Traffic school and your court

Your court handles your citation. Your traffic school handles the course. Here is how to keep both parts on track.

Start with your court’s permission

Read the notice from the court named on your citation. Confirm whether you are eligible for traffic school, what you need to pay, and your completion deadline. If your situation is not clear, ask that court’s traffic clerk before enrolling.

The usual 18-month rule is measured between violation dates. Commercial licenses, commercial vehicles, and some violations require additional attention. The California Courts traffic school guide explains the general rules; your court determines what applies to your case.

Keep these details together

• The court and county handling your citation.
• Your citation or case number, exactly as shown on the notice.
• Your legal name and driver license information.
• The deadline and any instructions about proving completion.
• Receipts for payments to your court and your school.

Court fees and course fees are separate

Paying your fine or the court’s traffic-school fee does not pay for a private school’s course. Review each payment separately and keep the receipts. See our listed course prices and payment information.

Completion has more than one step

1. Finish the course requirements. Complete instruction, required identity checks, chapter checks, and the final examination. Submit the course evaluation (OL 767); you may choose the name-only option. Confirm your identifying and court details before the completion receipt is issued.
2. The school submits an eligible completion. Licensed schools use the DMV’s Traffic Violator Course Completion (TVCC) system for electronic reporting. A queued report is still pending. A DMV submission receipt confirms that DMV accepted the record for the designated court to retrieve; it does not confirm the court has posted it to your case.
3. Confirm your court’s record. Follow your court’s instructions and allow for its processing. A student copy or an on-screen “passed” result is not proof that your court has updated your case.

For background, see the DMV’s Traffic Violator School program and its TVCC integration guide.

If your deadline is close

Contact your court directly about its deadline or an extension. Completing a preview, contacting the school, or requesting support does not extend the court’s deadline. Do not assume the court will process a completion immediately.

If your record does not match

Ask the school to check your citation details and reporting status. Then contact the court if its case record still needs attention. Share sensitive identification details only through the school’s designated secure process; avoid putting a full driver license number in an ordinary email.

Verify the school before enrolling

Use the DMV traffic school license lookup to confirm the school’s current license and course method. Keep the school’s legal name and license number with your records.

Reviewed October 16, 2026. General process information; always follow the current instructions from your court and the DMV.