Financial Hardship And Your Ability To Pay Your Traffic Citation

If you are experiencing financial hardship and cannot afford to pay the full amount of a fine for eligible infractions on a traffic citation, you may ask the court to reduce the amount you owe.

The easiest way to request a fine reduction is to use the court's new MyCitations online request tool. The MyCitations online tool allows you to enter a plea and make an ability to pay determination request on eligible infractions without going to court. In addition to requesting a reduction, you can request a payment plan, more time to pay or ask to complete community service instead of paying fines and fees. If your case is currently in collections and you cannot afford to pay your debt, you may still use MyCitations.

Payment plans will be set at no more than $25 per month if your request is granted.

As part of your request:

• You must show proof that you do not have the financial means to pay your fine
• You may ask the court to consider your ability to pay at any point in the process, but you must enter a plea of guilty or no contest before the court can give you an answer.

Please note: Requests for Traffic School, tickets for Proof of Correction, and fines and fees owed from an offense in the Criminal Court division are not eligible to request a reduction using this tool.

Click here to go to the MyCitations online request tool

If you are eligible and want to request traffic school with a request for fine reduction on a new case, please use this form INSTEAD: www.sanmateo.courts.ca.gov/offer

If you were granted traffic school by the court and want to request a further reduction due to hardship, please use this form INSTEAD: www.sanmateo.courts.ca.gov/tr320