Traffic Division

It generally takes a week to ten days for the court to receive a ticket and another 5-10 business days to enter and process it. Once entered into the court's system, a Courtesy Notice is mailed to the address listed on the citation. The Court can quote bail and give you information regarding your citation by phone at (831) 636-4057 after the citation has been filed by the issuing agency and entered into the court's computers.

Your courtesy notice will say if you are eligible for Traffic School

You cannot go to Traffic School for equipment or non-moving violations

You cannot go to traffic school for any:

• Misdemeanor
• Violation that has a mandatory court appearance
• Alcohol related violation

If you are eligible to attend traffic school and choose to do so, you must pay a nonrefundable Traffic School Administration Fee of $52, in addition to your fine, to the court. You must pay an additional tuition fee to the school when you attend the class.

Traffic school must be completed by the date given to the defendant by the court.

To sign up for Traffic School go to: DMV Approved Traffic Schools

You may pay and close your citation by paying your fine with no further action necessary. To pay your fine, your citation must have been processed by the Court.

If you don't have a courtesy notice within 4 weeks of receiving your citation, please call the Traffic Division at (831) 636-4057.

You may choose from the options described below to pay your fine (also known as forfeiting bail).

Please note: The Court does not accept partial payments without a signed Agreement to Pay and Forfeit Bail in Installments. Any partial payments received by the Court for which there is no signed Agreement on file will be returned to the payee  and a DMV hold on the driver's license.

Traffic Payment Options:

In person at the Traffic Division or by mail (include the payment portion of your courtesy notice):

San Benito County Superior Court Traffic Division is open to the public between 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Traffic Division
450 Fourth Street
Hollister, CA 95023
(831) 636-4057

You may pay using the following options:

• Personal Checks imprinted with your name and current address
• Money Orders
• Cashiers Checks
• Cash (in person only)

Payment Plan

If you wish to arrange for a payment/installment plan you must complete an "Agreement to Pay and Forfeit Bail in Installments" form with the Court. You may obtain the form in person at the Traffic Division, 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, CA or by mailing your request to Traffic Division, 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, CA 95023. You MUST include a legal sized self addressed stamped envelope with your request. You must return the signed agreement to the Court with the payment amount noted on the agreement. Failure to return the signed agreement to the Court may result in additional penalties including a hold on your driver’s license, and a referral of your case to a collection agency. You must make your first installment payment before the due date on your notice.

Phone or Internet:

If you wish to pay your traffic fine via credit or debit card, click on the button below:   
ePayIt

Be sure to have your docket number and citation amount.

An additional convenience fee will also be charged for credit card payments made by phone.

Please note:

The Court does not accept partial payments without a signed Agreement to Pay and Forfeit Bail in Installments. Any partial payments received by the Court for which there is no signed Agreement on file will be returned to the payee and the case may be subject to a DMV hold on the driver's license.

 A hold may be placed on your driver's license (VC40508) for failure to appear or failure to pay. All delinquent citations will be referred to a Collection Agency.

If you have a financial hardship and are unable to pay the full fine amount, you may appear in court, without the deposit of bail, on or before your pay or appear date for the court to consider your ability to pay and decide whether to approve a reduced fine with a payment plan or community service.

The Courtesy Bail Notice is sent by the Court and includes the following information:

• The bail amount for the citation
• The due date when payment must be made
• Eligibility criteria for Traffic School
• Information on clearing a "fix-it" violation with proof of correction
• Where and when to report if you would like to appear in court.

You must take action on the citation on or prior to the due date listed on your citation. Not receiving your Courtesy Bail Notice is not a legal excuse for failing to take care of the citation by its due date. When submitting a payment and/or documents by mail, allow 10 days for delivery and processing.

Failure to appear or take action on a citation on or before the due date may result in the DMV suspending your driver's license. A DMV hold will restrict your ability to renew your driver's license or attend traffic school. The citation may also be referred to collections.  In addition, a misdemeanor may be charged against you and your driving privilege suspended.

The appearance date at the bottom of your ticket is only applicable if you have been cited for a misdemeanor or felony.

Contact your attorney's office if you are represented by counsel.

If you signed the ticket, you are responsible for taking care of the citation.

If you have questions regarding your Citation or other traffic-related questions, please contact the Traffic Division between 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at:

Traffic Division
450 Fourth Street
Hollister, CA 95023
Phone: (831) 636-4057, Option 2

The Clerk's Office may give one 30-day due date extension. There are currently two methods for requesting an extension:

• By telephone at (831) 636-4057
• In person at the Traffic Division department of San Benito County Superior Court at 450 Fourth Street in Hollister, CA during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding weekends and Court Holidays.

Traffic Court deals with violations of traffic laws and other minor offenses. These violations are considered "infractions" and include, for example, things like speeding, automobile equipment needing repair, and expired licenses. Traffic infractions are enforced by the issuance of traffic tickets ("citations") by law enforcement. Punishment for such infractions include payment of fines and do not carry any potential jail or prison time and do not necessarily require a court appearance.

Other, more serious automobile related matters, such as reckless driving, driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), and vehicular manslaughter, are either misdemeanors or felonies, carry potential jail or prison time as possible punishment, and are addressed as Criminal matters.

For any correctable violation other than VC12951(a), No drivers license in possession, the issuing officer must allege on the citation that the violation is correctable.
Advisement: Fraudulent or altered documentation may be referred to the Office of the District Attorney for a full investigation and possible criminal prosecution.

Correctable Mechanical Violations
Proof of correction violations (required under VC40610) will be dismissed once the following have occurred (if taken care of in a timely manner).

