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TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS - Where Does All the Money Go?

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The Superior Court of California, County of Amador

PENALTIES and ASSESSMENTS

What is a Penalty Assessment?

It is an amount added to the base bail and base fine amounts on infraction, misdemeanor and felony offenses.
The current penalty assessment (effective July 27, 2012), is $27.00 for every $10.00 of the base fine amount or portion
thereof as set forth by the California State Legislature. The $27.00 penalty assessment is charged pursuant to
Penal Code 1464 and Government Codes 76000, 70372, 76104.6, 76104.7 and 76000.5

In addition to the penalty assessments above, the following amounts are added to your base bail or base fine amounts:

Pursuant to Penal Code 1465.7, there is a 20% State Surchage imposed on the base bail or base fine

amount. This 20% is not included in the base fine used to calculate the penalty assessments above.

Pursuant to Penal Code 1465.8, SBX4 13 & SB857, there is a $40.00 Court Security Fee imposed

for each infraction, misdemeanor or felony violation resulting in a conviction.

Pursuant to Government Code 70373, there is a $30.00 assessment imposed for each misdemeanor

or felony conviction and a $35.00 assessment imposed for each infraction conviction.

Pursuant to Vehicle Code 40508.6, there is a $10.00 Administrative Assessment imposed for costs relating

to the maintenance of a defendant's prior conviction record and notifying the DMV of driver's license attachments or restrictions.

Example of a Vehicle Code Fine		Where the money goes:

Base Fine Amount	$25.00	Court Automation 2%, County Funds 24%, City Funds 74%
Penalty Assessments ($81.00)	$30.00	State Penalty Fund-PC 1464 ($10.00 for every $10.00)
	$21.00	County Penalty Fund-GC 76000 ($7.00 for every $10.00)
	$15.00	State Court Facilities Const Fund-GC 70372 ($5.00 for every $10.00)
	$15.00	DNA Identification Fund-GC 76104/GC 76104.7 ($5.00 for every $10.00)
State Surcharge	$5.00	State General Fund-PC 1465.7 (20% of Base Fine)
Court Security Fee	$40.00	Fund Security for Courts-PC 1465.8
Conviction Assessment	$35.00	Fund Building/Maintenance for Courts-GC 70373 ($35.00 per Infraction conviction)
Administrative Assessment	$10.00	Fund Administrative Costs-Priors/DMV-VC 40508.6 ($10.00 per case)
EMAT Penalty Assessment	$4.00	Fund Emergency Medical and Air Transport ($4.00 per conviction)
Total Fine	$200.00

Traffic School

The bail / fine amount for traffic school is calculated the same as above plus an Administrative Fee of $67.00
(Vehicle Code 11205(e) & 42007.1). In addition, each Traffic School charges a program/attendance fee that is
exclusive to their school.

Proof of Correction

Pursuant to Vehicle Code 40611, when submitting proof of correction on a correctible violation, there is a $25.00
transaction fee for each correctible violation.

The Court's Responsibility

The trial courts are required to follow the laws passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
They are not responsible for creating those laws. If you are concerned with the amount of your fine,
contact your state legislator.

Note:

This is for informational purposes only. This may not represent your complete legal obligation.

Rev. 1/2018