What to do if your DMV record shows an infraction for which you went to Traffic School

Exceptions to this rule of confidentiality are instances where:

• The person convicted holds a commercial driver’s license as defined by Section 15210.
• The person convicted holds a commercial driver’s license in another state, in accordance with Part 383 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
• The violation occurred in a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 15210.
• The conviction would result in a violation point count of more than one point pursuant to Section 12810.

Confidentiality of Convictions and Traffic School

When your conviction is kept confidential, it means it shall not be disclosed to any person, except a court. If you get another traffic ticket within 18 months, the judge will be able to see your previous attendance at traffic school and your masked points and conviction.

Drivers are only permitted to go to traffic school once in 18 months. If you get a traffic ticket but have already attended traffic school within the last 18 months, you will get points on your license and your insurance company will be notified.

Commercial Drivers

If you hold a commercial driver’s license and you were not driving a commercial vehicle when you got your traffic ticket, then if you successfully complete a California DMV-approved Traffic School program, the record of conviction will not be confidential but the conviction will not add a point count to your DMV record.

Eligibility for Traffic School

Generally, you can go to traffic school if:

• You have a valid driver’s license,
• The offense occurred while driving a noncommercial vehicle, and
• Your ticket is for an infraction that is a moving violation.

If you have a noncommercial driver’s license and the court permits you to attend traffic school for an eligible offense, after completion of the course a confidential conviction will be recorded on your driving record at the DMV, but you will not receive a point on your driving record. The court may approve traffic school for a driver with a commercial driver’s license if the eligible offense occurred in a noncommercial vehicle. After completion of an approved program by a driver with a commercial driver’s license, a conviction will appear on the driving record at the DMV, but a point will not appear for the offense.