Substantially discounts qualifying fines; eases reinstatement of driver’s licenses
WHO: California drivers with outstanding infraction tickets originally due on or before January 1, 2013, and those seeking to have their driver’s license reinstated may benefit from the 18-month amnesty program that begins October 1.
WHAT: By enacting Senate Bill 85 (Stats. 2015, ch 26), the California Legislature mandated a one-time statewide program for traffic and infraction tickets that:
- Reduces bail and fine amounts for Vehicle Code and non–Vehicle Code infractions meeting certain eligibility requirements. Only tickets due to be paid before January 1, 2013, are eligible for discounts. The discounts are either 50 percent or 80 percent, depending on income; all civil assessment penalties are waived. Other limitations apply.
- Provides a process whereby drivers in good standing for installment payments on a ticket, and drivers whose license is suspended because they failed to pay an infraction fine or failed to appear in court, can commit to payment, pay a fee, and apply to get their driver’s license back, if they meet eligibility requirements.
Parking and other local ordinance violations, driving under the influence (DUI), and reckless driving violations are not eligible.
WHEN: The program begins October 1, 2015, and runs through March 31, 2017.
WHERE: Beginning October 1, people interested in participating in the amnesty program should contact the superior court in the jurisdiction(s) where they received the ticket(s) to determine their eligibility. Court locator: www.courts.ca.gov/find-my-court.htm
HOW: Courts, counties, and other authorized collections agencies may charge a $50 amnesty program fee. A variety of payment options will be available, including installment plans. Note, too, that the Department of Motor Vehicles will charge a $55 driver's license reinstatement fee, as it currently does for any driver’s license reinstatement.
WHY: The program serves multiple goals:
- Provides relief for qualified individuals who have found themselves in default of a court-ordered obligation because they have unpaid bail or fines for traffic and non-traffic infractions.
- Provides relief to individuals who have had their driving privileges suspended under Vehicle Code section 13365.
- Encourages payment of old debt that has remained unpaid, allowing court and county collection programs to resolve older delinquent cases and focus limited resources on collecting on more recent cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
On June 24, 2015, the Governor signed into law a one-time amnesty program for unpaid traffic and non-traffic infraction tickets. Here is what you should know:
When will the amnesty program be available?
Start: October 1, 2015
End: March 31, 2017
Who can participate in the amnesty program?
There are two groups of people who can participate in the amnesty program:
- http://www.courts.ca.gov/images/bullet-sqblue.gif); background-position: 5px 8px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Persons with unpaid tickets whose fines were originally due to be paid date on or before January 1, 2013, who have not made a payment after June 24, 2015, may be eligible to have both their debt reduced by 50 or 80 percent depending on income and their driver's license reinstated, unless an exclusion discussed below applies.
- http://www.courts.ca.gov/images/bullet-sqblue.gif); background-position: 5px 8px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Persons who made a payment after June 24, 2015 on a ticket are not eligible for a reduction for that ticket, but may be eligible to have their driver’s license reinstated if they are in good standing on a payment plan with a comprehensive collection program.
- http://www.courts.ca.gov/images/bullet-sqblue.gif); background-position: 5px 8px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">Persons with more than one ticket may not be eligible for a reduction on an individual ticket if the eligibility criteria are not satisfied for the ticket. Please check with your court for additional information.
Who cannot participate in the amnesty program?
Eligible persons may be excluded from the amnesty program if they owe victim restitution on a case or have certain outstanding misdemeanor or felony warrants.
What if I made a payment after June 24, 2015?
People ineligible due to timing may still have their driver’s license returned, but will not have their fines reduced on tickets with a payment after the deadline .
What tickets will be eligible for amnesty?
Any infraction may qualify for amnesty. Unpaid tickets and related “failure to appear” violations with an initial payment due date on or before January 1, 2013, are eligible.
Individual superior courts and counties may extend this program to include some misdemeanors.
What tickets will not be eligible?
This amnesty program does not apply to parking tickets, reckless driving, and DUI offenses.
How much will I have to pay?
Under the amnesty program, eligible participants will not have to pay any civil assessments. Once the civil assessment amounts are deducted, the remaining balance owed will be reduced by 50 to 80 percent depending on income or receipt of specified public benefits.
- http://www.courts.ca.gov/images/bullet-sqblue.gif); background-position: 5px 8px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">The discount will be 80 percent for those who certify that they make 125 percent or less than the federal poverty level — $14,712 for an individual, or $30,312 for a family of four — or who receive public assistance.
- http://www.courts.ca.gov/images/bullet-sqblue.gif); background-position: 5px 8px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">The discount will be 50 percent for all other eligible participants.
Beginning on October 1, 2015, contact the superior court in the jurisdiction(s) where you received the ticket(s) to determine your eligibility to participate in the amnesty program. People who are eligible for amnesty will have their application processed without seeing a judge.
Will there be a fee to participate?
Courts, counties, and third party collections vendors are permitted to collect an amnesty program fee of $50 payable to the superior court or county. The Department of Motor Vehicles will also charge a $55 driver's license reinstatement fee as it does for any license reinstatement.
Will there be an installment payment option?
Yes, a payment plan option will be available through the superior court, county, or third party collections vendors and payments scheduled under the plan will be based on the ability to pay.
Source: State of California