Plumas County Traffic Citations

Traffic tickets in Plumas County go through the Superior Court in Quincy serving this Northern California mountain region. When you get a citation from CHP or the Plumas County Sheriff along Highway 70, Highway 89, or other county roads, your case gets filed with this court serving about 19,000 residents. You will receive a courtesy notice by mail telling you the bail amount and due date. The county offers an online payment portal through ePayIt where you can pay traffic fines electronically day or night. Traffic school is available for eligible violations with a $52 administrative fee. Phone support is available at (530) 283-6232 during business hours for questions about your specific Plumas County traffic citation.

Pay Plumas County Traffic Tickets Online

Plumas County Superior Court uses the ePayIt system for online traffic ticket payments. You can pay 24 hours a day using a credit card, debit card, or electronic check from your bank account. The payment portal is available any time. You need your citation number to look up your case and submit a payment.

Access the Plumas County online payment portal at plumas.epay-it.com to pay traffic tickets and court fees electronically.

Processing fees apply when you pay by card. The fee is a small percentage of your total amount due. Electronic bank payments typically have lower fees than credit card payments. Your payment posts to your case within one business day in most situations. Save your confirmation number for your records as proof that you paid your Plumas County traffic ticket.

Paying the fine means you plead guilty to the violation. The conviction goes on your California DMV record. Points get added based on what type of violation you committed. Insurance rates could increase when the company sees the point on your next renewal. Consider all your options before paying. You might want to attend traffic school or contest the citation instead of simply paying the bail amount.

Plumas Superior Court Traffic Division

The Plumas County Superior Court is located in Quincy. All traffic cases for the county get processed through this courthouse. Call (530) 283-6232 during business hours if you have questions about your traffic ticket. Court staff can tell you how much you owe, explain your options, and answer procedural questions about Plumas County traffic cases.

Visit the Plumas County Superior Court Traffic Division page at plumas.courts.ca.gov traffic division for information about court procedures and services.

In-person services are available at the courthouse clerk's window. Hours are typically Monday through Friday during standard business hours. Some services might have limited hours, so calling ahead is a good idea if you plan to visit. The courthouse is at 520 Main Street in Quincy.

The traffic school administrative fee in Plumas County is $52. You pay this fee plus the bail amount on your ticket if you choose to attend traffic school. After you complete an approved course by the deadline, the conviction goes on your DMV record but gets masked from insurance companies. They cannot see the point when they check your driving history for rating purposes.

Ways to Pay Your Fine

Pay online through the ePayIt portal using a card or bank account. This is the fastest way and you get instant confirmation. Pay by mail with a check or money order made out to Plumas County Superior Court. Write your citation number on the check. Send it to the address on your courtesy notice. Pay in person at the courthouse in Quincy during business hours. Bring cash, check, money order, or card.

Wait at least two weeks after getting your ticket before trying to pay. Officers issue citations at the scene, but courts need time to process and enter them into the system. If you try to pay too soon, your case will not show up yet. After two weeks, most tickets appear in the Plumas County system and you can pay online or check the balance by phone.

Request an extension if you need more time to pay. Call the court before your due date and explain your situation. The court might grant extra time depending on your circumstances. Extensions are easier to get before the deadline passes. Once you are late, penalties start adding up and your options become more limited in Plumas County.

Traffic School in Plumas County

You can attend traffic school for eligible violations in Plumas County. The administrative fee is $52 plus the bail amount on your ticket. Not every violation qualifies for traffic school. You also cannot use traffic school more than once in an 18-month period. Check with the court to see if you are eligible for your specific citation.

Request traffic school before your due date. You can make the request by phone or in person at the courthouse. Once approved, you pay the fee and the court gives you a deadline to complete the course and submit your certificate. Most people take an online traffic school that you can do from home at your own pace. The course takes several hours total.

After you finish the course and pass the final exam, the school gives you a completion certificate. Submit that certificate to Plumas County Superior Court by the deadline. The court reports the conviction to DMV with a confidential marking. Insurance companies cannot see the point. Your rates stay the same even though you got a ticket.

Missing the deadline means you lose the traffic school benefit. The point becomes visible on your record. Insurance sees it and your rates go up. Pay attention to deadlines and get your certificate submitted on time to avoid losing the benefit of traffic school in Plumas County.

