Traffic

The Court will mail a Reminder Notice. The Reminder Notice will indicate how much you will need to pay, the due date if your violation was an infraction, or the scheduled mandatory Court appearance date if your violation was a misdemeanor. The notice will also contain information regarding traffic school eligibility, and any proof of correction requirements needed to clear the citation. If you do not receive your Reminder Notice within three weeks, call the phone number on your ticket.

If your citation is an infraction, the date at the top is a date by which this citation must be paid, or you must make arrangements to appear. If your citation includes any misdemeanor violations, you must appear in Court on that date and time.

The Clerk’s Office may give a one-time 90-day extension from the due date listed on your citation. Prior to your due date, you may make a request for an extension online or by calling 530-527-3563, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except court holidays.  No further extensions at the end of the 90-day period will be given online.  However, if you need additional time, you may contact the Clerk’s Office to schedule a court date.

We currently accept cash, personal checks, money orders, MasterCard, Discover and Visa.

• The Court only accepts U.S. Funds.
• You must have your Docket Number to access your account. The number is located on the Reminder Notice.

Payment methods:

• Pay in person at the Court.
• Send a check payable to TCSC and include the docket number on the check. Please do not mail cash.
• Pay online.
• If you need to set-up a partial payment plan, please contact the court prior to sending in a payment. 

POC stands for Proof of Correction. Proof of Correction (pursuant to 40610 VC) refers to any: (1) Mechanical, (2) Insurance, or (3) Registration/License issues that must be corrected to obtain a reduced fine amount. If you cannot provide proof, you will be required to pay the full bail associated with that violation or appear in court.

How do I correct Mechanical Violations?
Proof of Correction for most mechanical violations can be signed off on the back of the citation by the Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, or other City Police Agencies. After obtaining proof of correction, you must submit the proof of correction to the court either in person, by mail or online along with a $25.00 fee per correctable violation.

How do I correct Insurance Violations?
If you did not have proof of financial responsibility (insurance) at the time the citation was issued, here are a few options:

•    You may pay the full bail amount for this violation
•    You may schedule a court date for arraignment
•    Purchase insurance (pre-paid for six months) for a reduction in bail 

If you were insured at the time the citation was issued, but were unable to provide proof of insurance, you may either submit proof online, by mail, or bring your proof of insurance to the court and present it to the clerk. The court will dismiss the violation when it receives proof of financial responsibility and payment of $25.00 for the correctable violation fee. Certain insurance violations are not correctable or dismissible by the clerk and require payment of full bail or court appearance.

How do I correct Registration/Driver License Violations?
If you were cited with a registration/driver’s license violation and have proof of a valid registration/driver’s license from DMV, you may submit a copy of your registration/driver’s license with the appropriate transaction fee to the court either in person, by mail or online. For information on commercial registration, contact the court.

You must contact the clerk’s office prior to your appearance to make arrangements for interpreters, including American Sign Language.

The bail due for a citation is the amount of money required to guarantee your appearance in Court. If you choose to pay the bail on the citation without going to trial, it is called bail forfeiture. The citation is deemed paid, and the resulting conviction will be reported on your driving record.

You may attend traffic school if the following criteria are met:

•    If you have not attended in the last 18 months (from violation date to violation date).
•    You must hold a valid driver’s license.
•    You are not eligible for Traffic School if you were driving a commercial vehicle when issued the citation.
•    The violation on your ticket must be an eligible violation, and if there are any correctable violations on your citation, these corrections must be received along with any transaction fees.

You must pay the bail plus a non-refundable traffic violator school fee of $52.00 when requesting traffic school. You may pay online, by mail, or in person. Once payment is received, you will have 60 days from payment date to complete the class. Locate a traffic violator school at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Once you have completed the class, it is your responsibility to contact the court to ensure the school has submitted a satisfactory certificate of traffic school completion to the court. Please allow two (2) weeks for the court to receive the certificate after you complete traffic school before you call to verify receipt. The citation will be reported to DMV as a confidential conviction. If you sign up for traffic school and fail to file the certificate of completion by the due date, the traffic school fee you paid will be deemed as bail and forfeited, and DMV will be notified of a conviction

If you cannot afford to pay your citation, you may electronically request a reduction in fine/payment arrangement/community service.

• My Citations – Electronic Ability-to-Pay Request

This request is only available by electronic means.  At the time you submit the request, provide the Court with any supporting documentation you want the judicial officer to consider in making their decision.  You will be notified via email of the courts decision.

If you cannot afford to pay your citation, you may ask the Court for an ability-to-pay determination by filing a Petition and Order for Ability-to-Pay Determination (For Use in Traffic Cases only) CRC 4.335.

