Traffic Tickets in Los Angeles County
Traffic citations in Los Angeles County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. When you get a traffic ticket in LA County, the issuing officer files it with the court system that covers more than 10 million residents across 88 cities and numerous unincorporated areas. The court processes hundreds of thousands of traffic cases each year. You can search for your citation online using the LA County citation number or your driver license. Payment options exist online, by mail, or in person. The court also offers traffic school, trial by written declaration, and other ways to resolve tickets without showing up in court during regular business hours.
LA County Traffic Ticket Quick Facts
Los Angeles County Citation Search
The LA Superior Court offers online citation search tools through their dedicated traffic division website. You can look up tickets by citation number or by driver license number. Both search options pull up case details from the court database. The citation number is printed on the ticket you got from the officer. If you lost your ticket, use the driver license search instead. It finds all open cases tied to your license in LA County.
The Los Angeles Superior Court Traffic Division maintains comprehensive online services for searching and managing traffic citations throughout the county. Their citation search portal allows drivers to quickly locate case information using either the citation number printed on the ticket or a California driver license number. Access the LA County citation lookup system at lacourt.ca.gov citation search to find your traffic case details and available options.
Once you search for your citation, the system shows the bail amount, due date, and what options you have. You might be able to pay online right away. You might see links to request traffic school or ask for an extension. Some tickets need you to fix something first, like a broken light. The search results tell you what step to take next for your specific citation in Los Angeles County.
Wait at least two weeks after getting your ticket before searching online. Officers give you the ticket at the scene, but the court needs time to enter it into their computer system. If you search too soon, you will get no results even though the ticket is valid. After two weeks, most tickets show up and you can see what you owe and when you need to respond to the court.
LA Superior Court Traffic Division
The Los Angeles County Superior Court operates the largest traffic court system in California. The Traffic Division handles violations from all 88 cities and unincorporated areas within the county. Multiple courthouse locations process traffic cases based on where the citation was issued. Downtown LA serves as the main hub, but many other courthouses across the county handle traffic matters for their local areas.
Each courthouse has specific hours and procedures. Most traffic windows open Monday through Friday during standard business hours. Some locations offer extended hours or night court sessions to help people who work during the day. You can call the traffic line at (213) 742-1884 for automated information available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more complex questions, the call center at 213-633-6300 connects you to a live person during business hours who can help with LA County traffic matters.
The LA Superior Court Traffic Division website provides detailed information about how to handle traffic tickets throughout Los Angeles County. From understanding your citation to learning about court procedures, the site covers every aspect of the traffic case process. Visit lacourt.org traffic division for comprehensive guidance on resolving traffic violations in LA County.
Traffic school is one common way to handle a ticket in LA County. If you are eligible, you can take an approved course to mask the point on your DMV record. Insurance companies will not see that point when they check your driving history. The administrative fee for traffic school in Los Angeles County is $64, which you pay in addition to the fine amount on your citation.
How to Pay Traffic Tickets
Los Angeles County offers several ways to pay or handle your ticket. Pay online through the court website using a credit card or debit card. Mail a check or money order to the address printed on your courtesy notice. Go in person to the courthouse clerk window during business hours. You can also pay by phone using the automated system at (213) 742-1884, which accepts payment information any time of day.
Paying the fine means you give up your right to fight the ticket. The court treats payment as a guilty plea. The conviction goes on your DMV record and might add points to your license. Insurance rates could go up. Think about your options before paying. You might want to contest the ticket in court or do trial by written declaration instead of just paying the bail amount set by the court in Los Angeles County.
If you cannot pay the full amount by the due date, request an extension. LA County allows extensions in some cases. You can also ask about a payment plan that lets you pay over time. Some drivers qualify for fine reductions based on income. The court website has information about these programs. You need to act before the due date passes to avoid extra fees and penalties from the traffic court.
Failure to respond to a traffic citation in Los Angeles County results in serious consequences. The court adds a $100 civil assessment fee to your balance. They can also issue a failure to appear charge, which is a separate misdemeanor that goes on your criminal record. Your license might get suspended. Taking action before the due date helps you avoid these extra problems and costs in LA County.
