Where to look up a Los Angeles traffic ticket
Los Angeles traffic tickets are tracked by the Los Angeles Superior Court, not by the police department or the city directly. To find information about a ticket you received, you need to search the court's online system using your citation number, driver's license number, or case number. The court maintains this information whether your ticket was issued by LAPD, the California Highway Patrol, or any other agency working in Los Angeles County.
The fastest way is the Los Angeles Superior Court's online case search at lacourt.org. This system is free and available 24 hours a day. You do not need to create an account or provide personal information beyond what appears on your ticket or citation.
If you received your ticket in a different California county — say you were stopped on the 5 freeway near the county line — you will need to search that county's court system instead. Each county runs its own traffic court database.
Key Takeaways
- The Los Angeles Superior Court maintains all traffic ticket records and you can search them free at lacourt.org using your citation number or driver's license number.
- You will need either your citation number (printed on the ticket itself) or your driver's license number to search; a case number works too if you already have one.
- The online system shows the ticket status, any court dates, fines owed, and payment options, but does not let you pay directly through the search tool.
- If you cannot find your ticket online within a few days of receiving it, call the Los Angeles Superior Court traffic division at 213-974-6526 to confirm it was filed.
How to search the Los Angeles Superior Court system
Go to lacourt.org and look for the "Online Case Information" link on the homepage. Click it and select "Traffic" from the case type menu. You will then see a search box asking for either a citation number, case number, or driver's license number.
The citation number is the fastest option. It appears at the top right of your ticket and is usually a seven or eight-digit number. Enter it exactly as printed and click search. The system will pull up your ticket information within seconds.
If you do not have your citation number, use your driver's license number instead. The search will return all traffic cases associated with that license in Los Angeles County. If you have multiple tickets, you will see them all listed, so you can identify the one you are looking for by the date issued or the violation type.
The search results show the ticket status (pending, resolved, dismissed, or sent to collections), the violation code, the fine amount, and any court dates. If a payment important date has passed, the system will note that as well.
What information you will see in your search results
Once you find your ticket, the court system displays several key pieces of information. The violation code tells you what law you were cited for — for example, Vehicle Code 21453 is running a red light. The fine amount shows what you owe before any penalties or fees are added. The status tells you whether the case is still open, has been paid, dismissed, or referred to collections.
If you have a court date, it will appear on the results page with the time and location. Most traffic court in Los Angeles happens at the downtown courthouse at 111 North Hill Street, but some cases are handled at branch courthouses in other parts of the county. The results will specify which location applies to you.
The search results also show whether you have the option to handle the ticket by mail or online without appearing in court. This option is called traffic school or a trial by written declaration, depending on your situation. Not all tickets offer this choice — it depends on the violation type and whether you have had traffic school in the past three years.
What to do if your ticket does not appear in the system yet
Tickets sometimes take three to five business days to appear in the online system after they are issued. If you search when ready after receiving a ticket and nothing comes up, wait a few days and search again. This is normal and does not mean the ticket was not filed.
If more than a week has passed and your ticket still does not appear, call the Los Angeles Superior Court traffic division at 213-974-6526. Have your citation number ready. The staff can confirm whether the ticket was filed and tell you when it should appear online. They can also tell you if there is a problem with how the ticket was written that might delay processing.
Do not ignore a ticket because you cannot find it online. Even if the court's system has not caught up yet, the ticket is still on file and a failure to respond by the important date can result in a suspended license or a warrant for your arrest.
How to pay a ticket or request a court date
The online search results page includes a link to pay your ticket or request a hearing. Clicking this link takes you to a separate payment portal where you can pay by credit card, debit card, or electronic check. Payment usually processes within one business day.
If you want to contest the ticket or request traffic school, you do not pay online. Instead, you follow the instructions on the results page to request a court date or submit a trial by written declaration. The court will send you a notice with your hearing date or instructions for submitting your written defense.
You can also pay or request a hearing by mail. The court's mailing address and instructions appear on the back of your ticket. Mail payments and requests take longer to process — usually two to three weeks — so if your important date is approaching, use the online system instead.
Understanding ticket status codes
The online system uses several status labels that can be confusing. Pending means the ticket is still open and you have not yet responded. Resolved usually means you paid the fine or completed traffic school. Dismissed means the court threw out the ticket, either because you won in court or because the officer did not show up. Referred to collections means you did not pay by the important date and the court sent your case to a collection agency.
If your ticket shows as referred to collections, you still owe the fine plus collection fees. Contact the court when ready at 213-974-6526 to find out what your current balance is and what payment options are available. Some courts will work out a payment plan if you cannot pay the full amount at once.
A status of warrant issued means you did not respond to the ticket at all and the court has issued an arrest warrant. This is serious. Contact a traffic attorney or the court right away to resolve it.
When to contact the court directly instead of searching online
The online system answers most questions, but some situations require a phone call. Call the traffic division at 213-974-6526 if your ticket does not appear after a week, if you need to change a court date, if you want to know whether you are still may be able to access for traffic school, or if you received a ticket in a different county and need to know which court handles it.
The traffic division is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific time. Wait times are usually shortest in the morning. Have your citation number or driver's license number ready when you call.
If you are calling about a ticket that shows as referred to collections, ask to speak with someone in the collections unit. They can tell you the exact amount owed and whether the court will accept a payment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I look up someone else's traffic ticket?
The online search is public, so technically you can search using anyone's driver's license number or citation number if you have it. However, the court does not provide citation numbers to the public — only the person who received the ticket has it. If you need information about someone else's case for legal reasons, you may need to request it through the court clerk's office or work with an attorney.
What if I got a ticket in Los Angeles but I live out of state?
You can still search and pay online using the Los Angeles Superior Court system. The court accepts payment from anywhere in the United States. If you want to contest the ticket, you can request a trial by written declaration, which means you do not have to appear in person. Mail your declaration to the court address listed on your ticket.
Does looking up my ticket online affect my driving record?
No. Searching for your ticket information does not change anything about your case or your record. It is just a lookup tool. Your record is only affected by what you do next — paying, contesting, or ignoring the ticket.
How long does a traffic ticket stay on my record?
A paid or dismissed traffic ticket stays in the court system permanently, but it typically stops affecting your insurance rates after three to five years, depending on your insurance company. If you completed traffic school, the ticket may not appear on your driving record at all. Check with your insurance company about their specific policy.
What if the ticket information online does not match what is on my ticket?
Call the traffic division at 213-974-6526 right away. Errors in citation information — wrong vehicle description, wrong violation code, or wrong fine amount — can sometimes be corrected before your court date. Do not assume the online version is correct; the ticket you received is the official document.