Simi Valley Traffic Citations

Traffic citations in Simi Valley get processed through Ventura County Superior Court. If you get a ticket here, the county court handles your case. Simi Valley has about 126,000 people and sits in southeast Ventura County. Moving violations from any officer in the city go to the county traffic division. You search your case, pay fines, and request traffic school through county systems. The city does not manage traffic tickets. Parking citations are different and go through city offices. But speeding, red light, and other moving violations are county court matters under California law. Your citation tells you where to go and what deadline you must meet.

Ventura County Superior Court Traffic Division

All Simi Valley traffic tickets go to the Ventura County Superior Court traffic division. This is not a city function. Under Vehicle Code § 40500, California routes all moving violation citations through the county court system. The court processes your case, sets fines, and manages payment plans or extensions. You do not report to city hall for traffic violations.

The Ventura County court website at ventura.courts.ca.gov has all the info you need for handling a Simi Valley ticket. You search cases online using your citation number. The portal shows your fine amount, due date, and next steps. You can pay online, by mail, or in person. If you need more time, call the court to ask for a 28-day extension. Most people handle their tickets without going to the courthouse.

Some Simi Valley tickets come from CHP officers on Highway 118 or the Ronald Reagan Freeway. CHP citations go to the same county court as city tickets. The officer writes the court location on your ticket. All Ventura County traffic cases use the same online systems. CHP guidance is at chp.ca.gov. The agency notes it takes about two weeks for tickets to show up in the court system after the citation date.

How to Look Up a Simi Valley Traffic Ticket

You look up your Simi Valley traffic ticket using the county court online portal. Go to secured.countyofventura.org and type in your citation number. The number is on the ticket the officer gave you. The system pulls up your case details including the charge, bail amount, and due date. It also shows if you already paid or have a court date set.

The court sends a courtesy notice to your address about 30 days after the ticket. But you do not have to wait for the notice to search or pay. You can use your citation number right away. If the system cannot find your case, wait a few more days. New tickets take time to process. Try again in a week if it does not show up the first time.

When you search your Simi Valley ticket, you see your options:

• Pay the fine and close the case
• Ask for traffic school if you qualify
• Request a court trial
• File a trial by written declaration
• Ask for a payment plan if you cannot pay in full

Each option has steps and deadlines. Read the court info on your case page. Most people pay the fine or do traffic school. Some choose to fight the ticket in court. California lets you do a written trial where you submit your defense on paper without appearing in person. This is under Vehicle Code § 40902. You must request it before the deadline on your ticket.

Note: Ventura County court portals work 24 hours a day for searching and paying traffic citations.

Traffic School for Simi Valley Tickets

Traffic school keeps a point off your insurance record in California. The point still goes on your DMV file but stays hidden from insurers. This helps keep your rates down. You must ask for traffic school when you handle your ticket. Not all offenses or drivers qualify. The court decides based on your history and the violation type.

To use traffic school for a Simi Valley ticket, request it through the Ventura County court. You pay the bail plus a traffic school admin fee. Then you sign up for a state-approved course. Online courses are allowed and most people use them. You must finish the class before the deadline or lose the option. The school reports completion to the court and your case closes. The point stays masked from insurance but shows on your DMV record under Vehicle Code § 1808.

You cannot use traffic school if you:

• Used it in the last 18 months
• Have a commercial license for the violation
• Were speeding more than 25 mph over the limit
• Got the ticket in a commercial vehicle
• Have certain serious violations

The court gives you a list of DMV-approved traffic schools. Pick one and enroll. The state requires a minimum course time. You pay the school directly. Costs range from about $50 to $100 depending on which school you choose. Finish before your deadline. Late completion means the point becomes visible and you still pay all the fees. Get details on traffic school from the Ventura County court site at ventura.courts.ca.gov.

Handling Fix-It Tickets in Simi Valley

Some Simi Valley tickets are for equipment problems. These include broken tail lights, cracked windshields, expired registration, or missing insurance proof. Officers call these fix-it tickets or correctable violations. You fix the issue and show proof to clear the ticket. The fee is much lower than a regular traffic fine if you handle it on time.

