Please note that clerks are prohibited by law from
giving you legal advice about your case. If you have received
a ticket for a traffic violation or other minor offense (infractions),
you may find the following general information helpful:
About Traffic
Infractions and Misdemeanors:
There are three levels of severity of traffic violations: infractions, misdemeanors,
and felonies. Most traffic violations are infractions, but some, like vehicular
manslaughter, are felonies.
Infractions are not punishable by jail or prison and are not subject to
trial by jury; the punishment is a fine. The more common traffic infractions
include speeding and running a red light or stop sign. Total penalties for
infractions can be as much as $200 or more.
Misdemeanors, such as driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or
drugs, can carry penalties of as much as $2,000 or more and/or confinement
in a city or county jail. The maximum penalty allowed in California for
a misdemeanor is one year in county jail and/or a fine.
Felonies are punishable by fines and/or confinement in county jail or state
prison.
How to Pay Your Traffic
Ticket:
If you received a traffic citation a Courtesy Notice may be mailed to you at the address listed on your citation. The Courtesy Notice will provide you with the amount of your fine and will provide general information on how to take care of your citation. If you do not receive a Courtesy Notice, you must still pay or appear in court by the date listed on your citation. It takes approximately 10 business day to process your citation.
You must contact the court if: you
have not received a courtesy notice within three weeks of receiving
your citation, you have changed your
address, or the address on the citation is incorrect.
You may pay the bail amount by mail, use the court's phone-in
credit card payment system or you may pay
your traffic ticket online**. If you pay by
mail, please send a check or money order payable to "Clerk of the Court" for
the full amount due. (** CORRECTABLE VIOLATIONS and bail for COURT TRIALS or TRIALS BY DECLARATION can NOT be paid online or by phone)
NOTICE: If you fail to appear or pay the full bail/fine by the due date you may be subject to penalties and/or a Civil Assessment of at least $300 pursuant to PC 1214.1, and the Court may pursue collections through the Franchise Tax Board or Collection Agency. In addition your driver’s license may be suspended through the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to VC40509.5 or a warrant issued for your arrest. Your failure to appear may be deemed a consent to a Trial by Written Declaration pursuant to VC40903.
Online:
Citation recipients will be able to pay their bail, extend their court
appearance date, or if eligible sign-up for Traffic school.
Please go to the following link to pay your citation online: https://courtweb.sbcourts.org/sbtraffic/ (CORRECTABLE VIOLATIONS and bail for COURT TRIALS or TRIALS BY DECLARATION can NOT be paid online or by phone)
Automated Telephone Information:
Note: in order to use this service, you must have your citation number.
The system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in both English
and Spanish.
| Automated Telephone Information |
| Santa Barbara |
(805) 568-3959 |
| Santa Maria |
(805) 346-7550 |
| Lompoc |
(805) 737-7789 |
| Solvang |
(805) 686-5040 |
If you choose to pay your bail/fine through this automated system or over the phone your credit card will be charged a $5 convenience fee. Types of information provided by the automated
system are:
- Fine and bail amounts.
- Traffic school information and costs.
- Bail forfeiture, bail posting, and fine payments by credit card.
- One time only date extensions for traffic cases.
- The automated system accepts VISA &MasterCard
only.
In the event that the Web and phone payment systems
are down for maintenance:
PLEASE NOTE: Parking citations are processed by local law enforcement agencies.
For Santa Barbara, please direct inquiries and payments to the Santa Barbara Police Department or the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department. Please check your citation for contact information. If you wish to pay a parking ticket, you may do so on the City of Santa Barbara website here: https://myonlinebill.santabarbaraca.gov/sbpd/
Fine payment
drop box for after hours payments:
Due to the budget crisis, our courts now close at 3:00
p.m. A drop box is provided for traffic/criminal payments between
3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Payments (no
cash please) placed in the drop box will be processed the next
day. For information
on how to pay your traffic ticket, see "How
to pay your traffic ticket" on this page. You may also pay
your traffic ticket online. For criminal
fine payments click here: http://www.sbcourts.org/general_info/case_types/criminal.htm#fine
If you wish to pay a parking ticket, you may do so on the City of Santa
Barbara website here: https://myonlinebill.santabarbaraca.gov/sbpd/
Clearing Correctable
Citations:
Proof of correction can be obtained by having an authorized representative
of a law enforcement agency fill out the Certificate of Correction located
on the reverse side of your citation. A Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV)
clerk may certify registration and/or driver's license violations. Your courtesy
notice will contain the correct amount of money you must pay along with
your proof of corrections.
