What are traffic fines and tickets?

Traffic fines are penalties you are ordered to pay for driving-related or vehicle-related violations. Traffic tickets are the actual paper citations you get when you commit violations. There are three types of traffic tickets:

    PARKING TICKETS—Parking tickets are for violations while your vehicle is parked (for example, if you park your car where or when you’re not allowed to, or don’t pay the parking meter).[2213]
    INFRACTION TICKETSInfraction tickets are for minor driving violations (such as running a stop sign or failing to use a turn signal), or often for mechanical problems with your car equipment (such as a broken tail-light), or for administrative violations related to your registration, insurance, or Drive License (for example, if one of these has expired).[2214]
    MISDEMEANOR TICKETSMisdemeanor tickets are issued for more serious driving violations (like a DUI or driving on a suspended license—these are types of misdemeanor criminal convictions).

NOTE: ANOTHER NAME FOR TRAFFIC FINES IS “BAIL”—Traffic fines are also called “bail.” The traffic court may use this term when talking about your traffic fines and payments. Traffic “bail” is not the same thing as bail in a criminal case, but is sometimes used in a similar way. As of June 8, 2015, if you are required to appear in court for an infraction ticket, you no longer need to “post bail” (pay some or all of your traffic fine) beforehand, except in a few situations.[2215] If you are required to appear in court for a misdemeanor ticket, you may need to “post bail” (pay some or all of your traffic fine) BEFORE your court date. You will then get this money back if the court dismisses your ticket or finds you not guilty of the traffic violation. This Chapter will use the term “fines” instead of “bail” to describe the money you owe for a traffic ticket.

  1. 2213

    Cal. Veh. Code §§ 463, 40200.

  2. 2214

    Cal. Veh. Code § 40610.

  3. 2215

    Cal. Rules of Court § 4.105. There are three exceptions when the judge may or must require you to “post bail” for an infraction ticket before your court date: (1) The judge must require you to post bail if you choose to pay or challenge the ticket through certain legal procedures that require bail to be posted beforehand (for example, pleading guilty and paying the ticket without going to court, under Cal. Veh. Code §§ 40510 or 40521; or challenging your ticket through a trial by written declaration, under Cal. Veh. Code § 40902); (2) The judge may require you to “post bail” if you do not sign a written promise to appear in court; (3) The judge may require you to “post bail” if he or she finds that you are unlikely to appear for your court date without posting bail beforehand, and specifically states the reasons for his/her decision. Cal. Rules of Court § 4.105(c). This new rule only applies to infraction tickets, not to misdemeanor tickets.