First, fix the problem on your car. Then get the correction verified. Police stations often do free inspections for fix-it tickets. CHP offices also verify corrections at no charge per chp.ca.gov. Some auto shops and certified mechanics can sign off too. The verifier stamps or signs your ticket showing the issue is fixed.

After getting the sign-off, submit the proof to Ventura County Superior Court. You pay a $25 proof of correction fee under Vehicle Code § 40611. This is a state-set fee. Do this before the due date on your citation or the full fine applies. You can mail the proof and payment or handle it online through the court portal. The court clears your case once they get the proof and fee.

Note: Fix-it tickets turn into full fines if you miss the deadline, often jumping from $25 to several hundred dollars.

DMV Records and Simi Valley Tickets

The DMV tracks all traffic convictions for California drivers including those in Simi Valley. When you pay a ticket or get convicted, the Ventura County court reports it to the DMV. The violation shows on your driving record. Insurance companies pull records to set your rates. Employers may check your record if driving is part of the job. More points mean higher insurance costs.

Under Vehicle Code § 1808, the DMV keeps most traffic violations on your record for three years from the conviction date. DUI and other serious offenses stay for ten years. The full retention schedule is at dmv.ca.gov. Points from tickets add up. Too many points trigger a license suspension. One-point violations need four points in 12 months or six in 24 months to suspend your license. Two-point violations count double.

You can order your California driving record online for $2 at dmv.ca.gov. Mail orders cost $5. The record shows all convictions, accidents, and DMV actions. It does not show parking tickets or dismissed citations. Check your record to see how a Simi Valley ticket affects your status. You can also use it when applying for driving jobs or checking on points.

Simi Valley Parking Violations

Parking citations in Simi Valley are separate from traffic tickets. The city issues parking tickets for violations in lots, on streets, and in public areas. These do not go through the county court. You handle parking tickets directly with the city. They do not add points to your license or affect your driving record. But you still need to pay them on time to avoid late fees.

The Simi Valley Police Department manages parking enforcement. If you get a parking ticket, follow the instructions on the citation. You can usually pay online, by mail, or by phone. The city has its own payment system for parking violations. If you think the ticket was wrong, you file an appeal with the city. This is an admin process, not a court case. The city reviews your appeal and decides if the ticket stands.

Unpaid parking tickets do not directly affect your driving record. But they can lead to other problems. The city can send unpaid tickets to collections. This hurts your credit. Some places put a hold on your vehicle registration if you have too many unpaid parking tickets. It is easier to pay or appeal parking citations than to let them pile up. Contact the Simi Valley Police Department for info on parking ticket payment and appeals.

Missing Your Simi Valley Ticket Deadline

If you ignore a Simi Valley traffic ticket, the court takes action. Missing your due date or court appearance triggers penalties. The court adds a civil assessment of up to $100. Your case can go into failure to appear status. The DMV may suspend your license. Some charges can lead to a warrant. Do not skip handling your ticket even if you plan to fight it.

The court mails notices to the address on file with the DMV. If you moved and did not update your address, you might miss the notice. But you are still responsible for the deadline on your citation. California law requires you to respond by the date shown. If you need more time, call the Ventura County court at (805) 289-8545. Ask for an extension. The county gives one 28-day extension in most cases.

To clear a failure to appear, contact the court right away. You must pay all fines and fees including the civil assessment. The court lifts the hold on your license once you resolve the case. If there is a warrant, you may need to appear in person or post bail. It is much easier to handle the ticket on time than to fix failure to appear problems. Use the payment portal at secured.countyofventura.org to pay and close your case.

Note: Failure to appear penalties in California can add $300 or more to your total ticket cost.

Ventura County Traffic Court System

Simi Valley is in Ventura County, and all moving violation citations go through Ventura County Superior Court. The county court processes traffic cases for all cities and towns in the county. For more on court locations, fee schedules, traffic school info, and other resources, visit the Ventura County traffic ticket records page.

View Ventura County Traffic Records