California

How to Reduce Points on Your Driving Record

– Mask California Traffic Ticket

You may be able to mask your California Traffic Ticket by taking a California Traffic School Course. That means your insurance company won’t see your traffic ticket and can’t raise your rate because of it.

What is A California Traffic School?

The California Traffic School is an online course on defensive driving techniques and traffic laws that you can take to mask your traffic ticket or to keep points off your driving record.

What are the benefits of taking the online California Traffic School?

  • Satisfy a court referral.
  • Keep points off your driving record.
  • Mask your traffic ticket.
  • The insurance company won’t see your traffic ticket.
  • Become a safer driver.

 If you are eligible and decide not to attend traffic school, your automobile insurance may be adversely affected.

What information is covered in the California Traffic School course?

In A California Traffic School course, you’ll learn all about California’s traffic laws as well as defensive driving techniques to keep you safe on the road.  You’ll learn how California’s climate, geography, and unique landscape present specific challenges to drivers, and how to handle them.

How do I sign up for a California Traffic School Course?

Eligibility and registration questions are best directed to the California Traffic School.

Can I attend a California Traffic School Course online?

The California Traffic Course may be completed online.

What are the eligibility requirements for taking a California Traffic School program?

If the court sends a reminder notice, it will say if you are eligible for traffic school.
If you have a non-commercial driver’s license and the court permits you to attend traffic school for an eligible offense, after completion of the course a confidential conviction will be recorded on your driving record at the DMV, but you will not receive a point on your driving record.

You Must meet certain requirements to be eligible to take a alifornia Traffic School to mask a ticket. 

    • You must have a valid Class C driver license.
    • The offense occurred while driving a non-commercial vehicle.
    • You must have been ticketed for a moving (driving) violation.
    •  Most common moving violations are eligible. Your traffic citation must be on the list of California eligible citations.
    • You must not have taken A California traffic school course for a ticket you got in the last 18 months (from citation date).
    • You must have paid all fees and bail to your court.

The court might approve traffic school for a driver with a commercial driver’s license if the eligible offense occurred in a non-commercial vehicle.

After completion of an approved program by a driver with a commercial driver’s license, a conviction will appear on the driving record at the DMV, but a point will not appear for the offense.

    • You can read more about the eligibility requirements by clicking here.

      You CANNOT go to traffic school for:

      • Equipment offenses
      • Non-moving offenses (like parking offenses)
      • Misdemeanors
      • Offenses with a mandatory court appearance
      • Alcohol- or drug-related offenses
      • Offenses in a commercial vehicle 

      You are also NOT eligible for traffic school if you have gone to traffic school for another ticket that you got in the last 18 months.

      There are other reasons you may not be eligible for traffic school. For more information on eligibility for traffic school, see the California Rules of Court, rule 4.104.

       

      What information is required to register for a California Traffic School Course? 

      •  Traffic schools are required to verify your identity with a government-issued ID before traffic school attendance.
      • Traffic schools are required to collect and retain a copy of your traffic citation and a copy of an California court order if one has was issued.
      • Some traffic schools process registration by phone and require prepayment, while others register by telephone but collect payment at the time of the course.
      • Most schools need payment by money order or cashier’s check only. You should check with the defensive driving school to make sure you have all the necessary documents to attend.

      What is required for a student to have at the time they start their class? 

      • The California traffic citation issued to them.
      • The Student’s government-issued identification card.
      • Course payment.
      • The defensive driving student will also be required to sign an affirmation of eligibility.

      What you need to do after you attend California Traffic school?

      Traffic schools report course completions to the California DMV electronically. If you’re taking the Court-Referred course, you can print your Certificate of Completion online. You must sign your certificate and deliver it to your court.

      How do I know a traffic school has been approved by the state of California?

      See the list of Approved California Traffic Schools.

      https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/portal/olinq2/welcome

      How long is the California Traffic School course?

      California Traffic School course is required to be a minimum of 8 hours as mandated by the California  DMV.

      What if I lose my defensive driving certificate of completion?

      If you need a replacement defensive driving certificate, please contact the school you attended.

      May I take a California Traffic School course for point reduction on my California motor vehicle record?

      You are eligible to take our Point Reduction course option if you have not taken a Traffic School Course for a point reduction in the past 12 months.

      You must complete the course within 12 months of the date of your last violation to receive a two-point reduction on your driving record.

      May I take a California Traffic School course for more than one traffic violation? 

      You are allowed to attend a defensive driving course for one traffic violation every twelve months. 

      Can I be court ordered to attend a California Traffic School Course?

      California courts do have the right to order a person to attend a defensive driving program, but in these cases, the course is not for dismissal of the violation.

      I went to defensive driving class, but the citation is still on my driving record.  What should I do? 

      If the traffic citation is the citation for which you attended a defensive driving program, contact the Alaska court of jurisdiction and ask the court to correct your driver record.