• Petition and Order to Vacate or Reduce Assessment Form
• Can't Afford to Pay Fine: Traffic and Other Infractions​

The petition can be filed in person or mailed to the court. At the time you submit the petition, provide the Court with any supporting documentation you want the judicial officer to consider in making their decision.

Your petition will be reviewed by a Judicial Officer and the court may:

1. Allow you to make installment payments;
2. Complete community service to satisfy your fine;
3. Suspend the fine, in part or in whole;
4. Set the matter for a hearing; or
5. Deny the petition.

Once the judicial officer has made their determination, you will be notified in writing. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for a response.

If you violate your written promise to appear or a lawfully granted continuance of your promise to appear, in court or before a person authorized to receive a deposit of bail, the court may impose a civil assessment of up to $100 under Penal Code section 1214.1, you may be charged with a misdemeanor under Vehicle Code section 40508 and the court may assign your case to a collection agency or the State Franchise Tax Board for collection. The Civil assessment, pursuant to Penal Code section 1214.1 shall not become effective until 20 calendars days of the due date of your fines. You may Petition the Court for consideration to vacate or reduce the assessment within the time specified in the notice and show good cause for the failure to appear. If your underlying offense was a misdemeanor, you may have a warrant issued for your arrest.

You may petition the Court for a review of your circumstances for failing to appear or pay within the time frame specified in your notice, by filing a Petition and Order to Vacate or Reduce Assessment (PC 1214.1) CRC 4.106 form. Consideration to vacate or reduce the assessment will be based on your declaration of Good Cause and supporting documentation.

• Petition and Order to Vacate or Reduce Assessment Form
• Can't Afford to Pay Fine: Traffic and Other Infractions​

The petition can be filed in person or mailed to the court. At the time you submit the petition, provide the Court with any supporting documentation you want the judicial officer to consider in making their decision. Once the judicial officer has made their determination, you will be notified in writing.

If your underlying charges have not been adjudicated (there has been no finding of guilt) and the court has referred the case to a comprehensive collection program as provided in section 1463.007(b)(1) as delinquent debt, you may request an appearance before a judicial officer by filing a written request.

Learn more about the California Rules of Court 4.106.

The Court notifies DMV that you have failed to appear which places a hold on your driver's license. This means you will not be able to renew your license until this has been taken care of. To release a DMV hold, you may pay in person with a MasterCard, Discover or Visa, by cash, money order, cashier's check, and the DMV hold will be released immediately. With payment online or by phone, it takes up to 48 hours to release DMV holds. If the fine is paid by personal check, the DMV hold will not be released for 21 days. Please do not mail cash. The Court only accepts U.S. Funds.

A written Trial by Declaration is where, instead of going to court for a trial on your citation, you plead not guilty and submit a written statement on a Trial by Declaration form explaining the facts of your case and why the Court should rule in your favor.

• Instructions to Defendant (form TR-200)
• Request for Trial by Written Declaration (form TR-205)

For additional forms available at the California State Judicial Council's web site, click here: Judicial Council Forms.

If you wish to plead not guilty to a traffic citation and have a Court trial with the officer present, you may sign the Reminder Notice indicating your request for a Trial by Court and return it to the clerk's office with the full amount of bail. You will be notified of the trial date. If you cannot post bail, you may schedule a court date to appear for arraignment and enter a not guilty plea without posting bail. You must sign a written promise to appear. Your Court trial would be set on a future date and time.

Non-Correctable Violations

When a juvenile (under the age of 18) receives a citation a Reminder Notice will be mailed to the juvenile and their parents, at the address listed on the citation. If the citation is for a non-correctable violation a mandatory appearance is required if the juvenile resides within Tehama County. A parent or legal guardian must accompany the juvenile to the appearance.

Correctable Violations

If the citation is for a correctable mechanical, driver license or registration violation ONLY, a court appearance is not necessary, if the proof of correction and the correction fee is submitted to the court before your appearance date. Proof of correction can be obtained by having an authorized representative of a police agency complete the Certificate of Correction (on the reverse of the Reminder Notice or Citation). The certificate may be completed by the Department of Motor Vehicles for driver license and or registration violations. You must mail or bring the completed Certificate and the correction fee to the court.

Please contact the clerk's office at the phone number at the bottom of the citation if you don't receive the notice, prior to the appearance date listed at the bottom of the citation.

Print and complete form Claim of Wrong Identity Vehicle Code Section 40504 and submit to the court for review. Once received, a judicial officer will assign a court date and the form will be returned to you at the mailing address provided on form.