What Happens When You Don't Pay a Traffic Ticket in California

Most drivers know that ignoring a traffic ticket is a bad idea. But few understand how far the consequences can go in California: an unpaid ticket can grow with a civil assessment of up to $100 (Penal Code 1214.1), and the court can refer it to the Franchise Tax Board, which can add interest and collect it the way it collects unpaid state income tax, including from your wages (Revenue and Taxation Code 19280).

The Escalation Chain

When you receive a traffic ticket in California, you typically have a due date or "appear by" date printed on the citation. If you do not respond by that date — whether by paying, contesting, or appearing in court — the following can happen:

1. The court may add a <strong>civil assessment of up to $100</strong> to your original fine under Penal Code section 1214.1, on top of whatever penalty assessments already apply.
2. Your case is referred to a <strong>collections agency</strong> contracted by the court.
3. If the debt remains unpaid, the court can refer your account to the <strong>Franchise Tax Board's Court Ordered Debt (COD) Collection Program</strong>.

How the Franchise Tax Board Collects

Once the FTB has your case, it can collect through wage garnishments, bank account levies, state tax refund intercepts, and even seizure of lottery winnings or unclaimed property. The FTB does not need to obtain a separate court judgment before taking these actions. The debt only needs to be at least 90 days delinquent and at least $100 in total.

The FTB's collection process begins with a Demand for Payment notice mailed to your last known address. If you do not resolve the debt within 30 days, the FTB can pursue involuntary collection:

• When a levy attaches to a <strong>bank account</strong>, you have 10 days to resolve the balance before the bank forwards the funds.
• When a levy attaches to <strong>wages</strong>, you have at least 15 days before your employer begins withholding, up to the limit in Code of Civil Procedure 706.050: the lesser of 20% of your disposable earnings or 40% of the amount by which your weekly disposable earnings exceed 48 times the minimum hourly wage (Revenue and Taxation Code 19280(h)).

Multiple California counties — including San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Contra Costa, and San Francisco — explicitly warn on their court websites that unpaid traffic tickets may be referred to the FTB.

Not Every Jurisdiction Works the Same Way

It is important to check local court policies. Some jurisdictions refer unpaid ticket debt to the FTB relatively quickly. Others use private collection agencies first and may only escalate to the FTB after other collection efforts have failed. For example, Los Angeles Superior Court has confirmed that if a driver fails to appear or take any action by the appear by date on a citation, the case proceeds to the court's collections vendor. In other counties, the path to FTB involvement may be more direct.

The Red Light Camera Status Question

Online advice about ignoring red light camera tickets is often out of date. California now has two kinds. A traditional red light camera ticket (Vehicle Code 21455.5) is a court citation for a Vehicle Code 21453 infraction, handled like other traffic infractions. A civil SB 720 notice (Vehicle Code 21455.9, in effect since January 1, 2026) comes from a city or county that opted in and has its own late fees and collection process. Some cities, such as the City of Los Angeles in 2011, ended their programs, so check who sent your notice.

This does not mean ignoring tickets is a recommended strategy. Policies can change, and an unresolved ticket can create complications if you later appear in the same court for any other matter.

The Bottom Line

An unpaid traffic ticket in California does not simply go away. Depending on your jurisdiction, the consequences can escalate from a civil assessment of up to $100 to active collection by the state's tax authority, with the power to take money directly from your bank account or paycheck.

Drivers who receive an officer-issued citation or a traditional red light camera ticket (Vehicle Code 21455.5) have several options: pay the fine, attend traffic school (if eligible), or contest the ticket in court. Trial by Written Declaration under CVC 40902 allows drivers to present their case in writing without appearing in court. AB 645 speed camera notices and SB 720 civil red light notices are different: they are civil penalties, contested with the issuing city through an initial review. Whatever you choose, responding by the deadline is the most important step.

Learn how Trial by Written Declaration works. What Is Trial by Written Declaration? →