Find San Diego Traffic Tickets

Traffic tickets in San Diego go through the San Diego County Superior Court. If you got a moving violation in the city, you need to search for your case through the county court. The court runs an online portal where you can look up your ticket, view your fine, and pay online. San Diego traffic tickets include all moving violations like speeding, red lights, stop signs, and cell phone use. Parking citations are handled separately through the city. Traffic tickets show up in the county court system within a few weeks of the citation date. You can search by citation number or by your license plate to find your case.

Which Court Handles San Diego Traffic Tickets

All San Diego traffic tickets go to San Diego County Superior Court. The city does not run its own traffic court. When a San Diego Police officer or CHP officer writes you a moving violation ticket in city limits, that case will be filed at one of the county court branches. Most San Diego traffic tickets are heard at the Kearny Mesa courthouse or the downtown court on Union Street.

Your citation will tell you which court branch to use. The San Diego Superior Court traffic page lists all nine court branches. You must go to the branch listed on your citation. Each site has its own traffic hours and rules. But all branches use the same online portal to search and pay traffic tickets in San Diego.

San Diego County Superior Court has a centralized system. You can look up tickets issued anywhere in the county. This means a San Diego traffic ticket can be found in the same database as tickets from Chula Vista, Carlsbad, or El Cajon. The court serves more than three million people across the county. It processes thousands of traffic tickets every month.

The main traffic phone line for San Diego County is (858) 643-1800. This line goes to the Kearny Mesa branch. They can tell you which court site has your case. But you cannot pay your traffic ticket by phone. San Diego County requires online or mail payments.

San Diego Traffic Ticket Portal

The San Diego County court portal lets you search for traffic tickets online. The site uses Odyssey software. You can search by citation number. You can search by your driver license number. Or you can use your license plate to find your case.

Once you find your traffic ticket, the portal shows your fine amount and due date. You can see all charges on your ticket. The portal also tells you if your case is past due and if the court added a civil assessment fee. A $100 civil assessment gets added when you miss your court date or due date. San Diego traffic tickets must be paid or resolved by the date on your courtesy notice. Most people get this notice in the mail a few weeks after the ticket date.

The portal allows you to pay traffic tickets online using a credit card or debit card. San Diego County charges a small processing fee for card payments. You can also request traffic school through the portal if you are eligible. Not all violations qualify for traffic school. The portal will tell you if your ticket can go to school. You must pay the full fine plus traffic school fees to enroll.

How to Pay San Diego Traffic Tickets

You have a few ways to pay traffic tickets in San Diego. The fastest way is through the San Diego County payment portal. This site is separate from the case search portal. You need your citation number to pay online. Enter your number and the site will pull up your fine amount. You can pay the full amount or set up a payment plan if you qualify.

You can also mail a check or money order. Make it out to San Diego Superior Court. Write your citation number on the check. Mail it to the address on your courtesy notice. Do not send cash through the mail. Processing time for mailed payments can take up to two weeks. If your due date is soon, use the online portal instead.

San Diego County does not accept in-person payments at most court sites. The court moved to an online payment system to reduce lines. Only a few branch offices have payment windows and they are by appointment only. Check the court website before you go to a courthouse to pay in person.

If you cannot pay your full fine, you can ask for a payment plan. San Diego County offers installment plans for some traffic tickets. You must apply through the court. There is usually a setup fee for payment plans. The court will want proof of income to show you cannot pay the full amount. Not all tickets qualify for payment plans. Serious violations like DUI and reckless driving may not be eligible.

San Diego Traffic Court Options

You do not have to just pay your ticket. You have other options. You can contest it. You can ask for a trial. You can request traffic school if you want to keep the point off your DMV record.

To contest a San Diego traffic ticket, you must plead not guilty. You can do this online through the court portal. Or you can mail in a not guilty plea form. The court will then set a trial date. You have the right to a trial by written declaration. This means you write out your case and the officer writes a response. A judge reads both sides and makes a ruling. You do not have to show up in court for a trial by written declaration.

If you lose your written trial, you can ask for a new trial in person. This is called a trial de novo. You must file your request within 20 days of the written decision. The in-person trial gives you a chance to present your case directly to a judge.

Traffic school is an option for some San Diego traffic tickets. If you have not been to traffic school in the last 18 months, you may be eligible. You must have a valid California driver license. The violation must be a moving violation that carries one point. The court will tell you if your case qualifies. You pay the full fine plus a traffic school fee. Then you complete an approved traffic school course online or in person. Once you finish, the point is masked on your DMV record. Your insurance company cannot see it.

