Are you in Los Angeles (LA) and have been handed a traffic ticket? Do you know that you can pay for your Los Angeles traffic ticket online? This method is faster and more convenient.
I will guide you through the Los Angeles traffic ticket online payment guide in the next few sections.
Let’s start with the ticketing-related offenses.
Offenses That Cause Ticketing in Los Angeles
Two traffic violations can result in you being issued a traffic ticket in Los Angeles as follows:
- Infractions: These are low-tier traffic violations, either walking or traffic offenses. The punishment for them is usually by a fine that varies based on the degree of your offense. The road-related ones include running a red-light, having an expired registration, speeding, evading transit fare payment.
- Misdemeanors: Here, usually, you will have a letter “M” at the top of your traffic ticket. Misdemeanor offenses attract hefty punishments that include jail time.
Misdemeanor violations include reckless driving, driving without registration, or the use of a suspended license. Other misdemeanors include DUI (Driving Under the Influence), not appearing in court as required.
The results of “M” offenses include a bench warrant issued by a court in your county for your arrest.
Note: If you lose your traffic ticket, you can always check your traffic ticket case status online.
Checking Traffic Ticket Case Status Online in LA
Always check the status of your traffic ticket case online in LA as follows:
- First, go to the LA Courts official website. Click here to head to the site directly.
- Secondly, at the top menu, click “Divisions” and navigate down to “Traffic,” and click Access Now (in Divisions page)
- On the menu on your left, click on “Enter your ticket number.”
Alternative option: Just below the above option, click on “Enter your driver’s license number.”
You will end up in the “Traffic Online Services User Agreement.”
- Here, check off the “User Agreement” box and click “Continue.”
This takes you to Step 2. Retrieve Ticket Info page.
- Enter details required in the form below, such as the Court Location, Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) Number, the Ticket Number, and the Date of Birth.
- Then, click “Search.”
Note: Your ticket information will only be available online 30 days after it was issued to you. When checking before that date, you may not find the information unless updated earlier.
Important to note: You can proceed with these steps further to make your payment.
Let’s talk about that below.
Payment Options for LA Traffic Ticket
Multiple options are available for you to settle fine on your Los Angeles traffic ticket as follows:
- Payment by Mail: Make your payments by cashier checks, money orders, and checks. Make copies of what you wish to mail. Add the citation number # to your check and mail it by Federal Express or express mail to the courthouse on your ticket.
The best part about this is that you will have some proof of the date when the delivery was made.
- In-person payments: you can make LA traffic ticket in-person payments to the courthouse marked on your traffic ticket.
- Over the phone, payments are made through the telephone number 213-742-1884(to the Los Angeles Municipal Court Traffic Information and Payment Center).
- Paying online: Paying online is one of the best ways to handle your Los Angeles traffic ticket.
More about online payment for your LA traffic ticket is tackled in this next section.
How to Pay Your LA Traffic Ticket Online
Online payments for your traffic tickets are easy and straightforward as follows:
- First, go to the Superior Court of California, County of LA’s official website. Click here to access the page directly.
- Secondly, click on the “Online Services” tab at the top menu.
- Thirdly, search for “Traffic” under the online services dropdown.
- Then, choose any of the two options to find a ticket; By Driving License or By Ticket Number.
- Now, click “Access Now.”
You will land on the “Traffic Online Services User Agreement” page.
- Lastly, follow through with the hints from steps 1 to 5, where you will confirm payment.
Warning: Failing to pay and then not appearing in court in Los Angeles, as dated on your ticket, attracts a larger fine. The LA Courts then charge you with the Failing to Appear (FTA) charge.
Then your license placed on a VC 40509.5 hold, meaning that the license is subject to suspension.
Note: There are other options for dealing with your fine in LA if you cannot raise the amount penalized.
Options Available If You Cannot Afford LA Traffic Ticket Fine.
The Los Angeles County offers multiple other options to tackle your traffic ticket fine if you cannot afford it. There are two major options, as follows:
- Asking for an installment plan: If you have a bigger fine, the Superior Courts of California, LA County, have an installment option for you. The plan can be free without the costs charged appearing before a judge. Several things will happen as follows:
- Accept you’re guilty.
