Court Offers New Way to Apply for Traffic Citation Financial Relief

Superior Court of Alameda County joins statewide financial relief program

Oakland, Calif. – June 30, 2023 - Motorists unable to pay traffic citations due to a financial hardship will have a more convenient way to request relief as the Superior Court of Alameda County transitions to a statewide, online tool that will help determine eligibility and provide alternatives to full payment.

Beginning July 5, 2023, people who received citations in Alameda County can visit MyCitations.courts.ca.gov to apply for a reduction in the amount owed, request a payment plan, seek an extended due date for payment or request community service as an option in lieu of payment.

Eligibility for a reduction in a citation amount is based on one of three factors including income or if a person receives public benefits such as supplemental income, CalWORKS or Medi-Cal.

Those applying for relief from a citation fine can either have the citation number or be prepared to provide a name, birthdate and driver’s license number.  Proof of income status or public benefits might also be necessary.

This service is available once a citation has been issued, a fine has been ordered by the Court and while the judgement remains unpaid, including if a fine is delinquent or has been referred to collections. Fines associated with misdemeanors or felonies are not included in this program. Parking tickets are also not included in this program.

The MyCitations: Ability to Pay tool is a program operated by the Judicial Council of California and was developed after California received a “Price of Justice Initiative” grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to develop and implement the program.

This new program will replace the Court’s current internal program and allows the public to apply for a hardship online without having to submit paperwork at a courthouse.

This new program can be accessed directly for Alameda County-based citations starting July 5, 2023 by visiting MyCitations.courts.ca.gov or visiting the Court’s website at: https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/divisions/traffic.