Traffic

• Traffic infraction violations;
• Traffic misdemeanor vehicle code section 12500a-unlicensed driver (all other misdemeanor vehicle code violations including driving with a suspended license or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs are processed in the Criminal Division);
• Minor county and city local ordinances, including animal control violations; and
• Juvenile traffic and minor offenses

Traffic infractions are enforced by the issuance of traffic tickets ("citations") by law enforcement agencies. It is important to read the information on the front and back of the citation.

Information to note on the citation is the:

• Citation number
• Date and time of the citation
• Violations for which you were cited
• Place and time that you promised to appear

Courtesy Notice

The Court mails a courtesy notice to the address shown on the citation approximately 2 weeks prior to the due date on the bottom of your citation.

The courtesy notice contains the following information:

• Bail amount
• Due date to pay or appear
• Information regarding traffic school eligibility
• Any proof of correction requirements needed to clear the citation
• Information on how to contest a citation

For certain bail options (multiple violations and traffic school and/or proof of correction eligibility/bail), you may be required to contact the Court. Your courtesy notice will indicate "You must contact the Court for this bail amount."

Court employees cannot quote bail or provide information to you regarding your citation until the Court receives the citation from the citing agency which may take up to two or three weeks. If you do not receive a courtesy notice within one week prior to the appearance date on the bottom of your citation, it is your responsibility to contact the Court for bail or appearance information. Please call or visit the Marina Traffic Division during normal business hours.

If you are required to appear in Court, you will receive a mandatory appearance notice with a date and time to appear in Court.

Financial Hardship

If you cannot pay the full amount owing due to financial hardship and your case is not in Collections (past due and referred to Monterey County Revenue Division) you may request a fine reduction at https://mycitations.courts.ca.gov/

If your case is in Collections, you must contact Monterey County Revenue Division at (831) 755-5042 to begin the process to submit a petition.

Failure to Appear or Respond to Citation

If you fail to appear or pay your bail by the due date: 

• Your case will be referred to a collection agency OR a warrant for your arrest may be issued. 

If your fine is delinquent and has been assigned to Monterey County Revenue (the Court's collection agency) all questions must be directed to Monterey County Revenue at (831) 755-5042.  

Parking Citations

The Court does not process parking violations. Please contact the number indicated on the parking citation for processing details.

City of Salinas Red Light Camera Ticket

If you received a Notice to Appear for a red-light camera violation the following information is provided to assist you:

• To view the violation images and/or video online, go to www.ViolationInfo.com and follow the instruction on the back of the Notice to Appear.
• If you are the person in the red light camera photograph and you wish to pay the bail you have the options listed below under "Payment Options".
• If you are the person in the red light camera photograph and you wish to contest your citation, you have the options listed below under "Trial by Declaration" or "Court Trial".
• IF YOU ARE NOT THE PERSON in the red-light camera photograph or if the vehicle is a company vehicle, do not pay the citation if you plan to have it taken out of your name.
• If you are the owner and SOMEONE ELSE was driving, you must follow the instructions on the back of the Notice to Appear and submit the Affidavit of Non-Liability by the due date to:

Violation Processing Center
PO Box 22091
Tempe, AZ 85285-2091

For assistance with red light camera tickets call 1-866-790-4111

Payment Options

You may pay your citation using the following options:

By mail:

You may send a check or money order in United States funds made payable to the Monterey County Superior Court. To ensure proper credit, write the name of the person who received the citation, if different from the name imprinted on the check, the case number or citation number on the front of the check. Please do not send cash. The mailing and street address for the Marina Court Division, which is the location accepting traffic payments, is on the Court location page

Pay online / By credit card:

Credit card payments can be made for most traffic and minor offense violations through the web. The Court accepts Visa, Mastercard and American Express through the automated system. A small nonrefundable convenience fee will be charged by EDS*Pay in addition to your bail or fine, and will appear as a separate item on your credit card statement. The fine can be paid in full or monthly payment arrangements can be made on line for your convenience.

Please visit the Traffic Online Services page for more information and to make payments.

The following transactions cannot be processed through the on-line system:

• Juvenile matters
• Matters referred to a collection agency
• Owner responsibility citations (vc40001a series)
• Mandatory Appearance Citation

In person:

You may appear at the Marina Court Location during normal business hours.

Drop box: For your convenience, a drop box for payments is available at the Salinas, Monterey and Marina court location. The payments will be forwarded on the following court business day to the Marina Traffic Division for processing. PLEASE DO NOT PLACE CASH IN THE DROP BOX.

Proof Of Corrections

• Mechanical violations: You may go to any police agency after you have corrected the violation and they will sign-off on the back of your citation. The police agency may charge a processing fee for this service. Once the citation is signed off by the police agency, you must return this citation with the appropriate court fees to the Court by your due date.
• No registration or lack of current tags: If you do not have current valid registration, you must go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to pay your fees. DMV staff will sign-off on the back of your citation and will provide you a print out of your current registration. The proof of current registration or your signed off citation must be shown to the court clerk and you must pay a court fee which is indicated on the courtesy notice. You may be required to appear in court if you are unable to provide proof of current registration to the court clerk.
• If you had current registration at the time of your citation but did not have it in the vehicle, you do not need to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV); however, you must show your registration to the court clerk and pay the appropriate court fees by your due date.