Contesting Traffic Tickets in LA County
You have the right to fight your traffic ticket. Request a trial if you think the citation is wrong. LA County offers two trial types: in-person court trial or trial by written declaration. In-person trials require you to show up at the courthouse on a scheduled date. Written declaration trials let you submit your case on paper without going to court. The judge reviews your written statement and the officer's statement, then makes a decision based on the documents submitted to the Los Angeles County court.
Written declarations work well for people who cannot take time off work or have schedule conflicts. You fill out forms explaining why you are not guilty. The officer does the same from their side. The judge reads both versions and decides. If you lose, you can still request an in-person trial after that. The written declaration gives you an extra chance to fight the ticket without the time commitment of showing up in court during the day.
Some tickets can be dismissed if you fix the problem. These are called correctable violations or fix-it tickets. Common examples include broken lights, expired registration, or missing proof of insurance. Get the issue fixed, have a law enforcement officer or authorized person sign off on the correction, then submit proof to the court. You still pay a small administrative fee, but the conviction does not go on your record. Los Angeles County charges $25 for proof of correction processing as set by state law.
Traffic Tickets and Your DMV Record
After the LA County court processes your case, the result gets reported to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV adds the conviction to your driving record. Most tickets stay on your record for three years from the conviction date. More serious violations like DUI remain for ten years. The DMV uses a point system. One-point violations include most speeding tickets and basic infractions. Two-point violations involve more serious acts or commercial driver violations. Too many points can lead to license suspension by the DMV.
You can check your own DMV record online at any time. The official record shows all convictions, accidents, and points. Getting your record costs two dollars if you request it online through the DMV website. You need to create an account to protect your personal information. The record you download is official and accepted by employers, insurance firms, and courts. It shows exactly what is on file for your California driver license as maintained by the state DMV.
Traffic school hides one point from insurance companies but not from the DMV itself. The DMV still sees the conviction. Your insurance company does not. This matters because insurance rates are based on what the insurance company can see. Completing traffic school for a Los Angeles County ticket can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in higher insurance premiums over the next three years, making the $64 traffic school fee a worthwhile investment.
Major Cities in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County includes 88 incorporated cities plus many unincorporated communities. Traffic tickets issued within city limits still go through the Los Angeles County Superior Court system. Each city has its own police department or contracts with the LA County Sheriff. The officer who wrote your ticket determines which courthouse location handles your case, but all traffic citations in the county follow the same court procedures regardless of which city issued them.
Cities in LA County with populations over 100,000 residents include:
Smaller cities and unincorporated areas follow the same process. Your citation shows which courthouse to contact. The LA Superior Court website has a location finder tool that tells you which courthouse serves your area based on the citation number or the city where you got the ticket. All locations use the same online search system and accept the same forms of payment for traffic matters in Los Angeles County.
Legal Help and Resources
You do not need a lawyer for most traffic tickets. The process is designed for people to handle on their own. The LA County court website has guides and forms. California Courts also runs a statewide self-help website with information about traffic citations. These resources explain your rights and walk through each step of the process from start to finish.
Some cases benefit from legal help. If you face license suspension, have multiple tickets, or got charged with a misdemeanor traffic offense, talk to a lawyer. The Los Angeles County Bar Association can refer you to traffic attorneys. Some lawyers offer free consultations. Legal aid groups help low-income residents with serious traffic matters that could affect their ability to work or support their family.
Traffic schools must be approved by the court. Los Angeles County maintains a list of approved providers. Do not sign up for a course until the court approves your traffic school request. Take the course from a provider on the approved list. Complete it before your deadline. The school reports completion to the court automatically. Make sure you get confirmation that the court received your completion certificate before assuming the case is closed.
Nearby Counties
If your ticket was issued near a county border, make sure you know which county court to contact. Each county runs its own system. A ticket in Orange County uses different procedures than LA County. Check the citation paperwork to see which court has authority over your case. Common neighboring counties include: