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Traffic school often seems like a magical solution to a speeding ticket or minor traffic infraction. However, is attending traffic violator school right for my ticket?
While traffic school can be a great option under the right circumstances, it’s essential to understand when it might not be the best choice. Always consult a traffic attorney familiar with traffic tickets and TVS in Fresno County, CA.
Traffic School Rules & Prerequisites
According to the Judicial Branch of California, you can typically attend traffic school if you have a valid California driver’s license, the violation occurred while driving a non-commercial vehicle, the moving violation was a minor infraction, and the driver hasn’t used it to keep a violation confidential during the previous 18 months, from conviction to conviction.
Before enrolling in traffic school, you must obtain permission from the county court clerk or traffic court judge, in certain situations.
The county clerk can usually approve your attendance if you plead guilty, pay the entire ticket amount or set up a payment plan, pay the $64 county admin fee, and complete the traffic school course on time.
If you complete the course before the court-ordered completion date, the DMV will put the record of conviction in a restricted file. Normally, traffic tickets are a public record.
Failure to complete the course before the court-ordered deadline will result in the conviction becoming part of your motor vehicle driving record (MVR). This point can lead to increased insurance premiums, typically around $650 more per year for three years for the average California driver.
While the traffic court reminder you receive might indicate eligibility for traffic school, it doesn’t provide a complete picture. If you have another pending or recently resolved ticket, attending traffic school won’t hide your conviction from your insurance company.
You can only use traffic school to keep one minor infraction confidential from the public record within an 18-month period.
Also, correctable or “fix-it” tickets aren’t moving violations, so traffic school won’t provide financial benefits. You simply need to make the required corrections, obtain the officer’s signature, and pay the admin fee.
Moreover, many traffic violations, such as speeding over 100 mph, reckless driving, and hit-and-run, don’t qualify for traffic school.
If the minor infraction you’re trying to conceal with traffic school puts you over four NOTS points for the year, six within two, or eight NOTS points within three years, you’ll receive an “Order of Suspension/Probation” from the DMV. You’ll have ten days to request a DMV NOTS Hearing.
Determining the answer to the question is TVS right for my ticket and to determine your specific situation, may require legal guidance and careful consideration.
A traffic attorney in Fresno County, CA, can provide valuable guidance and help you make informed decisions regarding TVS.
Contact Bigger & Harman to Answer the Question: Is TVS Right for My Ticket
For questions regarding traffic tickets in Fresno Courthouse and Traffic Violator School, contact Bigger & Harman, the Bakersfield Traffic Defense Team, at (661) 349-9300 — Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
We have over a decade of experience resolving traffic issues for California drivers, and we’re proud that more than 20,000 drivers have asked us to assist them with traffic tickets.
Schedule a consultation or email us at attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The CA DMV TVS & Online Services Portal.
DMV Approved California Online Traffic School List.
California Courts, The Judicial Branch of California Traffic School webpage.