Questions about California traffic school
Everything below is specific to California's DMV-licensed Traffic Violator School program (TVS #E0893). If your ticket is from Michigan, the rules are different — read the Michigan FAQ instead.
Call 800-772-0682 with your citation in hand and we'll go through it with you before you pay anything.
Eligibility
Am I eligible for traffic school?
Generally yes if you hold a valid non-commercial license, the citation is an eligible one-point moving violation, you've paid the court's fine and traffic school fee, and you haven't completed traffic school for a violation in the previous 18 months. Your court's referral is the final word.
How often can I use traffic school?
California masks one traffic school conviction per 18-month period, and the clock runs violation date to violation date — not from when you took the class. A second completion inside that window is unmasked and a negligent-operator point is charged.
Which violations don't qualify?
Major two-point offenses like DUI and reckless driving — courts are prohibited from sending those to traffic school for masking. Violations committed in a commercial vehicle are also excluded, regardless of your license class.
I have an out-of-state license. Can I still take it?
Yes, as long as you meet the other requirements. The citation is what matters — it was written in California, so a California-licensed school is what your court expects.
I hold a commercial driver's license. What changes?
If you weren't driving a commercial vehicle when cited and your court refers you, you can take the course — but the record of conviction won't be kept confidential. It also won't be added to your violation point count for negligent-operator purposes.
Price and fees
How much is the course?
$29.99, flat. That includes same-day electronic reporting to the DMV and your court, exam retakes, and an emailed copy of your certificate. There are no processing, certificate or email fees.
What does the court charge?
Separate from us, your court charges its own administrative fee — commonly around $52 to $55 — on top of your fine. That's paid to the court, not to a school, and it's required before you start.
Do you really match lower prices?
Yes. Send us a link to a school licensed in California charging less and we'll beat it before you pay, not as a refund argument afterward.
Taking the course
How long does it take?
As long as you need. There are no timers on the California course, so most students read straight through and take the final the same day. Others do a chapter at a time over a week.
Can I use my phone?
Yes — phone, tablet or laptop, no app to install. Your place saves automatically, so you can switch devices mid-chapter and pick up where you left off.
Is the final exam hard?
It's open book and drawn from the material you just read. Retakes are free and unlimited, which is why more than 99% of our students pass.
Do I have to sit through video?
No. The course is written to be read, in plain English, with short quizzes between chapters. Nothing is locked behind a video you can't skip.
Your record and insurance
Is my ticket dismissed or erased?
Neither. Since 2011 California records the violation as a conviction and, if you're eligible and complete traffic school, masks it — the record is kept confidential and no negligent-operator point is counted. No school can erase a ticket.
Will my insurance company see it?
A masked conviction isn't disclosed on your public record, so insurers don't see it during that window. Rate decisions are still your insurer's own, so ask them directly if you want specifics.
Can a judge still see it?
Yes. Masking hides the conviction from the public record, not from the courts. If you're cited again inside 18 months, the judge will see the earlier completion.
Certificates and deadlines
Who tells the court I finished?
We do, electronically, the same day you pass — to the DMV and to the court named on your citation, at no charge. You'll also get an emailed copy of the certificate for your own records.
How long does reporting take to show up?
We transmit the same day; how quickly the court and DMV post it varies by county. Keep your emailed certificate until you see the case closed.
I'm past my deadline. What now?
Only the court that sentenced you can grant an extension — the DMV has no authority to. Call the court, and call us at 800-772-0682 before you pay for a course that may no longer help.
I paid but never finished. Can I resume?
Yes — log back in and you'll be exactly where you stopped. There's nothing extra to pay and no restart penalty.
Start your California course — $29.99
No timers, filed for you the same day. Call 800-772-0682 if you'd rather ask first.