1. The item is corrected (e.g. the tail light is fixed).
2. An authorized representative signs the citation or Courtesy Bail Notice certifying it was corrected. Authorized representatives include: All California Law Enforcement agencies, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (for license and registration issues), Any Station in California licensed to inspect and certify for the violation. Many agencies charge a fee to sign the cite; this is different than the Proof of Correction Fee required by the court.
3. The signed citation is submitted with a mandatory Proof of Correction Fee of $25 per correctable violation and any other violation fine amounts to the court by the date due.

Correctable Registration and License Violations
If you are charged with a violation of the registration law, you must show proof to the Court that this vehicle has been registered, junked, or receipted as planned non-operation after the date of citation or proof of Release of Liability prior to the violation date. A Proof of Correction Fee is payable to the Court.
You may have DMV "Sign-Off" the violation on the back of your citation or you may submit a copy of your registration, proof of your junked or dismantled vehicle or proof the vehicle has been placed in non-operational status "Non-Op'd" to the Clerk of the Court.
If you are charged with a license violation you may have the DMV sign off the back of your citation or sign your Courtesy Bail Notice. You may also provide a copy of your driver's license to the court. Sign-off only qualifies if the violation is filed as an "infraction" and the citing officer allows for correction.

Correctable Insurance Violations
If you were charged with a violation of the proof of financial responsibility law (VC16028), the Court will dismiss the charge only if it is shown that the defendant was financially responsible (i.e. there was an insurance policy that covered the defendant/driver on the date of violation, or proof the vehicle was insured at the time of the violation). A Proof of Correction Fee is payable to the Court. If you purchase a 6 month insurance policy after the violation date and your name is on the policy, a Court date must be set and the proof of insurance coverage must be provided to the Court. The Court will then determine the fine amount due.
Advisement: Fraudulent or altered documentation may be referred to the Office of the District Attorney for a full investigation and possible criminal prosecution

If you no longer own the vehicle or it is inoperable, it is still your responsibility to clear the citation by either paying the bail or appearing in court. If you have junked the car or it is deemed inoperable, you will need to show proof of a DMV junk certificate or planned non-operation receipt to the Court. A Proof of Correction Fee is payable to the Court.

Yes, unless the ticket is issued in the name of the registered owner of the vehicle you are driving. It is not an excuse that it was not your vehicle; it is still your responsibility to clear the citation if the citation is issued in your name and you have signed the citation.

Contact the agency that issued your citation. The Court does not process parking citations.

Your Rights - As a defendant you have the following constitutional and statutory rights:

1. To be informed of the charges against you in open court.
2. To be represented by a lawyer.
3. In infraction matters, you are not entitled to a court appointed lawyer, however you may hire your own lawyer.
4. In misdemeanor matters, you may hire your own lawyer or if you cannot afford a lawyer, the court may appoint one for you at no initial cost. (However, the court may order reimbursement of costs according to your ability to pay.)
5. To a speedy and public trial within 45 days of arraignment, or a court trial in infraction cases.
6. To confront and cross-examine the witnesses against you.
7. To put on a defense and as part of that defense to testify in your own behalf and to obtain a document (a subpoena) to compel witnesses to appear without expense to you.
8. To remain silent and not to be called as a witness during your own court proceeding.
9. To a court or jury trial in misdemeanor cases.
10. To appeal if you are found guilty at a trial, provided you file your notice of appeal within 30 days and follow other court rules. Click here for Appeal Instructions

Pleading Not Guilty
If you plead not guilty, you are telling the Court you want to contest the charge(s) against you. A contested trial will be scheduled within 45 days. You may waive your right to a speedy trial and have it scheduled within a reasonable amount of time. While many individuals with a good record may be released on their promise to appear, the court may require bail to be posted to secure appearance at trial, particularly if you have previous failures to appear or pay.
At your trial, the officer who issued the citation will testify as a witness. If there are other witnesses, they may also be called to testify.
At the trial you may question (cross-examine) the witnesses. You may testify yourself and / or call witnesses to testify. After the evidence is presented the judge may rule immediately whether you are guilty or not guilty or the case may be taken under submission before deciding. If the case is taken under submission, you will be notified of the ruling by mail or you may choose to return to court.
If you are found not guilty, that is the end of the case. If you are found guilty, the judge will determine how much the fine will be. The fine may be more or less than the bail originally quoted in your case depending on the facts which were presented. If your driving record shows previous convictions, the fine may increase substantially and your driver's license may be suspended for up to 6 months.

Trials - Trial by Written Declaration – This option is for Vehicle Code infraction violations only and does not require a personal appearance. A Trial by Written Declaration requires you to post bail in lieu of your appearance. The total bail amount due as well as the Fee for Traffic School must be posted in full before the process will begin. Failure to post the full bail amount will result in your case not being heard and a hold on your driver’s license, and the referral of your case to a collection agency. Instructions and forms for a Trial by Written Declaration may be obtained by mail, or in person at the Court Operations Department counter.

Court Trial - This option requires a court appearance and is available for all violations.
A Court Trial requires you to post bail if you do not appear for arraignment. You must post your bail amount in full in person at 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, CA between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or send a check or money order to Traffic Division, 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, CA 95023. Posting bail pursuant to VC40519(b) constitutes a waiver of your right to a speedy trial within 45 days.
Another option is to have the matter placed on calendar for arraignment, enter your plea and at that time the court will set your court trial date. You may request an arraignment date by appearing in person at 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, CA 95023 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or by calling (831) 636-4057. If you fail to appear at the time designated for your trial, either a trial in your absence will occur (Trial in Absentia), or a VC40508(a) misdemeanor charge may be added against you,  and a driver’s license suspension until resolved. If you are unable to post bail, you may contact the court at 831-636-4057 Monday through Friday from 8:00am-4:00pm for further instruction.

Traffic cases in San Benito County are heard in San Benito County Superior Courthouse at 450 Fourth Street • Hollister