Lost Traffic Ticket in California

If you've lost your California traffic ticket, check your county court's website for an online traffic ticket search feature or contact the county clerk at the appropriate traffic court directly for lost ticket information.

Traffic Ticket Search in California

California does not provide a universal online traffic ticket search for lost traffic tickets, but some individual court websites do offer an online payment system as well as a way to look up your citation using that online system. Remember, this search feature is based on your presiding court's website and may or may not provide you with all the details you need to handle your traffic ticket.

Other ways to search for your lost traffic ticket include:

  • Contacting the presiding court and asking for all of your traffic ticket details.
    • Your presiding court is the court that handles traffic tickets in the area you received the citation.
    • Use the California's Find My Court option to find the website and contact information for each traffic court.
  • Checking your courtesy notice.
    • Many counties mail courtesy notices that include important citation information.

NOTE: If you're looking for a lost parking ticket, the best way to find your lost ticket is by contacting the local agency that handles parking ticket enforcement in the city where you received it.

Important CA Traffic Ticket Details

Whether you contact your court or check your courtesy notice, make sure to note your:

  • Specific violation(s) and citation number(s).
    • Also look for whether your citation is for a “correctable offense" and, if so, the fee for that offense.
  • Court appearance date, if required.
  • Exact traffic ticket fine and other fees.
  • Payment deadline and acceptable payment methods.
  • Presiding court's location.
  • Whether you're eligible to attend a traffic school and the price.

Plead to Your CA Traffic Citation

Your presiding court or your courtesy notice can provide you with information on:

  • Whether you're required to appear in court.
    • Often, whether you have to appear in court depends on your specific traffic violation.
    • Typically, you can't take any steps to handle your traffic ticket until you've appeared in court.
  • How to plead “guilty" or “nolo contendere" and pay your fine or plead “guilty" and request a hearing.
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