• Check eligibility for your violation
• Request traffic school before the deadline
• Pay the $52 administrative fee plus bail
• Complete an approved online or classroom course
• Submit your certificate by the court deadline

Contesting Your Traffic Ticket

You have the right to fight any traffic citation in Plumas County. Request a trial if you think the ticket is wrong or if you have a defense. Two types of trials are available. Trial by written declaration lets you submit your case on paper. In-person trial requires you to appear at the courthouse in Quincy on a scheduled date.

Written declarations work well if you cannot take time off work or live far from Quincy. You fill out forms explaining why you are not guilty. The officer submits their statement. A judge reviews both and makes a decision based on the paperwork. You do not have to show up in court. If you lose, you can still request an in-person trial after that. This gives you two chances to fight the ticket.

In-person trials let you present evidence and testimony to the judge. The officer might or might not appear. If the officer does not show up, your case could get dismissed. You can bring witnesses or documents to support your defense. The judge hears both sides and makes a ruling on your Plumas County traffic citation.

Some tickets are for correctable violations. These include broken lights, expired registration, no proof of insurance, and similar issues. Fix the problem and get it signed off by law enforcement or an authorized station. Submit proof of correction to Plumas County court with a $25 fee. The violation does not become a conviction on your DMV record. You avoid points and insurance increases.

What Happens If You Ignore Your Ticket

Ignoring a traffic ticket in Plumas County leads to serious consequences. The court adds a civil assessment fee to your balance. This fee is typically $100 or more. Your case gets reported to the California DMV as failure to appear. DMV suspends your driver license. You might face a criminal charge of failure to appear, which is a misdemeanor that goes on your record separate from the traffic violation.

A suspended license means you cannot legally drive anywhere in California. If you get caught driving on a suspended license, you face additional criminal charges and fines. Getting your license reinstated requires clearing the Plumas County case, paying all fees and penalties, and going through the DMV reinstatement process which has its own costs.

If you need more time, request an extension before the due date. Call the court and ask for extra time. The court might grant an extension depending on your situation. Extensions are easier to get before you are late. Once the deadline passes, penalties start adding up and your options become more limited.

Traffic Convictions and Your DMV Record

Plumas County reports all traffic convictions to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV adds the violation to your driving record. Most infractions stay on your record for three years from the conviction date. Serious violations like DUI remain for ten years. Points get assigned based on the type of violation. One point for common infractions. Two points for more serious acts.

Get your own driving record from the DMV for two dollars online. Create an account on the DMV website. Request your official driver record. It shows all convictions, accidents, and points. Insurance companies check this same record when setting your rates. Employers might ask for it if driving is part of your job. The record comes directly from the state DMV database.

Traffic school masks one point every 18 months from insurance view. DMV still has the conviction in their files. They mark it confidential so insurance companies cannot see it when they pull your record. Your rates stay lower. The $52 traffic school fee in Plumas County is far less than the hundreds or thousands you would pay in higher insurance premiums over three years with a visible point.

California Vehicle Code

State law governs traffic ticket procedures throughout California. The Vehicle Code sets rules for citations, court processing, and DMV reporting. Plumas County follows the same laws as all other California counties. Procedures are consistent statewide.

California Vehicle Code 1808 covers driver record information and public access. Read the statute at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov Vehicle Code 1808 for details on what information is public and retention periods.

The $25 proof of correction fee is set by Vehicle Code 40611 throughout California. Every county charges this same amount. Courts cannot charge more or less. The fee covers administrative costs when you submit proof that you fixed a correctable violation on your citation.

California courts provide self-help resources at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov traffic with guides on handling traffic tickets across all 58 counties.

Traffic Tickets in Nearby Counties

If your ticket was issued in a neighboring county, you must handle it through that county's court system. Each California Superior Court operates independently. Traffic cases are processed where the citation was issued.

• Lassen County to the east
• Sierra County to the south
• Butte County to the west
• Tehama County to the northwest
• Shasta County to the north

Check your citation to see which county court is listed. The ticket tells you where to send payment or where to appear. If you are not sure, look at the location where you were stopped. Plumas County only handles tickets issued within its borders.