California Online Traffic School FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions for Online Traffic School in California

How to Take Traffic School in California

Whether you’re looking to mask your California traffic violation or researching ways to reduce your insurance rates, it can be frustrating to find unclear, conflicting information. Fortunately, we’ve created this helpful guide for you to follow, so that you’ve got a helping hand to assist you along the way.

From receiving your citation to having your completion reported to the DMV, we’ve detailed the process you’ll need to take to keep that pesky ticket off your public record! And if you’re looking to get a hefty insurance discount by taking an online traffic course, we’ve got the details here too.

How to Mask Your Violation

1. Receive notice by mail of your eligibility for California traffic school.

Generally, you will be eligible if:

• You have a valid drivers license
• Your violation is not alcohol-related
• You have not attended traffic school within the last 18 months

If you have a commercial drivers license, your violation must have occurred outside of your work shift and in a non-commercial vehicle.

Once you receive notice of eligibility, you must plead guilty to your violation and elect to enroll in a state-licensed California traffic school course. This can either be done at the court date listed on your citation, or by notifying the court by phone/mail before that date. If you choose to go to court, you will need to pay a court administrative fee at that time.

2. Enroll in and complete your I Drive Safely California Online Traffic School.

Please have the following documents ready when you register:

• Your traffic citation
• You government-issued identification

You can choose to complete either the Text-Based course or the Premium Online Video course; each one is DMV-licensed and meets the requirements necessary for reducing points. Our course meets the state-required 8 hours, which you may work through at whatever pace is comfortable for you.

3. Receive notice of your course completion reported to the DMV.

When you complete your course and pass your final exam, we will report your completion information directly to the DMV. Typically your court will give you 90 days to complete and report your course; upon completion, your citation and points will be hidden from your public record.

4. Check your driving record.

Ensure that you have received credit for your California Traffic School course and that the points and violations do not show up on your public driving record.

How to Reduce Your Insurance Rates

1. Contact your insurance agency.

Each provider has different eligibility rules and requirements. Call your agent to make sure you qualify for a reduction in insurance rates.

2. Enroll in and complete your California Insurance Discount Course.

Please have the following documents ready when you register:

• Your traffic citation
• Your government-issued identification

You can choose to complete either the Text-Based course or the Premium Online Video course; each one is DMV-licensed and meets the requirements necessary for an insurance discount. Be sure to choose a delivery method for your proof of completion.

3. Send your Proof of Completion to your insurance company.

After we deliver your proof of completion, you can immediately take it to your insurance agent and have them process your rate reduction on the spot.

4. Enjoy the refresher on traffic knowledge – and your reduced insurance rate!

Frequently Asked Questions for Online Traffic School in California

General Info

General Info

1. Why should I take a traffic school course?

Taking our course will help you prevent a recent traffic ticket and points from showing up on your public driving record. In turn, your violation will not be reported to your insurance company, which will help you avoid a costly spike in your premium rate.

2. Is this course licensed by the state of California?

Yes! Our California online traffic school course is state-licensed by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to meet all requirements for a traffic ticket.

3. What happens if you choose traffic school?

If you successfully complete a DMV-licensed traffic school course before the deadline you were given, you will not have points added to your driving record. A confidential conviction will show up on your driving record (unless you have a commercial driver’s license, in which case the conviction will appear on your record).

You will need to pay the court an administrative fee for opting to take traffic school as well as the traffic school fee. Remember that you must have the court’s permission in order to receive credit for traffic school.

4. How do I receive credit for traffic school?

In order to receive credit for your course, you must do the following:

• Pay the traffic ticket bail amount
• Pay the administrative fee
• Complete an 8-hour traffic school course

The court must receive your payment before you can enroll in your course.

5. I'm not sure if I'm eligible to take California traffic school. How do I find out?

The California DMV typically sends out a notice of eligibility if you qualify for masking a ticket through traffic school. If you haven’t received this notice, you may contact your court listed on your citation and request permission to attend a California traffic school course.

Generally, you qualify if you meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You hold a valid non-commercial California driver’s license
• You have been cited for a minor moving violation not exceeding 25 MPH over the limit
• You have NOT taken traffic school in the past 18 months

We have all of the eligibility requirements and steps to take for California traffic school listed on our How It Works page.