Contact the court for information regarding the correct fine amount
for insurance violations. The proof for insurance violations must
be provided directly to the court.
Extensions
on Traffic Citations:
The clerks are authorized to grant one 30-day extension on most traffic citations. For extensions beyond the authorized 30 days, you must appear in court. You may
pay
your traffic ticket online.
Juvenile Misdemeanor
Traffic Citations:
If your citation was marked "to be notified," you will receive
a Notice to Appear giving you a court date and time to appear.
A
parent or guardian will be required to appear with you. If
you do not receive the notice within 60 days from the date the citation
was issued, contact
the court.If the Court has suspended your license, you may request
a restricted license. Review the
Restricted
License instructions, complete the
Restricted
License form, and return it to Court. You will be notified of the
Commissioner’s decision.
Traffic
Court Appearance and Trial Information:
- Appearances may be scheduled prior to your due date. You may check in the morning you wish to appear, on the day and time indicated on your citation. Please arrive early for processing.
- Night court is available for Santa Barbara and Santa
Maria traffic cases only. Night court must be scheduled
in advance. Cases involving alcohol/drugs, misdemeanors,
felonies and warranted cases DO NOT qualify for night
court.
- You must appear in court if your courtesy notice indicates
a MANDATORY APPEARANCE is required.
| LOCATION |
ADDRESS/PHONE |
COURT
DAY/TIME |
Santa
Barbara
View Map |
118 E. Figueroa Street
SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101
(805) 568-3959 COUNTER HOURS:
Monday - Thursday
7:45 am - 3:00 pm |
Monday
- Thursday
8:00am
Night Court:
2nd
Tuesday
each Month
5:30pm |
Santa
Maria
View Map |
312-M
East Cook Street,Bldg. E
SANTA MARIA, CA 93454
(805) 614-6590
COUNTER HOURS:
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
SWITCHBOARD HOURS:
8:00 am - 3:00 pm |
Tuesday:
10:00am & 1:30pm
*Check in between
8am and 8:30am for
10am calendar.
*Check in by
12 noon for
1:30pm calendar.
Night
Court:
On Tuesdays
5:00pm
*Check in by 3pm.
Juvenile:
Tuesday 2:30pm
*Check in by 1:15pm.
|
Lompoc
View Map |
115
Civic Center Plaza
LOMPOC, CA 93436
(805) 737-5390 or 737-7789 COUNTER HOURS:
Monday - Friday
8:00 am -3:00 pm |
Thursday:
9:00am
*Check in between
8am and 8:30am. |
Solvang
View
Map |
1745
Mission Drive, Ste. C
SOLVANG, CA 93463
(805) 686-5040
COUNTER HOURS:
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 3:00 pm |
2nd & 4th Wednesday:
*Check in at 8am.
*Ttraffic court trials are held at 1:30pm
|
| To
schedule an appearance call: |
| Santa Barbara: |
(805) 568-3959 |
| Santa Maria: |
(805) 614-6590 |
| Lompoc: |
(805) 737-5390 |
| Solvang: |
(805) 686-5040 |
- Requesting a Traffic Court Trial:
If you wish to plead not guilty to a vehicle code infraction and have
a court trial with the officer present, you may complete the Plea
and Notice of Court Trial form or appear at the clerk's office. The
court trial will be set within 30 days. The bail or fine must be
posted when you enter your plea. You or your attorney and the officer
who issued the citation must be present in court on the date of trial.
Defendants can also check the “Court Trial or TBD” box on their Courtesy Notice stub and they can also submit a written statement that reads “I plea Not Guilty and request a Court Trial”. The clerk will then mail the appropriate paperwork.
If you disagree with the court's decision, you must file an appeal
within 30 days of the judgment date. See the Traffic
Appeals section
below.
- Requesting a Trial by Declaration (Written Statement):
If you plead not guilty and want to complete a written Trial by Declaration,
you must submit:
- "Request for Trial by Declaration" form
(Judicial Council Form TR-205). In Santa Barbara Figueroa, defendants can also check the Trial by Declaration box on the Courtesy Notice stub and they can also submit a written statement that reads “I plea Not Guilty and request a Written Trial”. The clerk will then mail the appropriate paperwork.
- The total amount of bail owed on your case.
The officer who issued the citation will submit a statement of the facts.
The judge will take the case under submission and you will be notified
of the judge's decision.
If you disagree with the decision of the court, Request for New Trial
(Judicial Council Form TR-220)
must be filed within 20 days of the date the judgment was mailed.
