Why California Traffic Tickets Cost So Much

Base fine vs what you pay

Every traffic infraction has a base fine. It's the number you'd expect to see: $35 for going a little over the limit, $100 for running a red light. But the base fine is also the number the rest of the bill is built from. Most of what you pay goes to state and county funds that the Legislature has attached to traffic cases over the years, including court construction, DNA identification and emergency medical services.

To keep totals consistent across the state, the Judicial Council publishes a Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule every year. Courts must use it for Vehicle Code infractions, with a few exceptions: 30 counties are allowed to charge more, and counties that don't adopt the optional penalties charge less. The "Total Bail" in that schedule is what most people pay.

Each add-on, one line each

Here's what's stacked on the base fine. The penalties marked "per $10" are charged on every $10 of base fine, or part of $10, so a $35 base counts as 4 units, not 3.5.

Added up, the per-$10 penalties alone are $29 for every $10 of base fine, which by themselves are more than double the base fine.

Worked examples: speeding and red light

Speeding 1–15 mph over the limit (VC 22350): base fine $35, which is 4 units of $10.

Running a red light (VC 21453(a)): base fine $100, which is 10 units of $10.

Notice the multiple gets smaller as the base fine grows. The flat court fees weigh most on small tickets.

Traffic school

Traffic school is about your driving record, not your wallet. If the court allows it, you still pay the full fine, plus the court's traffic school fee and the school's own charge. In return, the conviction is kept confidential and no point is added to your record, as long as it's your first traffic school conviction in 18 months (Vehicle Code 1808.7). Commercial drivers generally can't use it to mask a conviction. Your courtesy notice usually says whether traffic school is offered for your violation. If it doesn't, ask the court before your due date.

Ability-to-pay reductions

If the total is more than you can manage, ask the court. Vehicle Code 42003 lets a judge consider your ability to pay, and courts can set up installment plans. California also has a court ability-to-pay program that lets you ask for a reduction without a court appearance, and many courts accept those requests online. Do it before the due date. Missing a court date or a payment without good cause can add a civil assessment of up to $100 (Penal Code 1214.1).

If the ticket is a correctable "fix-it" violation, such as a broken taillight, you usually avoid the fine entirely. You show proof the problem was fixed and pay a $25 transaction fee per violation (Vehicle Code 40611). The same applies to a no-proof-of-insurance ticket if you can show you were insured when you were stopped.

Points and insurance

Most moving violations add 1 point to your DMV record. More serious ones, such as driving over 100 mph, add 2. The DMV presumes a driver is negligent at 4 points in 12 months, 6 points in 24 months, 8 points in 36 months (Vehicle Code 12810.5), which can lead to probation or suspension. Insurers look at the same record when they set your rates, which is the other reason traffic school can be worth it even though it doesn't cut the fine.

Run your numbers

Our Traffic Ticket Fine Estimator uses the same schedule. Pick your violation, or enter the base fine from your courtesy notice, and it shows every line of the total with the law behind it, plus the DMV points.

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. The amount on your court's courtesy notice is the amount you owe. Prior convictions, construction zones and local fees can change it.