6. Who is not eligible for California traffic school?

You are not eligible to attend California traffic school if you were cited for any of the following reasons:

• Non-moving/equipment violation
• Violation that mandates a court appearance
• Alcohol-related violation
• Misdemeanor
• Being cited while operating a commercial motor vehicle (if you hold a commercial driver’s license)

7. Does online traffic school help my insurance rate in California?

Yes! An online traffic school course can help you get an insurance discount in the state of California. However, there are several factors that affect this:

• The course must be state-licensed.
• You must check with your insurance provider to see if they offer this discount.
• You must check with your insurance carrier to find out if you are eligible for this discount.

8. Where do I send my traffic school certificate in California?

If you take California traffic school, your verification of course completion will need to be sent directly to the California DMV and Court that issued your citation. I Drive Safely takes care of this for you.

Be sure to check with your court prior to your Due Date to ensure they processed your completion.

9. How often can you attend traffic school in California?

You may only attend a traffic violator school program for a ticket once every 18 months, unless you receive special permission from the court.

10. If I attend traffic school, do I still have to pay a fine?

In most cases yes. If you are granted permission to attend traffic school, you will need to pay all court fines & fees, in addition to the cost of the traffic school course.

11. Does traffic school erase points in California?

Points are not erased in California. Taking a licensed traffic school course in California will prevent points from appearing on your public driving record, which prevents your insurance company from seeing them, but they will not be erased from your DMV record.

12. Do you have to go to traffic school for a speeding ticket?

Generally, traffic school is not something that is required—it is a nice option to have in order to avoid having points visible on your driving record. Traffic school is something you must be eligible for and must have permission to attend.

13. How long do I have to pay the traffic ticket fine?

Your citation will list a deadline for paying your traffic ticket/appearing in court, unless you are under the age of 18. If you’re under 18, this information will be sent to you by the court at a later date.

14. Can I renew my registration with a speeding ticket on my record?

When it comes time to renew your vehicle’s registration, the DMV will look to see if there are any outstanding issues. If the DMV finds a “failure to pay” or “failure to appear,” they can refuse to renew your car’s registration.

Therefore, if you fail to pay your traffic fine by the deadline, your driver’s license could be suspended, and you will typically not be allowed to renew your registration until you have paid your ticket, as well as any other outstanding tickets/fees on your record.

Course Info

Course Info

1. How long will this course take?

The California traffic school course is  approved as an 8 hour course.  Your course material is broken down into single-subject units, which you can complete at your own pace. Therefore, how long the course takes is up to you!

2. What types of things will I study?

Each of the course chapters focuses on a single topic that pertains to California driving and traffic laws. Some examples:

• Highway safety
• Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving
• State traffic laws
• Driving emergencies
• Vehicle maintenance

3. Do I have to take a final exam?

Yes, your final exam consists of 25 multiple-choice questions. You need to score a 70% or higher to pass, and you may retake the exam again if you need to. You are allowed one (1) retake.

4. What is the testing and grading policy?

Each of the chapters contains a quiz that reviews important content from that chapter. There are 10 questions per quiz, and you need to obtain a score of 70% or higher to pass onto the next chapter. The quizzes will provide you with an excellent opportunity to master the course material and prepare for your final exam. You will be provided with feedback on any incorrect answers, and you may retake your quizzes an unlimited amount of times.

5. What will happen if I fail the final exam?

You may retake your quizzes and final exam if you do not obtain a passing score of 70% or higher on your first try. You are allowed unlimited retakes on your quizzes, and a total of one (1) retake on your final exam.

6. Is there a time limit to complete this course?

Deadlines are typically determined by the California courts. While we allow you 180 days to complete your course before your account is suspended, the court may require you to finish your course much sooner than that. Make sure to determine your court’s deadline before beginning the course.

Regardless of court deadlines, you must complete the course within 180 days of registration. Any student who has not successfully completed the course within 180 days will be terminated without notice and will not be eligible for a refund.

7. My court due date is today – can I still take the course?

Since we report your completion information to the DMV electronically, you may enroll in your course the day it is due – however, you must complete the course before midnight in order for it to be reported to the DMV with the date of your deadline and for you to receive credit. As long as you finish all 8 hours before the midnight deadline, you may enroll in the course the same day as your due date.

8. I've already paid the court money for traffic school, why do I have to pay again?

Courts charge an additional fee to allow you to take a traffic school course. This is a separate charge, and if it is not paid to the court, the court will not accept your certificate of completion.

9. What certificate delivery options do I have?

Your proof of completion will be automatically sent by I Drive Safely to the DMV upon completion at no cost to you.

You may also purchase a copy for an additional fee.