By the Ticket Dismissal HQ editorial teamReviewed Oct 20, 2026Sources cited at the endNot legal advice
California traffic school lets you keep a ticket off your driving record as far as insurers and the DMV point count are concerned. You still pay the full fine, plus a court administrative fee and the course price, but the conviction is held confidential and its point is masked. The course is online, run by DMV-licensed schools, and you can use it once every 18 months. Here’s how to qualify, request it, and finish on time.
Quick answer
- Eligible if: valid license; a 1-point violation; not more than 25 mph over; not alcohol/drug-related; not a misdemeanor; no traffic school election in the 18 months before this violation; not driving a commercial vehicle.
- Request it: from the court on your courtesy notice, online, by phone or by mail, before the due date.
- Pay: the full fine (bail) plus a non-refundable administrative fee (about $50–$85, varies by county).
- Take: a DMV-licensed course online by the court’s deadline (often around 60–90 days).
- Result: conviction kept confidential; the point doesn’t count toward a suspension or show to insurers.
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See site- California DMV-licensed online traffic school, video or text
- 340 minutes; start and stop anytime on phone or computer
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- Guarantee: if your violation isn’t masked, they pay it (up to $250)
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Who’s eligible
- A valid driver’s license. Unlicensed drivers aren’t eligible.
- A 1-point infraction. Most speeding, red-light, stop-sign and unsafe lane-change tickets qualify. Two-point violations (such as reckless driving or 100+ mph) don’t.
- Not more than 25 mph over the limit.
- Not alcohol- or drug-related, and not a misdemeanor.
- Not an equipment, seat belt, or insurance violation (these carry no points anyway, and many “fix-it” tickets are corrected instead).
- No traffic school in the 18 months before this violation date, counted from violation to violation.
- Commercial license holders: generally only for violations in a personal vehicle, and some courts don’t keep those convictions confidential for insurance purposes. Ask the court.
Step by step
- Wait for the courtesy notice. The court mails it within a few weeks of the ticket; it says whether you’re eligible for traffic school and lists your due date. If it doesn’t arrive in about 3 weeks, look the case up on the court’s website. How.
- Request traffic school before the due date. Most courts let you do this online; some by phone, mail or in person.
- Pay the fine and the administrative fee. Both are paid to the court; the fee is non-refundable even if you don’t finish.
- Enroll in a DMV-licensed traffic violator school and finish by the court’s deadline. Online courses run a few hours of self-paced material with quizzes and a final exam.
- The school reports your completion electronically. No paper needed. Check the court’s case status before the deadline to confirm it was received.
If you miss the completion deadline, the conviction posts and the point counts, and you’ve already paid the fine and the non-refundable fee. Finish at least a few days early; some courts grant one extension if you ask before the deadline.
What it costs
| Item | Typical cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Fine (bail), e.g. 1–15 mph over | ≈ $234–$238 | Court |
| Traffic school administrative fee | ≈ $50–$85 (varies by county) | Court |
| Online course | From ≈ $20 | School |
| Insurance increase avoided | Often hundreds of dollars over 3 years | — |
Traffic school costs more up front than just paying the ticket. It pays for itself by keeping the point away from your insurer, which typically raises rates for about three years after a speeding conviction. Full cost breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
How long is California traffic school?
It depends on the school’s DMV-approved curriculum; online courses typically run about 6–8 hours, self-paced (DefensiveDriving.com’s is 340 minutes; iDriveSafely’s is listed at 8 hours).
Does traffic school remove a point in California?
It masks it: the conviction stays confidential and the point isn’t counted for suspensions or shown to insurers.
Can I go to traffic school for a camera red-light ticket?
Usually yes. California red-light camera tickets carry 1 point and are generally traffic-school eligible. Details.
Do I still pay the ticket if I take traffic school?
Yes, in full, plus the court’s administrative fee.
Can I choose any traffic school?
Any school licensed by the California DMV. The court doesn’t assign one.
Sources: California Vehicle Code §42005; California Rules of Court rule 4.104; county superior court traffic school pages (e.g., Placer, San Mateo, Sacramento); providers’ California course pages. We may earn a commission on some links. Editorial policy.