Insurance violations 

To resolve insurance violations, you must take the following action:

• Proof of insurance that was valid prior to the issuance of your citation: The proof of insurance must specify the vehicle cited in addition to the effective dates (which must cover the date of the violation) When this proof is shown to the court clerk you must also pay the appropriate court fees by the due date.
• Proof of insurance that was obtained after the issuance of your citation: The proof of insurance must specify the vehicle cited in addition to the effective dates. When this proof is shown to the court clerk, you must also pay the appropriate court fees by the due date. The Court is required to assess a minimum fine pursuant to Vehicle Code 16029.
• If you no longer own the vehicle or cannot show proof of insurance, it is still your responsibility to clear the citation by either paying the bail or appearing in Court. If you have junked the car, a receipt from the wrecking yard may be submitted to the Court for review and decision.

Contesting a Citation

There are two ways to contest a citation:

• Trial by Written Declaration
• Court Trial

Traffic School

Visit Traffic School page for more information.

Trial By Written Declaration

Vehicle Code section 40902 allows a defendant to contest citations in writing, without having to make a personal court appearance. This procedure is called a "trial by declaration." Trials by written declaration are available in cases involving infraction violations of the Vehicle Code or of local ordinances adopted under the Vehicle Code.

The following steps must be met in order to qualify for a Trial by Written Declaration:

• Full bail must be paid;
• Violation(s) must be vehicle code infractions only;
• No accident involved; and
• No failure to appear or failure to pay fine on the case.

You must review the Instructions to Defendant form TR-200 before submitting the Trial by Written Declaration form to the court clerk.

You must submit the Trial by Written Declaration forms along with the full bail and any facts or evidence that you wish to have considered to the court clerk. The Court will then request a written statement from the citing agency. A judicial officer will review your case, and you will be notified by mail of the decision.

If you wish to contest the result of the trial by declaration, you may file a Request for Trial De Novo (request for a new trial) within 20 calendar days after the date the court mails you the Decision and Notice of Decision. The clerk is required to set a trial date within 45 calendar days of the receipt of your request for a trial de novo. (Vehicle Code 40902(d))

If your request for trial de novo is not received timely, no trial de novo will be held and the case will be closed. (California Rules of Court 4.210(b)(7))

Court Trial

A court trial is a court hearing where you appear in person to testify about the facts in the case. The officer who issued the citation will be subpoenaed to appear. At the trial, you must also be prepared to produce evidence, documents, or witnesses to support your case.

A court trial may be requested at your arraignment hearing (you must schedule this with the clerk).

If you do not want to appear for an arraignment hearing, but still want to have a trial, you may request that from the Clerk's Office by phone or by mail. Pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 40519, you must post bail for this option of only having to appear in court once on the date of trial. The following requirements must be met to qualify for a court trial without appearing for arraignment:

• Bail must be posted;
• Violation(s) must be infractions only;
• No prior failure to appear on the case; and
• Entry of a not guilty plea in writing (court forms)

Requesting a Postponement/Continuance

If you must request a continuance/postponement of a scheduled court trial, please use the court form Request for Postponement of Traffic Court Trial (click for form). The Request MUST be filed with the Court at least ten (10) court days prior to the scheduled date. The opposing party will be given notice and an opportunity to object (click for form).

If a request for a continuance/postponement of a scheduled court trial is not received within ten (10) court days of the scheduled date it will be addressed at the hearing on the original date. You will be notified of the outcome after the hearing.

Appealing a Judicial Decision

An appeal may be filed within 30 days only after being found guilty in a court trial. New evidence is not accepted on appeal. The Appellate Court's decision addresses the evidence offered and decisions made at the time of the trial. The court clerks are not authorized to give legal advice; therefore, if you need assistance in completing your appeal packet, you must contact an attorney.

For California Courts Traffic Online Forms Click Here.

Marina Division Services

* All Traffic Services

Traffic Court Hearings held on Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays and Fridays only 

King City Arraignment Calendar and Traffic Services

The Superior Court has a limited, pre-set arraignment calendar and traffic counter services on the second Tuesday of the month at the King City Division of the Superior Court located at 250 Franciscan Way, King City, CA. If you would like to take care of a traffic matter, that you have received a courtesy notice on and your due date has not passed, you may appear in King City on the second Tuesday of the month to resolve your case. If you would like to appear in court for arraignment you may be eligible to have your case set on calendar in the King City Courthouse. Please contact the Marina Traffic Court at (831) 883-5300 to have your case set on this calendar.

For more information click Here

Night Court

The Superior Court of California, County of Monterey, Marina Division, offers Night Court as a service and convenience to the public for traffic and minor offense arraignment hearings on the last Monday of every month, excluding holidays. You must contact a clerk to request your matter be placed on the Night Court calendar. You will need to check in with the Bailiff by 5:15 p.m. as the Court session begins promptly at 5:30 p.m. Click here for Court locations.

Pursuant to vehicle code section 42006 , and in addition to the penalty assessment, one dollar ($1) is collected for a violation of any section of the vehicle code or any local ordinance adopted pursuant to the vehicle code. This assessment is used to fund night court operations. Violations related to parking are not included.

Click Here for the 2024 Night Court Schedule