Bail Forfeiture (Paying Fines)

To pay your fine, your citation must have been processed by the Court. If you don't have a courtesy notice yet, check the Traffic Case Info website to learn if your case has been processed.

You may choose from the options described below to pay your fine (also known as forfeiting bail).

Traffic Payment Options:

• Clerk's Office Public Counter, courthouse drop box, or by mail:
  • Personal Checks
  • Money Orders
  • Cashiers' Checks
  • Cash (in person only!)
  • Credit Card (American Express, Discover, MasterCard and VISA) - Public Counter
• Internet:
  • Credit Card (American Express, Master Card or VISA only)
  • Debit Card

If you wish to pay by credit/debit card, you can do it on the internet. There will be an additional convenience fee charged. See information on this page about credit/debit card payments.
 

Pay by Phone Option: To make a payment using a credit/debit card, please call 408-878-0098. This option is available after court business hours, on weekends, and Court observed holidays during the following hours: Mon-Fri 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm PST and Sat-Sun 6:00 am – 3:00 pm PST. Hablamos Español. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted and a 5% service charge will be added to the fine/fee amount.

You can pay in person, by mail, or online .

To pay in person, go to the South County Courthouse. Drop boxes are available after hours - see guidelines .

To pay by mail, send your fine/bail to the courthouse listed on your courtesy notice.

You can pay most fines/bails by credit/debit card. There is 5% fee to pay by credit/debit card, charged by the service used by the Court.

There are two ways to pay by credit/debit card:

• Pay online: If eligible, you can pay online at https://portal.scscourt.org/traffic . (If you tried to pay online and saw this message: "This citation is not payable through this system or could not be found," then please see the Can't Pay Online FAQ.)
• You can pay in person at the counter at the South County Courthouse using American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and VISA.

To pay by phone, Please call 408-878-0098. This option is available after court business hours, on weekends, and Court observed holidays, during the following hours: Mon-Fri 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm PST and Sat-Sun 6:00 am – 3:00 pm PST. Hablamos Español. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted and a 5% service charge will be added to the fine/fee amount.

If you choose to forfeit bail (pay your fine), you may be eligible for monthly payments. If eligible, there will be a $35 administrative fee added to the total amount due. Payments must be scheduled in person, and you must pay 10% of the total amount due (including fees) to begin your payment plan.

A Judicial Officer can also allow monthly payments. In order to make this request, you must schedule a court appearance. (See the page about court dates for more information.)

The California legislature decides what the minimum and maximum fine will be for every violation of state law. There are also local laws that say what the fines will be for violations of local law. The State and County of Santa Clara add an "assessment" to the established fines. The California Judicial Council publishes a Uniform Bail Schedule that says what the bail will be for all traffic code infractions.

If you want, you can pay the bail listed on your courtesy notice instead of going to court. (Also, see the Traffic Bail Schedule.)

If your case is a misdemeanor or felony, the Santa Clara County Superior Court will decide on the bail. The Judicial Council recommends an increase in bail for each prior conviction. There is a maximum amount allowed by law.

When you go to court, the Commissioner can fine you any amount between the minimum and maximum fines. The Commissioner will decide based on the facts of your case and your driving record.