Everything you need to know about California's Traffic Violator School program — the point system, the 18-month rule, insurance implications, and San Diego Superior Court's 90-day completion deadline.
When you get a minor traffic ticket in California, a point typically gets added to your DMV driving record. Insurance companies check your record and use those points to raise your rates — sometimes significantly. Traffic Violator School (TVS) is a state program that lets eligible drivers complete an approved course to have that point kept confidential from their public record.
The violation still happened. It still exists on a confidential record. But it won't show on the record your insurance company can see, which means no rate increase for that ticket. That's the whole point of traffic school — no pun intended.
In San Diego County, you complete the course through a DMV-licensed provider (like us — License E1745), and we report your completion to the court electronically. California-licensed drivers don't need to mail anything or visit the court again.
San Diego Superior Court decides whether you're eligible for traffic school — not us, not the DMV. The court mails a courtesy notice about two weeks before your appearance date, and it will state plainly whether you may attend traffic school. Don't request traffic school unless your courtesy notice says you're eligible.
If you're not sure, look up your case on the Pay Your Ticket portal or check the official traffic division page.
California uses a point system to track driving history. Points accumulate over time and trigger DMV actions — and insurance rate increases — at specific thresholds.
| Violation Type | Points Added | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Minor infraction | 1 point | Speeding, running a red light, failure to yield |
| Major violation | 2 points | DUI, reckless driving, hit-and-run |
| At-fault accident | 1 point | Collision where you're found at fault |
Accumulate too many points and the DMV steps in:
Traffic school keeps that 1-point minor infraction off the count — which matters a lot if you already have points on your record.
Your insurance company doesn't see your confidential DMV record, but they do see the public portion — which is where points from tickets show up. A single 1-point violation can increase your insurance premium by 20–40% or more depending on your insurer and your history.
Traffic school keeps that point off the public record. Your insurer won't see it, and your rate won't go up for that violation. That can be worth far more than the course payment in many cases.
You can't use traffic school to mask two different points that occurred within an 18-month window. California Vehicle Code Section 1808.7 limits the DMV from masking more than one point per 18-month period, per driver. San Diego Superior Court applies the same rule when deciding whether your courtesy notice offers traffic school — it holds one conviction per 18-month period confidential on a non-commercial license.
The 18-month window is calculated from the date of the violation, not the date you completed traffic school. So if you had a ticket in March and attended traffic school for it, and then get another ticket in September of the same year, you're not eligible for traffic school on that second ticket — even if you completed school for the first one months ago.
If you're not sure whether you're within the 18-month window, check your DMV driving record at dmv.ca.gov before registering.
Once you finish the course, Freeway Traffic School notifies San Diego Superior Court electronically. If your driver's license is issued by California, you don't need to mail a paper certificate — the electronic notification is what the court relies on.
If your license was issued out of state, the process is different: those completions are typically self-reported by the driver, so check with your division for exact requirements before you finish the course.
Your completion is reported electronically to the court. The court processes it and the eligible point stays off your public driving record.
The court records a conviction. The point goes on your record. Your insurer will eventually see it. You cannot retroactively use traffic school after the deadline passes.
Once you request traffic school and pay the court's fee, San Diego Superior Court grants a one-time 90-day continuance to complete your course. There is no automatic extension beyond that window. If you need more time or the fee is a hardship, contact the court about its payment-plan options or submit an ability-to-pay request through MyCitations — approval is up to the court, so reach out before your deadline passes.
If you missed your appearance date (not just the traffic school deadline), that's a different and more serious situation. It can add a $100 civil assessment, lead to a warrant, or trigger a referral to collections. See our Resources page for next steps, or contact your division directly — see the Court Guide for phone numbers by division.
Start free today, finish at your own pace, and pay only when you pass. No hidden fees. We report your completion electronically after you pass.
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