- Sign an installment agreement
- Pay 10% of the total fine, a one-time administrative fee of about $35 on your first payment.
- Pay fees applicable and forfeit the bail.
Warning: Always seek a traffic attorney’s counsel before committing to an installment plan or paying a collection agency.
- Seeking the services of a traffic attorney. You may feel that what is charged on your traffic ticket is more than what you could pay to a traffic attorney. So what should expect of a traffic attorney:
- Protection from the consequences of your traffic violations
- Defense from fine connected to your traffic violation
An attorney may still advise on an option to go with the installment, alongside other options you could use. Nevertheless, if you wish to contest your traffic ticket in court, the next section will guide you on what to do.
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How to Contest LA Traffic Ticket in Court?
Contesting a traffic ticket in Los Angeles can be done through a Trial by Written Declaration by you. This option is one of those provided at the back of your LA traffic ticket.
If your declarations sail through and you are found not guilty, then the ticket will be dismissed, and you do not have to pay any fines, appear in court or go to any traffic school to the points off your LA driving record.
Found guilty? You will have to make the necessary payments and face any repercussions tied to your traffic violations.
But how do you approach a “trial by written declaration” in Los Angeles?
- Foremost, fill form TR-205, also known as the Request for Trial by Written Declaration.
Read through the form carefully and only fill in the parts you are supposed to. For instance, the clerk of court fills the topmost part of the form TR-205. Details expected include statements of what happened.
More details can be done on a form MC-030, known as the Declaration, and another form MC-031, known as the Attached Declaration.
- Secondly, enclose bail payment with the declaration forms. Payment should be in check or money order.
- Thirdly, make a copy of everything attached, including witness statements.
- Now, mail every filled original above to the clerk of the court of the county on your ticket.
The clerk will notify the officer that ticketed you to issue their declaration on your traffic case.
- The court will decide on your case. If guilty, you will need to pay the fines alongside the bail deposit.
If what you owe is more than bail posted, then you will get a deadline you must meet for your payment. If you paid more on your bail than what you owed the courthouse, then you will get a refund of the excess.
If found “not guilty,” you will get a refund of the bail through mailing.
- Lastly, you can ask for a new trial if you are not satisfied with the judicial officer’s decision.
Remember: We have talked about fines and how to tackle them. Also, we’ve talked shallowly about points accumulated on your driving record. But what’s LA’s traffic points system?
Traffic Points System in Los Angeles
Understanding the California License Points System is important to avoid implicating yourself in grave offenses that result in license suspensions. California’s DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) uses the points system to monitor recurrent traffic violations.
License suspension is issued on accumulating:
- 4 points over 12 months
- 6 points over 24 months
- 8 points within 36 months
Important to note: A traffic violation in LA, California attracts about one to two points. Examples of one-point license violations include:
- Taking disqualified U-Turns.
- Not yielding to pedestrians at their right of ways.
- Violation of child safety restrictions.
- Passing a stopped school bus especially through its exit and entrance sides
- Running a red light and stop signs.
- HOV double lane line mistakes
- Disregarding traffic requirements and signals
Note: You can remove points from your traffic record by contesting your ticket, as you will your fine above. Moreover, you can enroll in a traffic school and have your points deducted on course completion.
Warning: Points on your driving record can stay on it for about 36 months and could lead to more costly insurance costs. Therefore, work towards getting rid of them promptly.
Conclusion
Traffic violations in Los Angeles, California State amount to traffic tickets, fines, and points on your record.
Above, you will find the Los Angeles traffic ticket online payment guide.
All you need to do is to make your payment early and avoid hefty penalties.
Moreover, you will learn other ways to deal with the fines, like contesting a traffic ticket in LA.
Furthermore, you can go to a traffic school in LA to reduce your traffic record points.
Topics
- Offenses That Cause Ticketing in Los Angeles
- Checking Traffic Ticket Case Status Online in LA
- Payment Options for LA Traffic Ticket
- How to Pay Your LA Traffic Ticket Online
- Options Available If You Cannot Afford LA Traffic Ticket Fine.
- How to Contest LA Traffic Ticket in Court?
- Traffic Points System in Los Angeles
- Conclusion
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