Parking Citations in San Diego

Parking citations are different from moving violations. The City of San Diego handles parking tickets. These do not go through the county court. If you got a parking ticket, you need to use the City of San Diego parking citation page. The city also has an online parking portal where you can pay parking tickets or contest them.

Parking tickets include street sweeping, expired meters, red zones, and disabled parking violations. These are civil citations. They do not add points to your DMV record. But if you do not pay a parking ticket, the city can send it to collections or put a hold on your vehicle registration. San Diego parking fines range from $35 to over $300 depending on the violation.

You can contest a parking ticket online through the city portal. You must provide evidence like photos or receipts. The city will review your case and mail you a decision. If you lose your contest, you still have to pay the full fine. There are no traffic school options for parking tickets since they do not involve your driver license.

San Diego Traffic Tickets on Your DMV Record

When you get a traffic ticket in San Diego, the court reports the conviction to the California DMV. Most moving violations add one point to your DMV record. Some serious offenses like reckless driving add two points. If you get too many points in a short time, the DMV can suspend your license.

You can check your DMV record online at dmv.ca.gov. The cost is $2 for an online record request. This report shows all traffic tickets and violations on your record. It also shows how long each violation will stay on your file. Most one-point violations stay on your record for three years from the conviction date. Two-point violations stay for seven years. DUI convictions stay for ten years.

Insurance companies check your DMV record when they set your rates. Points from San Diego traffic tickets can raise your insurance costs. Some violations like speeding over 100 mph can double your rates or cause your insurer to drop you. That is why many people choose traffic school to mask the point. Traffic school does not remove the ticket from your record but it hides the point from insurance companies.

Common Traffic Violations in San Diego

San Diego Police and CHP write thousands of traffic tickets every year. The most common violations include speeding, cell phone use while driving, running red lights, and failing to stop at stop signs. Each violation has a base fine set by state law. But court fees and assessments add to the total.

A basic speeding ticket in San Diego can cost $200 to $500 or more. The fine goes up based on how fast you were going. Speeding in a construction zone or school zone costs more. Cell phone tickets start around $160. Red light camera tickets can cost over $400. These camera tickets go to the registered owner of the vehicle even if someone else was driving.

Some violations carry higher penalties. Reckless driving, DUI, and driving on a suspended license are misdemeanors. These cases require a court appearance. You cannot just pay these tickets online. You may need a lawyer for serious traffic cases. The penalties can include jail time, high fines, and license suspension.

Fix It Tickets and Proof of Correction

Some San Diego traffic tickets are fix-it tickets. These are for equipment violations like a broken tail light, expired registration, or no proof of insurance. If you fix the problem and get it signed off, you only pay a small fee. California law sets this fee at $25 per Vehicle Code 40611.

To get a fix-it ticket signed off, you must fix the problem first. Then take your vehicle and citation to a place that can verify the repair. Many police stations will sign off fix-it tickets. Some auto shops and brake and light inspection stations can also sign them. Once you get the signature, you must submit the signed citation to the court by the due date. You can do this online, by mail, or in person at some court branches.

If you do not get your fix-it ticket signed off by the due date, the court will charge you the full fine. This can be hundreds of dollars. Plus you may get a civil assessment fee. Do not ignore a fix-it ticket even though the fine is low. The penalties add up fast if you miss the deadline.

Getting Help with San Diego Traffic Tickets

You can handle most traffic tickets on your own. But some cases may need legal help. If you have a misdemeanor charge, multiple violations, or you cannot afford the fine, you may want to talk to a lawyer or get free legal aid.

The San Diego County Bar Association offers lawyer referral services. They can connect you with a traffic lawyer who can review your case. Many traffic lawyers offer free consultations. They can tell you if it is worth fighting your ticket or if you should just pay it.

If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may qualify for free legal aid. Legal Aid Society of San Diego helps low-income residents with some civil legal issues. While they do not usually handle traffic tickets, they can point you to other resources. The California Courts self-help center has guides and forms for handling traffic cases on your own.

Some traffic ticket cases involve license suspension or failure to appear warrants. If you have an old unpaid ticket from San Diego, you may have a bench warrant. You should contact the court or a lawyer before you try to resolve it. Walking into court with an active warrant can lead to arrest. A lawyer can help you clear the warrant safely.

Nearby California Cities

Traffic tickets in nearby cities also go through county superior courts:

• Chula Vista - Uses San Diego County Superior Court
• Riverside - Riverside County Superior Court
• Anaheim - Orange County Superior Court
• Long Beach - Los Angeles County Superior Court