Whittier Traffic Citations
Traffic citations in Whittier are processed through Los Angeles County Superior Court. When you get a ticket here, the county court handles your case. Whittier has about 87,000 people and sits in southeast LA County. Moving violations go to the county traffic division under California Vehicle Code rules. The city does not manage traffic tickets. You search your case, pay fines, and request traffic school through the county court portal. Parking citations are different and go through city channels. Your traffic ticket shows you where to go and when to respond. Most people use online portals to handle citations without visiting the courthouse in person.
Whittier Quick Facts
Where Whittier Traffic Tickets Go
All Whittier traffic tickets go through Los Angeles County Superior Court. The court has a traffic division that handles citations for the entire county. Under Vehicle Code § 40500, California law routes all moving violations through county courts. You do not handle traffic tickets at city hall. The county court processes cases, sets bail amounts, and collects fines.
| Court | Los Angeles County Superior Court |
|---|---|
| Website | lacourt.org |
| Citation Search | lacourt.ca.gov |
| Phone | (213) 742-1884 (Automated) |
| Traffic School Fee | $64 |
Los Angeles County has the largest court system in the nation. The traffic division processes thousands of citations daily. You can search for your Whittier ticket online using your citation number. The system shows your fine, due date, and options. You can pay online, by phone, or by mail. Phone service is available at (213) 742-1884 for automated help or 213-633-6300 for the call center.
Some Whittier tickets come from CHP officers on Interstate 605 or other state routes. CHP citations go to the same county court as city tickets. The officer writes the court location on your citation. All LA County traffic cases use the same online systems. CHP guidance is at chp.ca.gov.
Search for Your Whittier Traffic Ticket
You search Whittier traffic tickets using the LA County court portal. Go to lacourt.ca.gov and type in your citation number. This number is on the ticket the officer gave you. The system pulls up your case. You see the charge, bail amount, and when to respond. It also shows if you qualify for traffic school or have a court date.
The court sends a courtesy notice about 30 days after your ticket. The notice explains your options and shows the amount due. But you do not have to wait for the notice. You can search and pay using your citation number right away. If the system says your case is not found, wait a few days. New tickets take time to enter the system.
Your options for a Whittier traffic ticket include:
- Pay the fine and close the case
- Ask for traffic school if you qualify
- Contest the ticket in court
- Request a trial by written declaration
- Ask for a payment plan if needed
California allows trial by written declaration under Vehicle Code § 40902. You submit your defense on paper without appearing in court. You pay bail up front. If you win, the court refunds your money. If you lose, you can still request an in-person trial.
Note: LA County court portals work around the clock for searching cases and paying fines.
Traffic School for Whittier Drivers
Traffic school helps keep a point off your insurance record. The point still goes on your DMV file but insurers cannot see it. This keeps your rates from going up. You must request traffic school when you handle your ticket. Not all violations or drivers qualify. The court decides based on your history and the offense type.
To use traffic school for a Whittier ticket, request it through LA County Superior Court. You pay the bail plus the $64 traffic school admin fee. Then you enroll in a DMV-approved course. Online courses are allowed and most people use them. You must finish before the deadline. The school reports completion to the court. Your case closes and the point stays masked from insurance.
You cannot use traffic school if you:
- Used it in the past 18 months
- Have a commercial license for this violation
- Were speeding more than 25 mph over the limit
- Got the ticket in a commercial vehicle
Pick a traffic school from the court's approved list. Costs range from $50 to $100 depending on which school you choose. The state requires a minimum course time. Finish before your deadline or you lose the option. The point stays on your DMV record under Vehicle Code § 1808 but stays hidden from insurance if you complete traffic school.
Handling Fix-It Tickets in Whittier
Some Whittier tickets are for equipment problems. These include broken lights, cracked windshields, expired registration, or no proof of insurance. Officers call these fix-it tickets or correctable violations. You fix the problem and show proof. Then you pay a small fee. The cost is much less than a moving violation fine.
First, repair the issue on your vehicle. Then get it verified. Police stations often do free inspections for fix-it tickets. The CHP also verifies corrections at no charge per chp.ca.gov. Some mechanics can sign off too. The verifier stamps your ticket showing the problem is fixed.
After verification, submit the signed ticket to LA County Superior Court. You pay a $25 proof of correction fee under Vehicle Code § 40611. This is a statewide fee. Do this before the due date on your citation. If you miss the deadline, the full fine applies and can be several hundred dollars.
Note: Fix-it tickets become expensive if you ignore them, often jumping from $25 to over $250.
DMV Records and Whittier Tickets
The California DMV tracks traffic convictions for all drivers. When you pay a ticket or get convicted, LA County Superior Court reports it to the DMV. The violation shows on your driving record. Insurance companies check records to set rates. Points from tickets affect insurance costs and can lead to license suspension.
Under Vehicle Code § 1808, most traffic violations stay on your record for three years from the conviction date. DUI and serious offenses stay for ten years. The retention schedule is at dmv.ca.gov. Too many points trigger a license suspension.
You can order your California driving record online for $2 at dmv.ca.gov. Mail requests cost $5. The record shows all convictions, accidents, and DMV actions. It does not show parking tickets or dismissed cases.
Whittier Parking Tickets
Parking citations in Whittier are separate from traffic tickets. The city issues parking tickets for violations on streets and in city lots. These do not go through the county court. You handle parking tickets with the city. Parking violations do not add points to your license or affect your driving record.
Follow the instructions on your parking citation to pay or appeal. Most cities let you pay online, by mail, or by phone. If you think the ticket was wrong, file an appeal with the city. This is an admin process. The city reviews your appeal and decides if the ticket stands.
Unpaid parking tickets can cause problems. The city may send old tickets to collections. This hurts your credit score. It is easier to pay or appeal parking citations on time than to deal with these issues later.
Missing Your Whittier Ticket Deadline
If you ignore a Whittier traffic ticket, the court takes action. Missing your due date or court appearance triggers penalties. The court adds a civil assessment to your fine. Your case goes into failure to appear status. The DMV may suspend your license. Some charges can lead to a warrant.
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. If you need more time, call LA County Superior Court and ask for an extension.
To fix a failure to appear, contact the court right away. Pay all fines and fees including the civil assessment. The court clears the hold on your license once you resolve the case. It is much easier to handle your ticket on time than to fix failure to appear problems.
Note: Failure to appear can add $100 or more in fees to your traffic ticket cost.
Los Angeles County Traffic Court
Whittier is in Los Angeles County, and all moving violation citations go through Los Angeles County Superior Court. The county court processes traffic cases for all cities in LA County. For more on court locations, fee schedules, traffic school details, and other resources, visit the Los Angeles County traffic ticket records page.