There are relatively few requirements for attending traffic school. In general, you may attend if the following applies:
- Your driver's license is valid.
- You were driving a noncommercial vehicle when the offense occurred.
- Your ticket involves a moving violation.
- The court offers a notice indicating possible eligibility for traffic school in California.
If your driver's license is a noncommercial license and the court allows you to attend a California Traffic School for an eligible offense, it will change how the offense appears on your record.
In this instance, once you complete the approved traffic school, you'll receive a confidential conviction. This means that the incident will appear on your driving record with the DMV; however you will not receive the point that hurts your driving record and causes insurance rates to soar.
In certain circumstances, the court may offer traffic school as an option to drivers who have commercial licenses, but only if the offense occurred in non-commercial vehicles. In these instances, the conviction will appear on record with the DMV but the point, again, will not.
It's important to note that if you do qualify to attend driver school and decide not to do so, your auto insurance rates may be negatively affected by that decision.
Not all California driving offenses, however, qualify for driving school in the state of California. You may not opt for driving school in the following instances:
- Non-moving violations, such as parking.
- Offenses mandating court appearances.
- Equipment-related offenses.
- Infraction offenses.
- Offenses occurring under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
- Offenses occurring in commercial vehicles.
You're also ineligible for traffic school if you've attended within the past 18 months for another approved offense.
Other reasons exist that would exclude you from utilizing traffic violator school. You can find those in the California Rules of Court. The specific rule is: rule 4.104.
You should consult with a qualified attorney if you were deemed ineligible for traffic school and believe you should be eligible. You should never, however, sign up for traffic school without court approval of traffic school attendance ahead of time.
What happens when you decide to enroll in traffic school?
If the court allows you the opportunity to attend traffic school, you must complete the course by the court required date as to not receive points on your record for the violation.
People with non-commercial driver's licenses will receive confidential convictions on their DMV records, while those with commercial driver's licenses will receive a general conviction both without the corresponding point.
You will be required to pay the ticket first, then an administrative fee to the court, as well as the traffic school fee for attendance.
You must request permission from the court, by the ticket's due date, if you decide to attend traffic school without first going to court.
Once you complete the course, the traffic school will let the DMV know so appropriate action on their end can be taken.
How long does online traffic school take in California?
CA online traffic school online can take anywhere from 30 minutes to over 8 hours. The course is designed to meet the CA DMV requirements for the 8-hour classroom course. However, because CA does not require the online course to be timed, most students finish it much quicker. Individuals can complete it at their own pace. It is completely up to them.
How does online traffic school work in California?
CA traffic school can be done online in the comfort of your own home, workplace or on-the-go by cell phone. The course is mostly reading, but there are some educational videos as well as videos for entertainment value only for the student’s viewing pleasure.
Once the student completes the course, they are required to take a 25 question, multiple-choice quiz. They must get 18 out of 25 correct to pass the course and have their completion reported to the CA DMV. As long as the student provides the correct citation number, traffic court information and driver license; the student’s traffic court will apply the DMV report to their case, mask the ticket, and the point(s) will not go onto the student/driver's record.
How to sign up for traffic school online in California?
Signing up for online traffic school is simple. One can register themselves on a school’s website, or call the school and register over the phone. Approved online schools can be found
here. The online course completion is reported to the CA DMV and court electronically by the school. The student doesn’t have to do anything else.
Voila! Instant gratification.
Why to take traffic school?
Taking traffic school has several benefits in California. One, if a driver is taking it to mask a traffic violation, then the conviction will be masked on the driving record and his or her insurance will not increase. Two, it will qualify most drivers for an insurance discount. Third, it teaches one to be a better driver and hopefully prevent future tickets and accidents.
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