Traffic school with a commercial driver license (CDL) in California.

What rule 4.104(c)(1) says

The California Rules of Court set statewide traffic school procedures. Rule 4.104(c)(1) reads in full:

“A judicial officer may in his or her discretion order attendance at a traffic violator school in an individual case as permitted under Vehicle Code section 41501(a) or 42005 or for any other purpose permitted by law. A defendant having a class A, class B, or commercial class C driver’s license may request to attend traffic violator school if the defendant was operating a vehicle requiring only a noncommercial class C or class M license. The record of conviction after completion of traffic violator school by a driver who holds a class A, class B, or commercial class C license must not be reported as confidential. A defendant charged with a violation that occurs in a commercial vehicle, as defined in Vehicle Code section 15210(b), is not eligible to attend traffic violator school under Vehicle Code sections 41501 or 42005 in lieu of adjudicating an offense, to receive a confidential conviction, or to avoid violator point counts.”

Separately, rule 4.104(b)(2)(H) says a court clerk is not authorized to grant traffic school for “A violation that occurs in a commercial vehicle as defined in Vehicle Code section 15210(b).” The rule’s Advisory Committee Comment explains that the record of a class A, class B or commercial class C driver who completes traffic school “is not confidential and must be reported to and disclosed by the Department of Motor Vehicles for purposes of Title 49 of the Federal Code of Regulations and to insurers for underwriting and rating purposes” (rule 4.104, amended effective January 1, 2013).

What the Vehicle Code says

• Section 42005(b): commercial license, noncommercial vehicle

  The court may permit a person “who holds a class A, class B, or commercial class C driver’s license” to complete a course at a licensed traffic violator school “if the person was operating a vehicle requiring only a class C license, or a class M license. The court may not order that the record of conviction be kept confidential. However, the conviction shall not be added to a violation point count for purposes of determining whether a driver is presumed to be a negligent operator under Section 12810.5.” It applies “To the extent the court is in conformance with Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations” (VC 42005, unofficial copy).

• Section 42005(c)(1): any violation in a commercial motor vehicle

  The court “shall not order that a conviction of an offense be kept confidential according to Section 1808.7, order or permit avoidance of consideration of violation point counts under subdivision (b), or permit a person, regardless of the driver’s license class, to complete a program at a licensed traffic violator school in lieu of adjudicating an offense” if the offense “occurred in a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 15210” (VC 42005, unofficial copy).

• Section 1808.7(b): when a traffic school conviction isn’t confidential

  The usual confidentiality for a first traffic school conviction in 18 months does not apply if “(1) The person convicted holds a commercial driver’s license as defined by Section 15210,” “(2) The person convicted holds a commercial driver’s license in another state,” or “(3) The violation occurred in a commercial motor vehicle” (VC 1808.7, unofficial copy).

• Section 1808.10: disclosure

  For a class A, class B or commercial class C driver allowed to complete traffic school for an offense in a vehicle requiring only a class C or class M license, the DMV record of the first proceeding and conviction in any 18-month period “is not confidential and shall be disclosed for purposes of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and to insurers by the department for insurance underwriting and rating purposes” (VC 1808.10, unofficial copy).

Summary by situation

These rows summarize the quoted text; they are not a ruling on your case. Other limits apply to every driver, including violations within 18 months of a previous traffic school violation, alcohol- or drug-related violations and speeding alleged at more than 25 miles over a limit (rule 4.104(b)(2)). Use the 18-month date calculator to compare violation dates.

What DMV’s handbooks say

DMV’s driver handbook says, “If you are a commercial driver cited in a noncommercial vehicle, see the California Commercial Driver’s Handbook” (DMV Driver’s Handbook). The Commercial Driver Handbook (DL 650) says: “Note: When a commercial driver is cited in a noncommercial vehicle, the driver may be eligible to attend traffic school (CVC §42005(c)).” The same section says, “A violation received in a CMV carries 1½ times the point count” (DMV: California Commercial Driver Handbook, PDF, section 1.3.8).

What county courts tell commercial license holders

Court pages describe the same limits in their own words. Quoted as checked on November 2, 2026:

• Kern and Orange

  Both say that since January 1, 2013, class A, B or commercial class C drivers cited while driving a noncommercial vehicle are eligible based on existing requirements, and “The conviction will not be masked on the driver’s record, however, no point(s) will be assessed” (Kern; Orange).

• San Diego

  “If you have a commercial driver’s license, the conviction will appear on your driving record, but the DMV may choose not to count it as a violation point” (San Diego Traffic FAQ).

• Sacramento

  A commercial license holder “may be allowed to attend traffic school for a violation committed in a personal vehicle, but only if there is no failure to appear and only for the purpose of counting negligent operation points. The conviction will not be marked as confidential for insurance purposes” (Sacramento Ticket Options).

• Ventura

  “CVC Section 42005 prohibits courts from ordering or permitting a driver with a Class A, Class B, or commercial Class C license from attending traffic school for the purposes of dismissing a traffic violation. This also applies to those drivers who operate commercial vehicles without a commercial license” (Ventura).

• Los Angeles

  “You are not eligible for traffic school if you were driving a commercial vehicle or carrying hazardous material when you were cited” (Los Angeles).

After you finish: some courts say to contact DMV

Several courts tell commercial license holders to call DMV after completing traffic school. Sacramento says, “Commercial license holders must contact the DMV Mandatory Actions Unit at 916-657-6525 after completing Traffic Violator School to have the point masked” (Sacramento FAQs). San Joaquin says that if you are eligible and complete traffic school, “you may contact the DMV to request the violation point be removed from the conviction,” and gives the same Mandatory Actions number (San Joaquin). San Mateo’s traffic school page gives the same number, while its FAQ lists a different DMV unit and number (San Mateo Traffic School; San Mateo FAQ). We did not confirm these numbers with DMV; use the one your court gives you.

How an insurer treats a conviction is up to the insurer. The sources above say the record is disclosed to insurers for underwriting and rating; we can’t tell you what any insurer will do. See points, records and traffic school.