Traffic Tickets: A to Z

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  Citations/Violations

  Parking Citations
  Photo Citations
  Owners Responsibility Citations
  Insurance Violations
  Proof of Correction (Fix-It Tickets)
  Appeals

  Trials
  Paying Violations

  Paying Fines (Bail Forfeiture)
  Bail Refunds
  Fees
  Failure to Appear or Pay Violations

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Traffic Court

This section tells you about what happens if:

• you do not go to court when you are supposed to (failure to appear), or
• you do not pay your fine (failure to pay).

Click on a topic to learn about:

1. What is a Failure to Appear?
2. What is a Failure to Pay?
3. What is Civil Assessment?
4. How do I clear a hold on my driver’s license?
5. What else should I know about Vehicle Code 40508a and 40508b?
    

1. What is a Failure to Appear?
   
   If you violate your written promise to go to court you will be guilty of a misdemeanor.
    
    
2. What is a Failure to Pay?
   
   If you don’t pay your fine before the court’s deadline and you have not explained your situation to the court, you will be guilty of a misdemeanor.
    
3. What is Civil Assessment?
   
   If you do not pay your fine on time, an extra fee may be added to your fine amount and your case may be referred for collection.
   
   Under certain conditions, such as hospitalization, military service or incarceration (being in jail), you may ask the Court not to add that additional fee. There is a form that you can use to ask for this. Click here for Civil Assessment Petition and Order form.
   
    
4. How do I clear a hold on my driver’s license?
   
   If you do not take care of your Failure to Appear (FTA) or Failure to Pay (FTP), the court can put a hold on (or suspend) your driver’s license. To clear the hold, you must post and forfeit the bail or schedule a court date to be heard on the FTA and/or FTP charge(s).
   
   Or you can forfeit (pay) the full amount of bail due on the original charge plus the bail for the FTA or FTP charges. After you have forfeited your bail, plead guilty or no contest, been found guilty or had an FTA dismissed, the Court will notify the DMV to release the hold on your license.
   
    
5. Click here to read about Vehicle Code 40508a and 40508b

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