. Officers issue tickets at the scene, but court staff must enter them into the computer system. This usually takes one to two weeks. After processing, your case will appear in the online search system.

Pay Your Riverside Traffic Ticket

You can pay Riverside traffic fines online, by mail, or in person. The court accepts credit cards and debit cards for online payments. A convenience fee applies to online transactions. To pay online, you need your citation number. The court website provides links to the payment system.

You can also pay by mail. Send a check or money order to the address on your courtesy notice. Write your citation number on the check so the court can apply it to the correct case. Mail your payment before the deadline. The court must receive it by the due date, not just have it postmarked by that date.

In-person payments are accepted at Riverside County courthouse locations. The court has branches in Riverside, Corona, and other cities throughout the county. Bring your citation or courtesy notice. The clerk looks up your case and processes your payment. Courthouse hours vary by location. Check the court website for hours at the branch you plan to visit.

If you cannot pay the full fine by the due date, contact the court about a payment plan. Riverside County offers installment plans for people who need more time. You must request this before your deadline passes. The court charges a fee to set up a payment plan, but it helps you avoid license suspension and additional penalties.

Traffic School for Riverside Citations

Riverside County allows traffic school for eligible violations. Traffic school keeps the point off your public driving record. Insurance companies cannot see it when they check your record. This prevents your rates from going up. You still pay the full fine plus a $52 administrative fee for traffic school.

To request traffic school, check the box on your courtesy notice or ask when you contact the court. The court will tell you if your ticket qualifies. Not all violations are eligible for traffic school. Serious violations like reckless driving or excessive speeding do not qualify. If approved, you receive a deadline to complete the course.

Choose a state-approved traffic school from the list on the court website. Most schools offer online classes that you can complete from home. The course takes several hours. You must pass a final exam. After you finish, the school electronically sends your completion certificate to Riverside County court. The court updates your case to show successful completion.

California limits traffic school to once every 18 months. If you already used it for another ticket recently, you are not eligible yet. The court checks your history when you request traffic school. Commercial drivers with a CDL may have different eligibility rules.

Contest a Riverside Traffic Ticket

You can contest any Riverside traffic citation. One option is trial by written declaration. You submit a written statement explaining why you are not guilty. The officer submits a report. A judge reviews both statements and makes a decision. You do not appear in court for this trial type. If you lose, you can still request an in-person trial afterward.

For an in-person trial, you appear before a judge at a Riverside County courthouse. You can present evidence and bring witnesses. The officer who issued the ticket usually appears as well. The judge hears both sides and decides guilty or not guilty. If found not guilty, the case is dismissed. If found guilty, you pay the fine.

Many Riverside drivers hire traffic attorneys to help with their cases. Lawyers understand traffic laws and court procedures. They can sometimes get tickets reduced or dismissed. You are not required to hire a lawyer for traffic infractions, but one can help if you have multiple violations or if the ticket is serious. Compare attorney fees to the cost of just paying the fine.

Before contesting your ticket, gather evidence. Do you have photos, dash cam video, or witnesses? Was there a valid reason for your actions? Did the officer make a mistake? If you have strong evidence, fighting the ticket may be worthwhile. Without solid evidence, you could waste time and money and still lose the trial.

Ignoring Your Ticket

If you ignore a Riverside traffic ticket, the court adds penalties. A civil assessment of up to $100 gets added to your fine. The court suspends your driver license. Driving on a suspended license is a crime. You can be arrested if caught driving without a valid license.

The court may also charge you with failure to appear. This misdemeanor adds more fines and fees to your case. A warrant may be issued for your arrest. If you get pulled over, the officer will arrest you on the warrant. You must post bail to be released from custody.

A suspended license affects your car insurance. Your insurance company will raise your rates or cancel your policy. Employers who check driving records may not hire you if driving is part of the job. The suspension stays on your DMV record and causes long-term problems.

If you already missed your deadline, contact Riverside County court immediately. They may remove the hold on your license if you pay what you owe plus late fees. Some programs reduce penalties for people who cannot afford the full amount. The sooner you address it, the less damage it causes.

Traffic Enforcement in Riverside

Riverside Police Department handles most traffic stops in the city. Officers patrol residential areas, business districts, and major streets. They stop drivers for speeding, red light violations, illegal turns, and other infractions. When an officer issues a citation, it gets filed with Riverside County Superior Court.

California Highway Patrol patrols freeways through Riverside, including Interstate 215, State Route 60, and State Route 91. CHP officers can stop you and issue tickets just like city police. CHP citations also go through the county court system. The process is the same regardless of which agency issued the ticket.

Some Riverside tickets are correctable violations. These include broken lights, expired registration, or no proof of insurance. You must fix the problem, get a signature from an authorized person such as a police officer or AAA agent, and submit proof to the court. A $25 fee applies, but the violation is dismissed if you provide valid proof before the deadline.

Riverside also handles parking citations separately from traffic violations. Parking tickets are processed through the city, not the county court. You can find information about Riverside parking citations at riversideca.gov parking citations. You can also pay parking tickets online at riverside.citationinfo.com.

Other Riverside County Cities

Traffic tickets in other Riverside County cities go through the same court as Riverside. Corona, Moreno Valley, and Temecula all use Riverside County Superior Court. The process is identical for the entire county.

For traffic information in other California cities, see Anaheim, San Diego, and Fontana. Each page provides details about the local court system and procedures.