Traffic Warrants
and DMV Holds:
All fines may be paid with cash, credit cards (MasterCard or Visa), Personal Checks, Bank Cashier’s Checks, Drafts, or Monday orders, payable to the “Clerk of the Court”. If a check is returned by the bank you will be subject to an additional $80.00 fee per GC71386.
- To clear a traffic warrant, you may need to appear in court. Please contact the appropriate court for information regarding payment or information on how to schedule your case.
- To release a Failure to Appear DMV hold, you must appear in court or pay your fine prior to requesting that a release abstract be sent to DMV.
- To release a Failure to Pay DMV hold, you must pay the full amount due prior to requesting that a release abstract be sent to DMV.
Traffic
School Information:
Eligibility:
- You may attend traffic school to dismiss a citation once every 18
months, from violation date to violation date.
- If there are any correctable violations on your citation, these corrections
must be received along with any fees before permission will be granted.
- Effective September 1, 2011, you must pay the fine plus a $66.00 non-refundable administrative fee. When
the court receives the fees, you will receive an assignment form granting
you permission to attend traffic school and indicating the completion
date.
- You will be required to pay an additional fee to the school.
- If you are eligible and decide not to attend traffic school, your
automobile
insurance may be adversely affected.
- You may sign up for traffic school through the mail, by using the
Court's automated telephone system or online.
- If you sign up for traffic school in court and later choose not to go, you are still required to pay the $66.00 non-refundable administrative fee.
California
Traffic Safety Institute
TRAFFIC SCHOOL CLERKS |
| Santa Barbara: |
(805) 882-4789 |
| Santa Maria |
(805) 614-6590 |
| Lompoc: |
(805) 737-5449 |
| Solvang: |
(805) 686-5040 |
| Click the link below to view the Santa
Barbara County Superior Court list of approved traffic schools:
Traffic School List
(Note: this link will open in a new page) |
Certificates:
If you complete an on-line course, the company will electronically submit your certificate to the court. If you are given a paper certificate, you must return the
original traffic school certificate to the court by
the completion date. If you wish to mail the certificate
please
allow time for the post office to make the delivery. You
may also need to sign the certificate. Always include your
full
name, current address, date of birth, citation number, and
any other pertinent information with all correspondence
with
the Court. You may also drop off the certificate at any of
the traffic counters located throughout
the county or mail them to the addresses
listed above.
Always keep a copy of the certificate for yourself
for future reference.
Installment
Bail Information:
If you are requesting to make payments without appearing in court, you must meet the following requirements:
- Your case must be a Vehicle Code infraction with a date to appear in the future.
- You must pay a service charge of $35 for installment payments. The service charge of $35 must be paid with the first month's installment. Payments must be made in person or through the mail.
- Contact the Court to set up a payment plan.
If you have already appeared in court and are requesting an installment payment plan or an extension on your fine, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must complete an installment payment plan application.
- You must pay a service charge of $35 for installment payments. The service charge of $35 must be paid with the first month's installment payment of $100 for a total of $135.
- If you need an extension to pay your total fine, you may need to pay a fee of $30.
Owner's Responsibility:
If your citation is past due, a hold may be placed on the vehicle's
registration at DMV. Failure to clear this citation could result in your
inability to register your vehicle.
If you have corrected the violations, you may submit payment and a proof of correction to the court.
If the citation was mechanical and issued to the driver, and your company
wants to assume responsibility, mail in the amount of the citation, include
proof of corrections as required, and a letter on company letterhead requesting
the responsibility be transferred to the company.
Traffic
Appeals:
Any party may appeal a higher court to review a ruling or decision made by a lower court. There is no fee for filing an appeal on a traffic, criminal, or juvenile case. Forms for an appeal are available from the clerk's office (Judicial Council Forms CR-141-INFO, CR-142, CR-143, CR-144, CR-145 or online on the Judicial Council website at http://www.courts.ca.gov/forms. Choose “Criminal” form the Select a group of forms drop down menu then click the “search” button.
To appeal a Trial by Declaration decision, complete and file
a Request for New Trial (Trial De Novo) (Judicial
Council Form TR-220) with the Court within 20 days of
the mailing of judgment. The Notice of Appeal from a Court
Trial must be filed within 30 days of the judgment date.
Filing a Notice of Appeal does not stop enforcement of the judgment. You
must still comply with all terms and conditions of the court order.
For additional information, please
visit:
Traffic/Minor
Offenses